The ULI Asia Pacific: Experience the Experience took place on 3–4 February and energised a conversation around retail, hospitality, technology and real estate. More than 40 thought leaders from 12 countries across the globe – including prominent retailers LVMH, IKEA, Hema, Decathlon – provided valuable insights of where we are now during the global pandemic and what the future of retail real estate holds.

Key takeaways included:

• Better collaboration is needed between landlords, tenants, customers, government, developers – a willingness to work together, taking ownership in creating a successful future for retail.
• We need to understand our customers better by use of data and technology to embrace customers, especially the tech savvy GEN Z, and keeping customers happy. Barrie Barton, Strategy & Insights Director, Right Angle Studio commented “Those who know the kids own the future”
• Flexibility and adaptability is essential – keep experimenting and prepare to fail.
• Creativity and experimentation are the key to success –
  • Simon Forster, former CEO of Selfridges highlighted that it is essential to be inventive – “less inventory more invention”
  • Chris Wu, CFO of Chongbang Group shared that “everything we do in retail is experimenting and we need flexibility to make it works.”

We would like to thank all of our attendees, speakers, programming committees, ULI Asia Pacific family and finally our event sponsors Benoy, Chongbang Group, SC Capital Partners, Coresight Research and DLA Piper in providing a diverse conversation for #ULIExperience.

Some of the content will be featured in UrbanLand Online later in February and recordings will be available on Knowledge Finder in March. There are plans to set up a Retail Product Council in the Asia Pacific region to continue the cross-border discussion.