NRF sweeps into NYC on Jan. 15

Retail leaders, industry visionaries, and supply chain specialists will gather in New York City on Jan. 15 for "Retail's Big Show," the National Retail Federation's (NRF) annual flagship convention and expo.

Now in its 106th year, the three-day jamboree will draw some 33,000 attendees from 3,326 retail companies to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. With a crowd that size, attendees are assured of some serious networking opportunities, but there are plenty of other reasons to go. For instance, 510 exhibitors will be on hand to showcase the latest retail technologies and solutions. Attendees will also find ample opportunity for education at the 55 breakout sessions.

This year's speaker lineup will be headlined by Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group. On the second day of the conference, Branson will deliver a keynote address titled "Undying Brand Engagement in an Age of Continuous Disruption and Reinvention." The roster of 300 scheduled speakers also includes William Dudley, CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel; and Mike McNamara, EVP and CIO of Target.

For those looking to dig deeper into the details of retail, the agenda also includes presentations by Jodie Fox, co-founder and chief creative officer of Shoes of Prey; Erika Serow, president and U.S. CEO of Sweaty Betty; Meg Lustman, CEO of Hobbs; Jerry Hum, co-founder and CEO of Touch of Modern; and Kevin Brown, SVP and CMO of Select Comfort Corp./Sleep Number.