Theresa Schleicher is considered Europe’s leading retail futurologist. She speaks about the future of shopping, retail, and consumption. She is a futurological sparring partner for retail and commercial enterprises, the renowned Zukunftsinstitut (Future Institute), and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.
Theresa Schleicher: “What if the basic principles of retail no longer apply in the future? What if product variety, sales, and expansion reach their limits? What if customer focus can no longer be the sole benchmark? And what if skilled workers come, but no longer from where they always came from?”
Consumption of the future? Theresa Schleicher offers an exciting outlook on the key trends in global trade and local retail.
Theresa Schleicher’s lecture topics
- The European Economy in 2040: A Positive Vision of the Future from Research
What our economy could look like based on six pillars of success, and the key questions that arise. Based on cutting-edge research (10 months, 7 institutes, 4 countries, 4 ministries, 10 CEOs, 1,000 consumers)
- Consumer Trends 2027/2028: Upcoming Demands for Fashion, Food Retail, DIY, Furniture, and More
What do people want to find on the shelves and racks, and which services will play a role in the coming years? Gain insights from the pioneers now.
- Agentic AI 2040: the real innovations of the next 10 years
The hype is huge. But which developments in AI agents, robotics, and enterprise AI are genuinely advanced? Fresh from research, with renowned AI and robotics scientists and CIOs of major companies looking to move Europe forward.
- Why do Gen Z customers crave oysters in a crisis?
How major luxury brands and retailers must adapt to generations defined by years of frugality—generations that cut back on streaming subscriptions while sipping champagne.
- Sustainability 3.0: the real solutions for retail are only just beginning
Only those who understand what is possible can create real solutions. The fascinating developments in retail — from better materials to the markets that will dominate the future.
- Growth in the city center by 2035? What do the concepts for the future look like?
What specific approaches and innovations are needed to revitalize Europe’s city centers? A visionary yet concrete look into the future.
- Made in Germany 3.0
The global economy is changing. How can German brands become “cool” again? Insights from trips to Germany, China, and India.
- AI: Economic Driver or Energy Drain?
Theresa Schleicher is considered worldwide one of the most renowned experts on the future of retail.
She has been a jury member for retail innovation awards since 2015 and is working with politicians, associations, and urban developers to promote new framework conditions for retail. As a keynote speaker, Theresa Schleicher opens up the future of retail and consumption on stage and in sparring sessions with executives.
The keywords are innovative strength, digitalization, data, and artificial intelligence. This is what the economy in the DACH region needs. We are in a time when we have to deal with the tensions between globalization, supply chain issues, political uncertainty, the shift from sustainability to broad eco-intelligence, and the speed of technology.
Retail in the changing times: What was – what remains – what is coming.
As an investor in new innovative retail start-ups, she focuses on economic resilience in fast-moving markets and on technological advances such as artificial intelligence for more ecologically and economically sustainable trade.
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