NEW YORK, June 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Lead Innovation Summit — the largest gathering of executives, thought leaders and influencers in the fashion, retail, and consumer industry — announced today record attendance and sponsorship for their flagship event being held July 12-13 on the waterfront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (NYC). Now in its 3rd year, The Lead Innovation Summit will play host to the industry's greatest minds and next-generation brands for two days of programming and special events.
"The Lead is not an event, it is an innovation ecosystem. From the CEOs to the investors, retailers, and marketers, each conversation is different and more valuable than the next. I’m always impressed at how The Lead is able to garner such an incredible lineup of speakers and participants. It is one of the few industry conferences that I will always prioritize,” said Parinda Muley, VP, Ecommerce & Innovation, Richemont, Americas.
More than 1,000 brands and retailers, 250 CEOs and founders, and over 80 sponsors and exhibitors have already signed up for The Lead’s immersive experience. The record-setting participation, which is expected to surpass 1,700 attendees, shows the industry’s desire for premium events designed for learning, networking, and discovery.
“We are looking forward to creating a space for the fashion, retail, & consumer innovation community to converge to learn from, and connect with, the brands, retailers, digital natives, and tech enablers who are defining tomorrow," said Sonal Gandhi, Chief Content Officer at The Lead.
"With sponsors like SAP, Google Cloud, AmazonPay, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Snap, Inc, and other national and enterprise partners eager to return, this two-day immersive experience covers innovation across the value chain and features more than 115 stand-out speakers across three stages who are taking a deep look at the future of the industry,” said Noah Gellman, CEO at The Lead.
The Lead is known for drawing on content from widely recognized research lists — The Foremost 50 List (high-growth DTC brands), The Direct 60 List (incumbent brands building DTC muscle), and The Leading 100 (venture-backed tech start-ups) — and bringing the greatest brand leaders to the stage to discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities. Speakers this year include Matt Baer, Chief Digital & Customer Officer, Macy’s; Shekar Natarajan, EVP & Chief Supply Chain Officer, American Eagle Outfitters; Robert Rizzolo, Chief Merchandising Officer, Marc Jacobs; Alex Baillargeon, SVP, Digital, Authentic Brands Group; Rachel Wyatt, SVP, Head of Digital & Customer Experience, Signet Jewelers; Mike Wade, Head of Product, Yeezy / Gap; and more. A list of all speakers can be found here.
More than 250 venture-backed technology providers and hundreds of next-generation brands will be discovered across The Lead’s Innovation Village and VisionTalks series.
In addition to the 115+ speakers and 30+ content sessions, The Lead Summit is recognized for its creative experience and one-of-a-kind networking events. This year includes a buyout of Brooklyn Bowl for ‘Dream & Bowl,’ a take-over of the Brooklyn Brewery; 360-degree views of New York City from 25 Kent and the roof of the nearby Williamsburg Hotel, and local food and beverage.
Tickets to The Lead Summit are available at https://summit.the-lead.co/register
ABOUT THE LEAD
The Lead's mission is to bridge the fashion, retail & consumer industries with the global Silicon Valley. The Lead's three editorial-driven research lists: The Foremost 50, The Direct 60 and The Leading 100 -- triangulate innovation in the industry by tracking key stakeholders in the fashion, retail, commerce ecosystem. Through research, content, and executive gatherings, The Lead's work is to reveal what is coming next and to help this industry get ahead of it.
For more information on this topic, please email Nikita Patel at nikita@the-lead.co
