Licensing for Retail Day 2024 Announces First Batch of Speakers

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) and License Global have announced the first list of licensing and retail experts speaking at Licensing for Retail Day 2024, which is set to take place March 7 at Convene, London. The event is hosted in partnership with Licensing International.

New for this year, interactive roundtables will upgrade the networking experience with key players in the British retail landscape. Delegates can join buyers from Marks & Spencer, The Works, Forbidden Planet, New Look, DFS, Boots, Tesco, John Lewis and many more.

“We’re so looking forward to showing off the wonderful world of brand licensing to such a diverse group of retailers,” says Laura Freedman-Dagg, head of retail, Global Licensing Group, Informa Markets. “We know that there’s a real hunger from retail for clarity and direction on how to navigate brand partnerships, and this event serves to deliver exactly that.

“Attendees can expect a day full of strategic tips and creative inspiration from some of the best minds in licensing. That learning, coupled with plenty of informal networking opportunities and facilitated roundtables, should provide a really useful day of relationship-building for everyone who joins us.”  

Highlights from the day include a keynote session from Hasbro on 100 years of inspiring families through the wonder of play. Fabacus will provide an overview of Digital Product Passports and why they’re relevant in the context of licensing at retail and License Global’s Ben Roberts will look at the global brand licensing landscape.

Related:Licensing for Retail and Creating In-Store Experiences for Consumers

The day will also include “brand sizzles” with SEGA on Sonic the Hedgehog, hosting the first, with further brands to be announced shortly.

Licensing for Retail Day 2024 Agenda

9 a.m.-10 a.m.: Registration and networking 

9:30 a.m.-10 a.m.: Breakfast Briefing *For Retail Mentoring Programme delegates only*

10 a.m.-10:20 a.m.: Welcome and scene-setting

10:20 a.m.-10:45 a.m.: License Global’s State of the Nation. Ben Roberts, EMEA content director, License Global, will lead a look into the brand licensing landscape and will share License Global’s insights on what’s hot right now and what’s likely to be around the corner.

11:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: Consumer Trends Presentation

Noon-12:45 p.m.: Keynote – 100 Years of Inspiring Families through the Wonder of Play. Catrina O’Brien, UK licensing director, Hasbro, will explore Hasbro’s play-centered approach to cross-generational licensing programs.

1:45 p.m.-2:15 p.m.: Licensing Chose Me panel discussion. Ian Downes, managing director, Start Licensing, will chair a panel of brand licensing professionals with retail backgrounds, sharing how they got to where they are and their insight on licensing as a creative, strategic, fun and fulfilling speciality.

2:20 p.m.-3:40 p.m.: Roundtables – new for 2024. The topics will include:

4 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Digital Product Passports and the Future of Licensing. Jonathan Baker, chief commercial officer, Fabacus, will provide an overview of Digital Product Passports and why they’re relevant in the context of licensing at retail, followed by a panel debate looking at their use both now and in the future.

4:30 p.m.-5 p.m.: Closing Debate – Licensing Leaders’ Perspectives. Steve Manners, UK managing director, marketing director, Licensing International, will be joined by senior licensing professionals to debate the topics raised throughout the day and where they see the industry going to close the learning and serve as a precursor to the networking event to follow.

5-7 p.m.: Networking

Click here to learn more or to register for Licensing for Retail Day.

Watch: Licensing for Retail Day 2023 ...