Philippine retailers joined Asia-Pacific Retail event

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine retailing sector participated at the recently held biggest regional retail event, the 14th Asia-Pacific Retailers Convention & Exhibition 2009 which drew close to 4,000 delegates from major retailers and retail suppliers in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region.

Hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Korea Retailers Association, the 14th APRCE focused on the theme “Retail for The Future of Life and Economy” to foster collaboration in the retail industry. The three-day convention and exhibition featured more than 40 speakers from various retailers and retail industry experts in Korea and the region. Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice chairman and PRA chairman emeritus Samie Lim, representing the Philippines, presented his paper on “Franchising as an Entry Strategy in a Foreign Country.”

Acknowledged as the Philippines’ “Father of Franchising,” Lim outlined how franchising grew in the Philippines and how it has been the preferred mode of foreign retailers as well as local retailers in their bid to get a foothold in the Philippine retail market. 

Joining Lim as speaker were some of the regions top retail leaders and retail experts such as Martin Roll of Martin Roll Co.; Baeyong Lee, president of Ewha Womans University; Chang-jae Lee, senior fellow of the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy; Lotte Shopping Co. head of planning division Sewan Kim; Hyundai Department Store CEO Byung-ho Ha; Procter & Gamble Korea VP Shinji Okuyama; Lotte Homeshopping president and CEO Heon Shin; Lotteshopping.co CEO Byung-yong Noh; Han Sung Food CEO Soon-ja Kim; LG Electronics CSCO Didier Chenneveau; Seven Eleven Japan president and COO Ryuichi Isaka; Aeon Co. VP Akihito Tanaka, to name a few. Lim expressed that “the biennial conference brings together the top regional and global brands as well as fast-growing local retailers from the host country in a venue that fosters regional cooperation and learning.”

Lim, led the Philippine delegation to the 14th APRCE composed of PRA president Bernie Liu (Golden ABC CEO), chairman Jorge T. Mendiola (SM SVP-Operations), vice chairman Ma. Alegria S. Limjoco (Central Books president), vice chairman Roberto S. Claudio(Toby’s Sports chairman), director Rosemarie Ong (Wilcon Builders EVP/COO), chief of staff Dino Sagun (Penshoppe VP), secgen Evelyn Balmeo Salire, and delegates from PRA member companies – Abenson’s business development manager Walter Lim, WalterMart’s business development officer Jennilyn Uy, Wilcon builders’ chief finance officer Lorraine Belo and K2Drug president Rebecca Bucad.

The conference was a vital source of information providing delegates with a background on Korean business and culture, key regional and global trends and forecast, issues and developments in retail marketing, merchandising, success strategies, technological innovations, store design and operations, new retail channels, HR, tourism and shopping, among other relevant topics.

Staged simultaneous with the conference was the exhibition which featured top retail suppliers in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region. Among the highlights of the exhibition were the Green Concept and the IT (RFID) Experience Zones for the latest technology in green retailing and IT.

The APRCE is a biennial event organized by the Federation of Asia-Pacific Retailers Association (FAPRA) composed of 17 countries in the Asia-Pacific region which include Australia, Brunei, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Thailand, and Turkey.

The next APRCE will be held in Singapore.