NRF Big Show Asia Pacific Spotlight with the Remarkable Ngai Yuen Low, Group Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer for Aeon Group Malaysia

This week we preview the NRF Big Show APAC debuting this June in Singapore, with two very special guests:  Ngai Yuen Low, Group Chief Merchandise And Marketing Officer at AEON Co Malaysia live from Kuala Lumpur, and Ryf Quail, Compexosium's Managing Director live from Sydney, Australia. We start by delving into Yuen's incredible and diverse experience in the region, getting her thoughts on what makes her company so remarkable, before we explore her leadership style. Then Ryf gives us his thoughts on the impetus for such an exciting new event and what guests can expect. Needless to say, Steve is very excited to be going!

But we kick things off by announcing the virtual launch event for Steve's new book. Go here to pre-register. 

Then it's on to the news of the week, including a few clues into where inflation and interest rates might be headed. Then it's on to dissecting the implications from last week's earnings reports from RH, GameStop, Walgreen's, and H&M. We also unpack a big deal from Home Depot to solidify it's position in the professional market. Then it's on to two big moves from Amazon to increase its AI and cloud computing position, before we wrap up with concerns about the Ozempic recession as Krispy Kreme and McDonald's double down on their partnership. 

About Yuen

Low Ngai Yuen, a multiple award-winning workaholic also sits as an Independent Non-Executive Director of two public listed companies, GDEX Berhad and OCK Berhad. GDEX is a logistic and freight company while OCK is in the business of telecommunications network services and energy.

Adding to her list of accolades is being named Tokoh Wanita Muda, a prestigious award presented by Her Majesty, the former Queen during the National Council of Women’s Organizations, NCWO's celebration of National Women's Day. Also named Most Successful Woman of 2014 by Jessica Magazine, Bella Creative Award 2013 by ntv7, Women Weekly’s Great Women Of Our Time 2012 award for the category of Media and Arts as well as Her World's Young Achiever of the year 2008.

An Elevate Fellow as well as the US Department of State's IVLP's almuni, over the past 20 years, Yuen has gone from producing, directing and creating some of the highest rating TV programs in the country and regional countries to joining the corporate world – as the Director of Marketing and Communications of Carrefour Malaysia and Singapore, sitting on its management and exec committee; to being appointed the Exec Director/CEO of Global Entrepreneurship Movement Assoc that bridge technology to the underserved entrepreneurs.

She championed the TUKAR program (Program Transformasi Kedai Runcit) both at the blueprint and execution phases as contribution to the ETP. In 2011, she was selected as a subject matter expert for the Prime Minister's Roundtable on engaging the youth and subsequently, Yuen leads the performing arts pillar through Kakiseni, an arts NGO to map the industry’s growth for the Dasar Industri Kreatif Negara. Kakiseni has just launched its second book in the Hikayat series to make traditional arts relevant to the young. This is the 5th best selling titles that she produced alongside MPH to date. 

Yuen founded WOMEN:girls in 2011, a not for profit and cause driven organisation to drive higher women's share of voice. Driving higher women participation in leadership and decision making to apprenticeship programs for girls at risk to Ikal Mayang; a series of short films for girls to realise their voices/aspirations/dreams. An important milestone is achieved when Ikal Mayang is selected officially to premiere internationally at the 18th Busan International Film Festival 2013.

In 2021, Yuen released the acclaimed social film on humanity called Orang Itu on Netflix. Orang Itu scored a 10/10 from film critic, Tan Sri Johan Jaafar in The Star and is named the top 5 must watch Malaysian film of the year.

About Ryf 

With over 20 years of experience in media and tech, Ryf is a passionate and visionary leader who thrives on finding and converting opportunities across all categories. He is the Managing Director for Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia at Comexposium, one of the world's largest event organisers, where he oversees the region's leading marketing, e-commerce and media events. 

Ryf has a proven track record of building successful businesses, from launching a digital media start-up that became the largest in Australia, to delivering best-in-class digital and CRM programmes for a global professional service firm, to being recognised as Leader of the Year for Comexposium. He holds an MBA from the University of Otago Business School and has a strong network across the Asia Pacific region. Ryf's mission is to create impactful and innovative solutions for clients and partners, and to empower and inspire his team to achieve excellence.

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About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.

Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. 

Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.