SAITEX breakfast unpacks Wal-Mart impact

Former award-winning CNN correspondent, Paul Tilsley, will interview retail expert Simon Mathers on the impact of Wal-Mart's entry into South Africa at a networking breakfast to be held at SAITEX on Tuesday 19 July 2011 from 8.30am for 9am at the Gallagher Grill, Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand.

With 30 years' experience, Mathers is a specialist in reading and understanding retail trends, strategic planning, start-up operations, sales, marketing, business development, leadership, relationship building and commercial operations.

Some of the questions Tilsley will be putting to Mathers are:

How have major players Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco rolled out across Europe?
How have local players faired and survived in the rush for market share?
What are some of the mass merchandisers' weaknesses and how can smaller speciality stores focus on a narrow but lucrative niche?
Why are South African retailers unique compared with their counterparts in the rest of the world?

Mathers and Tilsley will present a special segment on what the new business advantages of mobile commerce can give African retailers, including:

International success stories in E/M Commerce and insights into why once great companies who ignored this development are no longer around;
Talk through and demonstrate of some of the latest mobile commerce solutions;
Show how new markets in the Middle East are racing ahead with this new sales and marketing technology.

Tickets cost is R550 ex VAT per person. For bookings, tel Linda Kaufman on +27 (0) 11 783 7250 or email moc.acirfasnoitibihxe@6selas.