The Retail Asia Summit 2025 in Kuala Lumpur brought together leaders, innovators and disruptors from across the retail sector to explore how businesses can navigate the next wave of change. From unified commerce and AI transformation to evolving consumer expectations and sustainability imperatives, the summit offered a clear view of where retail in Malaysia is headed – and what it will take to stay competitive.
Here are our top takeaways:
- Personalisation Still Reigns – But with Purpose
As Opal Wu from McKinsey & Company noted, customer experience (CX) represents a real opportunity to outperform the competitors, with 83% of consumers saying the #1 factor determining if they will shop again is their experience at the retailer.
So, companies should put customers and people first, not technology, with an effort for personalisation which isn’t just about pushing product. It’s about delivering the right experience at the right time for the right customer. Or in Opal’s words:
“Personalisation is, in essence, giving the right product to the right customer at the right time.”
This philosophy echoes the “7 Rs of Supply Chain” and reinforces the need for data-driven, customer-first strategies in retail.
- Unified Commerce – Rethinking Omnichannel
Low Ngai Yuen of AEON Co. posed a critical challenge to the industry:
“Is omnichannel just retail’s way of saying ‘we are lost’? And what is omnichannel really? Do customers say ‘I had a great omnichannel experience’?”
Her keynote introduced the concept of unified commerce, where businesses centralise all customer touchpoints – digital and physical – into one central platform across all functions. It goes beyond the so-called “seamless experience”: it creates a 360° view of the customers, providing them with a single journey. It’s a timely evolution, especially in markets like Malaysia where consumer habits are rapidly shifting.
- AI in Retail – A Business-First Approach
AI was front and centre in several discussions, particularly during the “AI-Driven Retail” panel, moderated by our very own Andrea Carnino and featuring leaders from AEON Ventures, Baskin-Robbins and Alpro Pharmacy. Across the board, there was consensus: AI is not about replacing people, but about amplifying potential.
As shared during our panel contribution:
- AI use cases must justify their complexity and serve clear business goals.
- Quiet but high-impact applications – like demand forecasting or planogram optimisation – are often where the real value lies.
- Human roles are evolving, not disappearing – AI is assisting, not replacing.
The guiding principle: Human First, AI Assisted.
- E-Commerce: From Discovery to Delivery
In the “Scaling E-Commerce in Malaysia” panel, moderated by Kevin Chew from EY, Grab/Jaya Grocer, SPX Express and Landmark Group explored how trust, content and customer-centric operations are critical to converting engagement into transactions.
Later in her keynote, Nur Azre of TikTok Shop shared how they shortened the consumer journey from discovery to purchase, with TikTok users being 1.8x more likely to convince family and friends to buy, hence transforming the linear sales funnel into an infinity loop. Nur also revealed the indicator system TikTok Shop uses to capture the customer journey along the Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) touchpoints: ACE – Assortment, Content and Empowerment.
- It’s AI + HI – Not AI Alone
Ipsos’ Jane Lattimore revealed three key trends in retail: omnichannel and seamlessness, automation on customer experience and reducing the environment impact, with examples from Uniqlo, Adidas and Watson’s Café, and drove home a key point: technology alone won’t future-proof retail. It’s about AI + HI (Human Intelligence) – blending digital capability with emotional intelligence and frontline empathy to meet customer expectations in meaningful ways.
- Sustainability Takes the Stage
Sustainability isn’t an option – it’s becoming a competitive differentiator. Selena Chua of Paradigm Reit Management shared a long list of inspiring initiatives, from sustainable festive mall decorations made of recyclable and reusable materials to solar panels and energy conservation, from rainwater harvesting and cooking oil recycling programmes to EV charging stations and smart parking systems. The list goes on with potential initiatives to tackle utilisation and reduce waste – no stone is left unturned.
Final Thought: Retail Transformation Is a Mindset Shift
Retail transformation is not a technical journey – it’s a cultural one. Whether it’s AI adoption, channel strategy or sustainability, progress starts with mindset and action, not just tools.
As we reflect on the summit’s themes, one message stood out: Technology is an enabler – but people, purpose and trust are what truly drive real change.
Or, in the words of AEON’s Low Ngai Yuen, “Well, we’ve stopped building the map and started the engine instead”.
Discover how we’re helping retail businesses stay ahead of the curve – from AI and smarter shopping experiences to sustainability-driven operations. Explore our retail transformation capabilities here.
Share:
