<p>As one of the world’s foremost business futurists and retail industry experts, Doug Stephens decodes the forces reshaping commerce and translates them into strategic advantage. </p><p>Known as “the futurist that futurists follow,” Doug Stephens is the founder and CEO of Retail Prophet, where he is the go-to authority for global brands like IKEA, Nike, Coca Cola, and Louis Vuitton. His dynamic keynotes don't just explore business transformation; they reveal the surprising competitive advantages waiting for organizations bold enough to reimagine their future in this era of unprecedented disruption.</p><p>Stephens is an internationally bestselling author of three books on the future of consumerism including his most recent, <em>Resurrecting Retail: The Future of Business in a Post-Pandemic World</em>. He is currently working on his fourth book, <em>The Future of Competitive Advantage: A Business Plan to Save Your Customers, Your Company, and Democracy, </em>to be released in June 2026. Stephens’ insights provide a roadmap for businesses seeking to thrive amid radical shifts in technology, consumer behavior, and competitive landscapes.</p><p>Stephens’ unique perspectives on trends in economics, technology, and consumer behavior have made him a sought-after voice in leading global publications and media outlets, with features in <em>The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal,</em> and <em>Fast Company,</em> and on the BBC and CBC. He also sits on multiple corporate and academic advisory boards, including the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retail at St. Mary's University. </p><p>As one of the world’s most sought-after business speakers, Stephens offers an ever-evolving array of cutting edge and compelling topics, suitable for any business audience.</p>
Business Futurist, Retail and Commerce Expert
<ul><li><strong>The Future of Competitive Advantage: A Business Plan to Save Your Customer, Your Company, and Democracy</strong></li><li>In this forward-looking keynote based on his upcoming book The Future of Competitive Advantage, Doug Stephens challenges leaders to rethink competitive strategy in an era defined not just by technology disruption, brand positioning, or customer experience, but by deeper political, economic, and academic crises reshaping the free market itself. Drawing on fresh research and real-world case studies from companies like Walmart, PayPal, Google, and Publix, Stephens reveals how today’s instability is also creating unprecedented opportunity for businesses ready to adapt and lead. Audiences gain a practical blueprint for 21st-century competitive advantage—understanding how to future-proof their organization, navigate systemic risk, and actively shape the markets of tomorrow rather than simply react to them.</li><li><strong>From Chaos to Competitive Superpower: How Great Brands Lead Through Uncertainty</strong></li><li>Geopolitical tensions, social unrest, economic upheaval, and rapid technological shifts have all combined to create tremendous disruption and change for businesses across categories. Some might call it chaos. However, if viewed through a different lens, such moments of intense change can unlock breakthrough strategies and competitive opportunities for those with the courage to seize them. Bestselling author and global industry futurist Doug Stephens presents an inspiring, new way of thinking about the chaos in your market and lays out a means of turning it into your competitive superpower.</li><li><strong>Agentic AI and the Future of Retail</strong></li><li>As artificial intelligence evolves, a new frontier is emerging — Agentic AI. These autonomous, goal-driven systems can perceive, reason, and act with minimal human intervention, enabling unprecedented levels of personalization, operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making. Retail futurist Doug Stephens explores the transformative potential of Agentic AI in retail, from dynamic supply chain optimization and autonomous merchandising to AI-powered customer agents that can shop, negotiate, and transact on behalf of consumers. Audiences gain insights into early use cases, long-term implications and ethical considerations for businesses as AI agents become central to both customer experience and enterprise operations.</li><li><strong>The Business Archetypes of the Future</strong></li><li>In a business environment defined by rapid digital transformation, shifting consumer behavior, evolving societal norms, and economic uncertainty, organizations across industries face unprecedented global competition from direct-to-consumer brands, global e-commerce platforms, hyper-discounters, and third-party marketplaces—making traditional advantages like convenience, selection, price, and product exclusivity increasingly fragile. In this keynote based on his book Resurrecting Retail, futurist Doug Stephens delivers a clear, actionable strategy framework that helps leaders navigate market disruption, prioritize high-impact investments, create differentiated customer value, and build sustainable competitive advantage. Audiences leave with practical insights on cutting through marketplace chaos, future-proofing their brand, and achieving long-term, uncontested market leadership in today’s hyper-competitive economy.</li></ul>