“We wanted to create a conference like those rare ones we were lucky enough to attend abroad. The practices you see are so fresh, the minds you hear are so brilliant, that you leave and can’t sleep from all the thoughts racing through your head. That creative storm is what we wanted the first M.O.RE. to ignite.”
With these words, SELPE President Kostas Gerardos welcomed more than 800 attendees to the inaugural M.O.RE. – Masters of Retail, the international business summit of the Hellenic Association of Retail Enterprises.
At the historic Main Stage of the Tsiller Building at the National Theatre of Greece, more than 30 international and Greek leaders, founders, and top executives from the business and technology world came together.
Panoramic view of the Main Stage at the Tsiller Building of the National Theatre of Greece at M.O.RE. 2026
SELPE President Kostas Gerardos with Giorgos Kapoutzidis at the opening of M.O.RE. 2026
A snapshot from the M.O.RE. 2026 proceedings
A snapshot from the M.O.RE. 2026 proceedings
From Silicon Valley, London, and Brussels to Barcelona and Dubai, M.O.RE. brought to Athens Jo Malone CBE, Lars Rasmussen (co-founder of Google Maps), Dhiraj Mukherjee (co-founder of Shazam), Amin Toufani (CEO of T Labs), Daniel López (Chief Expansion Officer of Mango), Enrique Fernández Aísa (former Group CEO of M.Video-Eldorado), MEP Dirk Gotink (the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the reform of the Union Customs Code), and dozens of other speakers.
Dhiraj Mukherjee, co-founder of Shazam, at M.O.RE. 2026
Also present were Greek founders and entrepreneurs who have written some of the most remarkable success stories in modern Greek business: Skroutz co-founders Giorgos Avgoustidis and Giorgos Hatzigeorgiou, InstaShop and Revotech founder Giannis Tsioris, Dimitris Andriotis of BOX NOW, and Michalis Tsiknakis of JD Sports / Cosmos Sport.
Michalis Tsiknakis, CEO of Sporting Goods at JD Sports Fashion / Cosmos Sport, at M.O.RE. 2026
M.O.RE. also featured top executives from Microsoft, Salesforce, Mastercard, Eurobank, EY, KNAPP, IKEA, Lidl, and Klarna, representing some of the world’s most influential international and Greek organizations.
«Putting retail where it belongs»
At the summit’s opening, Kostas Gerardos highlighted the economic and social power of an industry that, as he noted, often fails to receive the recognition it deserves given its true scale — retail being the largest employer in the European economy.
“Retail is like that person behind the scenes who controls the lights, talks to the actors, adjusts the sound. You only see a small part of what they do, and you don’t give them the credit they deserve. One of the goals of this conference is to put retail in the place it deserves,” he said.
He emphasized that modern retail invests in energy, construction, real estate, media, banking, human resources, and logistics — acting as a powerful multiplier across a wide range of economic sectors.
Jo Malone CBE: passion, creativity, resilience
One of the day’s most memorable moments came when Kostas Gerardos welcomed Jo Malone CBE to the stage — the founder of Jo Loves and one of the most influential figures in global business.
Jo Malone CBE on the M.O.RE. 2026 stage
During a deeply personal conversation, Jo Malone created a fragrance live in front of the audience and shared her journey — from a difficult childhood and the first products she made in her home kitchen, to building a global fragrance brand, her battle with cancer, and her entrepreneurial comeback with Jo Loves.
Jo Malone CBE creating a live fragrance on stage
“These three things — passion, creativity, resilience — are vital, not just for business, but for anything you can imagine. If we brought these three ingredients together and truly started working on them, I believe we would see our world transform,” she said.
Jo Malone CBE in conversation with SELPE President Kostas Gerardos at M.O.RE. 2026
The major shifts redefining retail
AI, changing consumer behavior, data, omnichannel strategies, the store of the future, and new business models were all front and center at M.O.RE.
Ornella Urso, Research Director of IDC Retail Insights Europe, presented the major forces transforming European retail, while Amin Toufani, CEO of T Labs, spoke about the exponential pace of change and the need for businesses to challenge everything they once took for granted.
Exponential technologies expert Amin Toufani at M.O.RE. 2026
Enrique Fernández Aísa, former Group CEO of M.Video-Eldorado, highlighted retail-as-a-service, stockless commerce, and seamless customer recognition across the entire customer journey as key directions for the next chapter of retail.
Lars Rasmussen, co-founder of Google Maps, and Dhiraj Mukherjee, co-founder of Shazam, shared the stories behind two ideas that changed the way people interact with the world around them — opening up a broader conversation about the technologies that will shape the future of commerce.
Lars Rasmussen, co-founder of Google Maps, at M.O.RE. 2026
Daniel López presented Mango’s international expansion experience, building a network of nearly 3,000 stores across more than 120 markets, while Richard Bennett, Creative Director of Dalziel & Pow, explored the role of experience and emotional intelligence in designing the store of the future.
Daniel López, Chief Expansion & Franchise Officer of Mango, in conversation with Dimitris Kolettas
Greek founders take center stage
Skroutz co-founders Giorgos Avgoustidis and Giorgos Hatzigeorgiou spoke about their company’s journey — from its earliest days to the present — and the decisions that shaped it through periods of explosive growth and major shifts in e-commerce.
Skroutz co-founders Giorgos Avgoustidis and Giorgos Hatzigeorgiou
Giannis Tsioris, founder of InstaShop and Revotech, shared the story of a company that conquered the demanding markets of the Middle East and was ultimately acquired by Delivery Hero for €360 million — as well as his next entrepreneurial venture.
Giannis Tsioris, founder of InstaShop, with SELPE President Kostas Gerardos
Dimitris Andriotis of BOX NOW and Michalis Tsiknakis, CEO of Sporting Goods at JD Sports / Cosmos Sport, brought to the discussion the sweeping changes in last-mile delivery and the evolving role of the physical store as an experiential space.
Europe is rewriting the rules of e-commerce
The conversation between Kostas Gerardos and Dutch MEP Dirk Gotink, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on customs reform, brought into sharp focus one of the biggest challenges facing European retail: ensuring a level playing field against third-country platforms. This is an issue SELPE has consistently raised on the European stage.
Dirk Gotink outlined the latest developments in European customs reform, referencing the provisional €3 fee applied from July 1st to shipments valued below €150 from third countries. As he explained, the fee is calculated per product code for each item included in a shipment. He also previewed additional European initiatives in the pipeline. The discussion further centered on the safety and compliance of products sold through third-country online marketplaces, and the urgent need to strengthen consumer protection across the EU.
M.O.RE. concluded with a performance by LOUD Art & Inclusion and a clear message about inclusion as a fundamental dimension of modern business and retail.
Hosting duties were handled by Giorgos Kapoutzidis, who — for more than ten hours — connected the summit’s diverse themes with warmth, directness, and humor.
Giorgos Kapoutzidis, host of M.O.RE. 2026
Giorgos Kapoutzidis and Kostas Gerardos at the closing of the summit
M.O.RE. 2026 sponsors and partners
M.O.RE. 2026 took place with the support of:
Lead Partners: Mastercard, Eurobank
Key Partners: OLP – Piraeus Port Authority, Lidl, Skroutz, Plaisio, Fourlis Group of Companies, Epsilon Net, EY Studio+, Globalsat Group of Companies, ToFarmakeiomou, iStorm, Papastratos, Samsung
Official Visual Communication Partner: Multiplo
Official Accessibility Partner: Evenly
Official Transportation Partner: Welcome Pickups
Official Coffee Partner: Nespresso
Official Interiors Partner: IKEA
Supporters: attica, Bestseller, JD / Cosmos, Forel, MrPhone.gr, Rumours London Dry Gin, Marks & Spencer, Moustakas, Anna Maria Mazaraki, Ergon
With the first edition now complete, SELPE announced that M.O.RE. will return in 2027, with the ambition of becoming a permanent international gathering for the ideas, technologies, and people shaping the next chapter of retail.
A July Monday that attend
