Where retail evolves in real time
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NRF Nexus
July 22-24, 2026 | Colorado Springs
NRF Nexus is where the industry’s most influential executives collaborate, challenge conventions and define what progress looks like today. Learn more.
Retail doesn’t move in clean phases anymore. It shifts mid-quarter. It pivots when an AI model improves. It adjusts when margins tighten. It recalibrates when customer behavior changes in a single season.
That pace is exactly why NRF Nexus exists.
NRF Nexus was created as a smaller, more focused gathering for senior leaders in digital, marketing and technology. It’s designed to provide space to think, test ideas with peers and leave with clearer direction.
And July 22-24 in Colorado Springs, Colo., it’s returning with a sharper structure.
What’s different this year
NRF Nexus 2026 introduces a redesigned format and new learning pathways to help leaders move from “interesting idea” to “what are we actually doing about it?” Instead of long stretches of passive listening, the experience leans into structured dialogue, practical exploration and cross-functional alignment.
More breakout opportunities give attendees room to work through specific challenges. A new CEO-focused track looks beyond tactical execution to long-term positioning and organizational transformation. And a dedicated deep dive on AI, developed in collaboration with PwC, focuses less on hype and more on maturity, governance and operational impact.
Smaller-group exchanges give digital, marketing and technology leaders the opportunity to compare how they are structuring teams and prioritizing investments. Hands-on sessions will explore emerging technologies in practical ways, and collaborative discussions will surface shared friction points, from personalization complexity to integration fatigue.
NRF Nexus is built around the intersection of marketing, technology and digital, with content that reflects the conversations executive teams are actually having.
Marketing
How can retailers balance creativity with measurable results? How can they scale personalization without overwhelming their teams? And how can they protect their brand while chasing growth?
Digital
How is the discovery process changing? How are platforms and data evolving? What do customer journeys look like when AI is part of the interface?
Technology
How can retailers modernize their infrastructure without breaking what’s already working? How can they evaluate AI investments responsibly, and how can they build systems that support agility instead of slowing things down?
Who should be in the room
NRF Nexus is limited and reserved for senior retail leaders. Registration is open with an all-access pass format. If your responsibilities include digital growth strategy, customer experience modernization, enterprise technology and infrastructure, marketing performance and brand leadership, cross-functional transformation, or AI governance, risk and compliance, this is where you’ll find peers facing similar challenges.
For CEOs and presidents, the new CEO-focused programming offers a space to step back from operational urgency and focus on long-term positioning, margin resilience and competitive differentiation.
Retail evolves whether we gather or not. The difference is whether leaders evolve alongside it.