The National Retail Forum will be held between in August 2009 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, running alongside Australia's largest retail exhibition, Retail Expo.

Supporting the theme of 'Defying the Downturn', the National Retail Forum will deliver a comprehensive program featuring keynote presentations, case studies and panel discussions focusing on critical business management issues, marketing and communication, people management and corporate culture, planning and design, and technology.

Together, the Expo and Forum attracts over 6,000 serious retailers across all sectors of the industry, working closely with the Australian Retailer's Association, Australian Centre for Retail Studies, Melbourne City Council, Energise Enterprise (Small Business Victoria) and a number of industry specialists to develop the event.

Speakers at the National Retail Forum will include:
-Bernie Brookes, Chief Executive Officer, MYER
-Warren Wilmot, Chief Executive Officer, 7 Eleven Stores Australia
-Shane Hills, Managing Director, Koko Black
-Graeme Samuel, Chairman, ACCC
-Jill Puleri, Global Industry Leader Retail, IBM Global Business Services (US)
-Alan Oster, Chief Economist, National Australia Bank