VIENNA, 24th JUNE 2026 — Disruption is no longer new, but the speed, scale, and intelligence of today’s market shifts are. Opening the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Summit, over 130 global CEOs convened to define the ‘Adaptive Edge’. Executives were reminded that artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability are no longer separate initiatives, but core leadership imperatives reshaping value creation.
The morning plenary established AI as a foundational leadership mandate. Opening the Summit, the CGF Board Co-Chairs Max Koeune (President & Chief Executive Officer, McCain Foods) and Ken Murphy (Group CEO, Tesco PLC) emphasised that while digital capability accelerates, human insight remains the true differentiator.
Sharing practical playbooks for execution, Fabrice Megarbane (President of the Consumer Products Division at L’Oréal) and Malina Ngai (Group Chief Executive Officer of AS Watson Group) demonstrated how Generative AI actively reshapes product development and core operations. Expanding this technological shift into the supply chain, Justin Honaman (Global Head of Worldwide Retail, Restaurants and Consumer Goods at AWS) revealed how agentic commerce optimises logistics and customer experience across the CPG sector.
Highlighting the power of cross-sector collaboration, Alexander Van der Bellen (Federal President of the Republic of Austria), Laurenz Maresch (President of Special Olympics Austria), and James Quincey (Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company) welcomed the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” at the Summit ahead of Vienna’s 9th National Summer Games. The moment reinforced The Coca-Cola Company’s longstanding commitment as a founding partner, and demonstrated how leaders across government, business, and society can unite to advance inclusion and celebrate human determination.
Building on this theme of determination, American alpine skier Lindsey Vonn revealed how Red Bull’s unwavering support empowered her to overcome severe injuries and return to competition at age 40. For the C-suite, this journey proves that supporting your talent and fostering relentless grit are true catalysts for performance.
During discussions on the future of health, Frans Muller (President and Chief Executive Officer, Ahold Delhaize) and Brian McNamara (Chief Executive Officer, Haleon PLC) explored adapting corporate portfolios to meet the demands of an ageing, health-conscious demographic. Moving from strategy to application, Antoine de Saint-Affrique (CEO, Danone) detailed how proprietary food data can be independently harnessed to accelerate tailored nutrition and preventative wellness.
“With 60% of Gen Z turning to AI or influencers before experts, we must come together to ensure accurate health information is available at scale.” – Brian McNamara, Chief Executive Officer, Haleon PLC
Addressing the complexities of retail media, Bhavin Bhuptani (Global Head of Insights, L-founders of loyalty), Peter Harris (CEO, Advantage Group International), Danni Peirce (Chief Sourcing Officer and President Apparel and Non-Food, Loblaw Companies Limited), and Neil Reynolds (Global Chief Customer Officer, Mars Snacking) explored how retailers and suppliers can overcome shared barriers to growth. The panel challenged the idea that brands should navigate the digital ecosystem independently. Instead, they showed how unlocking the true potential of retail media demands trust, transparent measurement, and deeper collaboration.
In parallel, Cécile Beliot-Zind (Chief Executive Officer, Bel Group) and Scott Price (Group Chief Executive, DFI Retail Group) detailed independent engineering strategies designed to navigate changing recycling regulations. Complementing this, Anke Ehlers (International Sustainability Officer & Managing Director, ALDI SOUTH Group) and Alex Holt (Chief Sustainability Officer, Ahold Delhaize) shared their approaches, like Aldi’s banana supply chain overhaul and Ahold Delhaize’s “topless” pineapple and carrots, as methods to drive systemic change across climate and nature through internal supplier engagement.
“We really think that there is an opportunity through the CGF for us to take some of these more systems-wide approaches and work out how we can improve the whole value chain, not just small elements of it.” – Anke Ehlers, International Sustainability Officer & Managing Director, Aldi South Group
Building directly on the morning’s deep dive into artificial intelligence, afternoon sessions tackled the industry’s biggest implementation hurdle: the fact that roughly 75% of companies remain stuck in pilot and exploration mode. To help the C-suite break through this barrier, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Consumer Goods Forum officially launched their joint report, AI in CPG and Retail: How Winners Are Pulling Ahead. This new release serves as a definitive action guide for leaders to move beyond experimentation, achieve competitive separation, and translate AI into measurable EBIT growth.
Geopolitical risk is now front and centre for every CEO. Following an official keynote on macroeconomic and geopolitical realities by Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal President of the Republic of Austria, the conversation turned to the importance of shared standards and rules, and most of all of the role our industry plays in sustaining effective trade relationships.
“The companies represented at the Consumer Goods Forum wield power – they can make a difference. Especially when – although they act within contrasting interests – they decide that a shared, good future for mankind is better than competing chaos. Imagine what else is possible: saving our planet for instance. If these companies agree to move on climate – together – the market moves with them. And, ultimately, the world will as well.” – Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal President of the Republic of Austria
Building on this idea, Ian Bremmer (President & Founder, Eurasia Group & GZERO Media) provided a vital macroeconomic playbook, outlining strategies to safeguard supply chains against trade fragmentation and AI-driven uncertainty.
“There’s only one pure geopolitical risk that I think could have negative macro impact, and that’s Russia. Every other risk I worry about over the next three years is AI‑related.” – Ian Bremmer, Eurasia Group and GZERO Media
To close a successful first day, lead sponsor L’Oréal Groupe hosted an exclusive Gala Dinner, providing C-suite delegates with an unparalleled networking experience to forge strategic relationships and reflect on the day’s insights
The drive towards future-proofing the industry continues. Look out for our Day 2 recap tomorrow as executives unpack the realities of agentic commerce, adapt to rapid macroeconomic shifts, and scale purpose-built AI across supply chains.
