DFI CEO Scott Price on Retail’s AI Future, Growth Obstacles & Training the Next Merchants | WRC 2025

In this live World Retail Congress episode, recorded from the VusionGroup Studio, Omni Talk’s Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga catch up with Scott Price, CEO of DFI Retail Group, to explore the sweeping changes in global retail.

Scott reflects on his second year as CEO, DFI’s shift to an operating model, and how AI is simultaneously revolutionizing efficiency and threatening traditional career paths. From ERP upgrades to retail media monetization and the crucial role of human insight in merchandising, this episode is a crash course in the forces shaping the next era of retail.

Key Moments:

(0:20) Scott Price introduction and DFI Retail overview
(1:30) Year one vs. year two as CEO
(2:15) DFI’s transition from holding to operating company
(2:50) Growth drivers: “the what” vs. “the how”
(3:40) AI’s impact on entry-level retail jobs
(4:30) The irreplaceable art of merchandising
(5:50) Challenges of economic uncertainty and consumer confidence
(6:40) Value, affordable innovation, and global shopper expectations
(7:20) Foundational tech upgrades and ERP modernization
(7:45) Betting on the right AI platform
(8:30) Data engineering vs. data science – the CEO imperative

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