Global DIY-Summit 2025: Navigating Uncertainty With Purpose

The 11th edition of the Global DIY-Summit reaffirmed its position as the premier international gathering for executives in the home improvement and garden retail industry. Held in Lisbon, the “Queen of the Sea,” this year’s Summit brought together over 1,000 delegates from 55 countries, including more than 320 top-tier retail leaders, to explore the theme: “New World Order: Redefining DIY for a Global Future.”

The event saw a marked rise in female participation and an evolving delegate profile: nearly 52% were manufacturers, over 32% represented retail organisations, and a growing number of consultants, marketplaces, and service providers joined the conversation—underscoring the industry’s expanding ecosystem.

According to the in-app voting tool, 91.2% of attendees rated the Summit as “good” to “excellent,” with a further 7.7% rating it as “average.” Over 84.6% of this year’s delegates have already confirmed their participation for the 12th Global DIY-Summit, to be held in Amsterdam, 16–18 June 2026.

A Strong Opening: Store Tour and Industry Reconnection

The Summit opened on 11 June with a curated Store Tour across Lisbon, drawing a record number of participants. Delegates visited standout locations including OBRAMAT, Brico Depôt, Leroy Merlin, Maxmat, and the city-centre green oasis Horto do Campo. This year’s tour placed a strong emphasis on pro-focused retail concepts, reflecting key industry trends.

The day concluded with two vibrant evening events: a VIP Cocktail Reception supported by Messe Frankfurt, and the Get Together, sponsored by World’s Toughest Fix (WTF) — which also featured the premiere of the “Love is Glue” music video, created in collaboration with WTF.

Day One Highlights: Driving Industry Transformation

The first full day of the Summit featured a compelling programme of presentations exploring organisational transformation, generational shifts, global retail strategies, sustainability, and the broader economic and political outlook. Sony Kapoor opened with a thought-provoking macroeconomic keynote, urging a global pivot towards the East. Graham Bell, CEO of B&Q, shared insights on redefining change, while Rik Vera inspired attendees with a call to rekindle childlike curiosity in leadership.

Mark Gallagher, Formula 1 executive, illustrated F1’s transformation into a sustainability-driven industry, drawing parallels to the evolving DIY retail sector. Francisco Torres of Sodimac highlighted the strategic power of private labels, while Alexander Kremer of Gartencenter Kremer delivered a personal story of rediscovering brand authenticity and purpose.

Jamie Pitcairn, a sustainability expert, provided updates on the Make It Zero initiative. The day concluded with a dynamic presentation on consumer connection by Ken Hughes, folowed by a candid fireside chat with futurologist Magnus Lindkvist, who offered a sobering outlook on global demographic trends.

Gala Dinner: Honouring Reinhard Wolff

The emotional highlight of the Summit was the Gala Evening, during which Reinhard Wolff, Managing Partner at wolfcraft and President of HIMA, received the Global DIY Lifetime Award. The ceremony was opened by the Managing Director of the Global DIY-Summit, Iñaki Mailard, who delivered an emotive speech introducing a heartfelt family surprise for Reinhard Wolff. John W. Herbert gave the laudatory speech, recognising Reinhard for his integrity, leadership, and dedication to the industry. In his acceptance speech, Reinhard emphasised the importance of family and personal values, reflecting on industry milestones from European integration to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Day Two: Marketplaces, AI, and Purpose-Led Growth

The second day explored key disruptors reshaping the DIY sector. The session opened with Ken Hughes on rethinking DIY and customer relevance. Bob Chermin and Duncan Simmonds from OC&C, along with François Yared of ADEO Marketplace, highlighted the growing strategic role of marketplaces—not just as outlets for excess inventory, but as curated ecosystems fostering long-term loyalty.

Stuart Goldsmith, a self-styled “climate comedian,” brought humour and honesty to the sustainability conversation. Livia von Mitschke-Collande from Google and AI strategist Maarten Verschuere examined the responsible integration of AI, while Henkel shared practical insights into AI adoption across content creation and campaign management.

Paul Martin, a Global Retail Consultant, closed the session by urging businesses to build purpose-driven value chains rooted in customer insight, operational resilience, and sustainability.

Farewell Session: A Profound Closing Message

The Summit concluded with a powerful keynote by Heinrich Wagner, a blind motivational speaker, who shared a transformative message about resilience, gratitude, and human potential. His address moved the audience deeply and received a standing ovation. In closing, John W. Herbert thanked al delegates, speakers, and sponsors for contributing to three days of learning, connection, and inspiration. The Global DIY-Summit’s unique sense of community continues to set it apart as a platform for meaningful industry progress.

What makes the Global DIY-Summit truly unique is not only the calibre of its content, but the strength of its community. In a time of constant transformation, it’s our shared values, openness to innovation, and commitment to colaboration that keep driving this industry forward. I am deeply grateful to al who joined us in Lisbon, and I look forward to continuing this journey together in Amsterdam in 2026.” — Iñaki Maillard, Managing Director, Global DIY-Summit

Looking Ahead

The 12th Global DIY-Summit will take place in Amsterdam from 16 to 18 June 2026, continuing the journey of innovation and collaboration. In the meantime, the sector will reconnect online during the 5th Virtual DIY-Summit, sponsored by OBI and wolfcraft, on 23 September 2025

Source : Global DIY-Summit

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