Lidl 1st Choice
Supplier Summit 2026

Lidl is delighted to invite our valued suppliers and business partners to our annual 1st Choice Supplier and Business Partner Summit taking place on Thursday 14th of May at the RDS in Dublin, hosted by Anton Savage. This year's theme, 1st Choice: Growing Together, underscores our commitment to excellence as a retail partner and to being the supermarket of choice for our 2.5 million customers across the island of Ireland.

In a shifting retail landscape, this Summit is designed to move us from individual strategies and goals to a shared vision for how we do business together. By coming together to share ideas, expectations and expertise, we can navigate current economic and regulatory challenges together.

14th May 2026 RDS, Dublin, D04 AK83 9:00am - 3:30pm
Farmer in the field

Learn

Gain insights from industry leaders on sustainability, retail innovation, and the future of food.

Connect

Network with Lidl colleagues, fellow suppliers, and sustainability pioneers in an inspiring setting.

Grow

Discover new partnership opportunities and business strategies for sustainable growth.

What To Expect

Inspiring Keynote Speech: Dr. Norah Patten, Aeronautical Engineer & First Irish Named Astronaut will speak about the Power of Bold Thinking.

Strategic Alignment: Gain clarity on Lidl's objectives and expectations for the year ahead.

Expert Insights: High-level briefings on the economic and sustainability landscape from leaders including Danny McCoy (IBEC), Zoe Kavanagh (Repak), Tom Cumberlege (Carbon Trust) and Tony Murphy (AIB).

Targeted Networking: Dedicated Departmental Hubs to discuss shared challenges and celebrate our collective achievements.

Experts Who Will Shape The Summit

Meet the thought leaders, innovators, and industry experts driving the future of sustainability and retail.

Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan

Chief Executive Officer, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland

Kevin Duffy

Kevin Duffy

Chief Commercial Officer, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland

Elaine O'Connor

Elaine O'Connor

Head of Sustainability, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland

Ivan Ryan

Ivan Ryan

Chief Customer Officer, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland

Shane O'Driscoll

Shane O'Driscoll

Senior Customer Insights Manager, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland

Dr. Norah Patten

Dr. Norah Patten

Aeronautical Engineer & First Irish Named Astronaut

Zoe Kavanagh

Zoe Kavanagh

Chief Executive Officer, Repak

Danny McCoy

Danny McCoy

Chief Executive Officer, IBEC

Derarca Dennis

Derarca Dennis

Partner & Sustainability Services Lead, EY

Tony Murphy

Tony Murphy

Director, Head of Sustainable Finance AIB

Brian Minehane

Brian Minehane

Principal & Head of Digital Sustainability & Adjunct Teaching Fellow, Trinity Business School

Tom Cumberlege

Tom Cumberlege

Director, Carbon Trust

Jo Linehan

Jo Linehan

Sustainability Editor & Advocate

Agenda

A full day of inspiring talks, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities.

Timing Topic Speaker
09:00 – 09:15 Introduction Kevin Duffy - Chief Commercial Officer, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland
09:15 – 09:40 Navigating the Global Economic Tides Danny McCoy - CEO, IBEC
09:40 – 10:05 Shopper Intelligence: The Data Behind Our Growth Shane O'Driscoll - Senior Customer Insights Manager, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland
10:05 – 10:45 Panel: Bringing 'More to Value' to Life Ivan Ryan - Chief Customer Officer, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 11:45 Keynote speech: The Power of Bold Thinking Dr. Norah Patten - Aeronautical Engineer & First Irish Named Astronaut
11:45 – 12:15 Panel: The business of climate action:
Turning transition plans into real results
Tom Cumberlege - Director, Carbon Trust;
Tony Murphy - Head of Sustainable Finance, AIB
12:15 – 13:15 Lunch
13:15 – 13:45 Building the Business Case for Sustainability Brian Minehane - Principal and Head of Digital Sustainability, Trinity Business School
13:45 – 14:45 Workshops: Sustainability/Commercial Workshops Sustainability Communications: Jo Linehan, Sustainability Editor & Advocate; Derarca Dennis, EY Partner & Sustainability Services Lead
  • Lidl Plus
  • Supply Chain
  • Quality
14:45 – 15:05 Sustainability Innovations & the Role of Circularity Zoe Kavanagh - CEO, Repak
15:05 – 15:25 Awards
15:25 – 15:30 Close Robert Ryan - CEO, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland
09:00 – 09:15
Introduction
Kevin Duffy
09:15 – 09:40
Navigating the Global Economic Tides
Danny McCoy
09:40 – 10:05
Shopper Intelligence: The Data Behind Our Growth
Shane O'Driscoll
10:05 – 10:45
Panel: Bringing 'More to Value' to Life
Ivan Ryan
10:45 – 11:15
Coffee Break
11:15 – 11:45
Keynote speech: The Power of Bold Thinking
Dr. Norah Patten
11:45 – 12:15
Panel: The business of climate action: Turning transition plans into real results
Tom Cumberlege; Tony Murphy
12:15 – 13:15
Lunch
13:15 – 13:45
Building the Business Case for Sustainability
Brian Minehane
13:45 – 14:45
Workshops: Sustainability/Commercial Workshops
Jo Linehan; Derarca Dennis; Lidl Plus; Supply Chain; Quality
14:45 – 15:05
Sustainability Innovations & the Role of Circularity
Zoe Kavanagh
15:05 – 15:25
Awards
15:25 – 15:30
Close
Robert Ryan

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