Metro Connect 2025 is just around the corner, taking place on Thursday 26th June at Castle Malwood in the New Forest – and it’s shaping up to be our best yet.

Designed exclusively for retail, hospitality and leisure professionals, Metro Connect brings together senior leaders, operational experts, and tech innovators for a full day of ideas, insight and inspiration. If you haven’t yet registered, now’s the time.

Why Attend?

This year’s speaker line-up includes:

• Andrew Xeni, founder of Fabacus, Soreto, and Nobody’s Child – a recognised leader in retail innovation
• Phillip Adcock, leading behavioural science expert and published author
• Senior leaders from Hobbycraft, Card Factory, Dunelm, Holland & Barrett, Schuh, and The Range
• Karen Dyke, CEO at RMS

You’ll also get hands-on with the latest from the RMS Development Labs and explore how retailers and hospitality operators are solving real challenges using Metro, the all-in-one digital workplace from RMS.

Agenda at a Glance

Expect a packed schedule of keynote sessions, customer stories, product updates, and practical breakout workshops.

🕤 08:30 – Arrival: Tea, coffee, pastries and bacon rolls

🕤 09:30 – Welcome & Opening

🕤 09:45 – Team Metro: Numbers & Knowledge

🕤 10:00 – Keynote: Phillip Adcock

🕤 10:20 – Customer Story: Hobbycraft – Metro Learn

🕤 10:35 – Breakout 1 – Comms, Compliance, Ordering, Site Visits

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☕ 10:55 Refreshments

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🕤 11:20 – Keynote: Andrew Xeni

🕤 11:40 – Customer Story: The Range – Retail Transformation

🕤 11:55 – Customer Story: Dunelm – Metro WFM

🕤 12:10 – Customer Story: Card Factory – Metro Print

🕤 12:25 – Partner Presentation – VoCoVo

🕤 12:40 – Breakout 2 – Talent Unlimited, MRI Software, Trust Retail, Fabacus

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🍽️13:00 Lunch

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🕤14:00 – RMS – Metro Help Translations

🕤14:25 – RMS – Metro Workforce Management/EM2 Update

🕤14:40 – RMS, Schuh, Holland & Barrett – Metro V4

🕤14:55 – RMS – Metro Activity Planner Update

🕤15:10 – Breakout 3 – Metro Workload Labour Models, Equipment Checks, Comms App, Metro V4

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☕15:30 Refreshments

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🕤15:55 – Partner Presentation – Talent Unlimited

🕤16:10 – RMS – The Power of Engagement

🕤16:25 – Keynote – Karen Dyke, CEO, RMS

🕤16:40 – Closing Remarks

🕤17:00 – End of Forum

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🥂 18:00 – Onwards – Drinks, dinner, awards, casino and more!

🚌00:00 – Carriages

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Breakout Sessions to Suit You

Across three interactive breakout slots, you can choose from a range of focused sessions – from peer discussions and product deep-dives to partner-led insights. Topics include:

• Compliance, comms, workload planning and more
• Retail transformation, people strategies, footfall analytics, AI driven recruitment
• New innovations in Metro and how to get the most out of it

Join the Celebration

From 6pm, the evening festivities begin with a Bond-themed celebration:
🎲 Casino games
🎤 Karaoke
🏆 Awards
🍽️ Dinner
🚌 Late-night transport back to local hotels

It’s informal, relaxed, and built around fun. Whether you come dressed to kill or just want to unwind after a packed day, the evening is open to all forum guests.

Don’t Miss Out

Metro Connect is more than a user event – it’s where ideas are shared, partnerships are built, and future plans take shape. If you’re responsible for driving operational change or digital transformation in retail or hospitality, this is the place to be.

Registration is closing soon. To request your invite or find out more, get in touch or sign up here