Women in Retail Leadership Circle is pleased to announce Corie Barry, CEO of Best Buy, and Brieane Olson, CEO of Pacsun, as newly confirmed speakers for the 2026 Women in Retail Leadership Summit (WIRLS).

Taking place April 27-29 at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa, the Summit is designed for senior executives. The event will convene influential women from across retail, consumer brands, and adjacent industries for three days of strategic dialogue, leadership development, and peer connection.

Barry will take the stage for an exclusive Q&A session, Climbing the Ladder, where she will reflect on her path from auditor to CEO of one of North America’s leading retailers. Drawing on her experience leading through transformation across finance, operations and digital innovation, Barry will share insights on executive decision-making, showing resilience under pressure, and building cross-functional leadership capability at scale.

Olson will deliver a TED-style talk, Transforming Retail Through Community, exploring the strategic, operational and cultural decisions that guided Pacsun’s evolution from a legacy retail model to a community-first brand. She will highlight pivotal moments, including the shift from Pacsun’s surf-and-skate identity to its own brand label, the integration of social commerce platforms like TikTok Shop, and the implementation of creator-led partnerships. Olson will detail how purpose and community can drive meaningful business transformation.

The 2026 Summit will feature a curated agenda of executive keynotes, leadership conversations, interactive workshops, and peer exchanges. The programming is designed to address the strategic challenges facing today’s retail leaders as well as those preparing for the next level.

Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. The Women in Retail Leadership Summit continues to serve as a trusted forum for senior women leaders to exchange insights, strengthen executive presence, and shape the future of the industry. If you haven’t yet registered for the event, be sure to do so here — we’re on track to sell out again!