Nominations are officially open for the 2026 Top Women in Retail Report, featuring executives and rising stars who are driving transformation across the retail industry. This is your chance to recognize the visionary leaders and bold innovators who are redefining the industry and breaking barriers every day.

The annual report features a who’s who in the retail industry. Honorees are chosen based on several criteria, including position within their retail or brand organizations, scope of responsibility within those positions, career achievements, involvement within the retail industry, and more.

We’re looking for honorees who hail from a variety of product verticals, including apparel, luxury, beauty, grocery, department stores, and more. We’re looking for women who have achieved milestones, made an impact on their teams, and strive for excellence in everything they do. We’ll be celebrating our honorees at the 2026 Women in Retail Leadership Summit, to be held April 27-29.

For Top Women honorees, we’re looking for senior vice presidents and above who identify as a woman and are working full-time at a brand or retailer. As in past years, we’re also including our On the Rise category, featuring director-level women who represent the next generation of female leaders in retail.

The selected honorees will answer a series of questions around leadership, professional development, and the companies they lead. Take a look at our 2025 Top Women in Retail Report for inspiration!

Nominations close Nov. 21, so submit your nomination today! Here’s what else you need to know:

Q: Can I nominate more than one person?
A: Of course! You can submit multiple responses to the survey.

Q: How will I know if the person I nominated is chosen to be in the report?
A: We’ll notify you and the selected nominee via email.

Q: What if my nominee doesn’t make the report?
A: We’ll save their name for consideration in a future Top Women in Retail Report!

Q: Why wasn’t my nominee chosen for the report?
A: We receive hundreds of submissions each year and have to narrow it down. We wish we could feature everyone! Honorees are chosen by Women in Retail Leadership Circle’s editorial staff.

Q: When will the report be published?
A: The report will be published in early 2026. A digital version will be available on our website.