EVENT REPORT: GLOBAL DIY SUMMIT 2025
REDEFINING DIY FOR A GLOBAL FUTURE: INSIGHTS FROM THE GLOBAL DIY SUMMIT 2025
Clive and Kerry Daley from specialist retail business consultancy Daley Hub, report from this year’s Global DIY Summit event that was held recently at the MIO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.
T
he Global DIY Summit 2025, held on 12 June, gathered leaders from over 55 countries to share ideas, challenges,
and inspiration for the future of the DIY and home improvement industry. With suppliers and retailers facing constant disruption, from digital acceleration to climate challenges, this year’s theme – ‘A New World Order: Redefining DIY for a Global Future’ – couldn’t be more timely.
A call for collective evolution Inaki Maillard opened the summit with a unifying message: despite political divides and rapid technological shifts, our global DIY community must grow together. “You are part of the journey,” he said, “to grow a global DIY community.” Thierry Garnier, President of EDRA/GHIN, and Reinhard Wolff, President of HIMA, followed with a stark but motivating reality check. Thierry noted that in China, 50 percent of sales are already online, with physical stores acting as logistical hubs. “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress,” he urged, reminding delegates that agility beats idealism in retail evolution. Reinhard underscored the
growing unpredictability in tariffs, raw materials, and climate effects. There is a need to act fast and be ready, he said: “Fail, fail again, fail after, go, and go again.”
The economic shifts shaping the DIY sector Professor Sony Kapoor gave a geo- economic context to the summit’s themes, forecasting no immediate global recession but highlighting the seismic shifts in global power dynamics, demographic trends, and trade policies. “We are at the cusp of real globalisation,” he said. “With the tools to cut carbon and the opportunity to increase productivity, the DIY industry must
10 DIY WEEK JULY 2025
www.diyweek.net
act decisively: The tech is there, now the question is, will we use it?”
Retailers on the front foot B&Q CEO Graham Bell shared how the retailer’s ‘North Star’ strategy – to be customer obsessed – has transformed its approach. With 90 percent of sales starting online
and a marketplace featuring 16,000 brands, Bell stressed the importance of staying ahead of the curve. “Change isn’t change. It’s evolution,” Bell stated. “Have a clear path, drive change and just deal with it.”
B&Q’s bold vision? “Better homes, better lives, for everyone.
“It’s not just about being a DIY shed anymore – it’s about building projects together, becoming a full- service home partner.”
Curiosity as a competitive edge Innovation strategist Rik Vera challenged businesses to unleash a new KPI: the ‘Net Curiosity Score’.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
