Workforce Innovation Expo 2027 | 22 September | Protein Studios, Shoreditch
Wednesday 22 September 2027, Protein Studios, Shoreditch

The only event built for retail and hospitality workforce leaders.

Recruitment, labour costs, productivity, retention and engagement, and what automation and AI mean for the workforce of the future. One day in Shoreditch with the people working on all of it.

Register free Enquire about exhibiting

Free for qualified retail and hospitality professionals. Places are capped at 750.

750
pre-vetted attendees from retail and hospitality
50
exhibitors on the expo floor
36
speakers across two stages
1 day
9:30am to 4:30pm, then evening drinks
The day

What happens on the day.

WIE brings HR, people and operations leaders from UK retail and hospitality together with the suppliers and peers who can help them. Talks run on two stages, the expo floor is open all day, food and coffee are on us, and there are drinks when it wraps up.

Audience at the WIE 2026 keynote stage

Keynote stage

Panels and talks from the people running workforce at some of the UK's biggest retailers and hospitality groups.

See the agenda
A session on the Case Studies Slap stage

Case Studies Slap

Short, practical sessions from operators and the suppliers they work with. What they changed, what it cost and what happened next.

Read about the case studies
The busy expo floor at WIE 2026

The expo floor

50 stands, every one selling into retail and hospitality. Scheduling, hiring, training, engagement and payroll, side by side in one room.

See the exhibitors
Visitors talking over coffee at WIE 2026

Time to talk

Coffee, lunch and an evening drinks reception, with plenty of room in the day to meet people doing the same job at other businesses.

Our visitors

Who was in the room in 2026.

Leaders from these businesses attended Workforce Innovation Expo 2026.

See who attends
Speakers

36 speakers for 2027.

The 2027 programme is being built now, with speakers from retail and hospitality businesses and the people who advise them. Last year's speakers came from:

Jimmy Choo Co-op Mitchells & Butlers The Very Group Indeed Dishoom Hilton
See the speakers Apply to speak
Speaker on the Workday keynote panel
Panel discussion on the keynote stage
Highlights

WIE 2026 in under two minutes.

Filmed on 10 September 2026 at Protein Studios. Turn the sound on.

Who attends

Pre-vetted, senior and sector-specific.

35% worked at businesses turning over £1bn or more
56% worked for companies with 2,000+ employees

Those figures are from the 2026 audience. Every registration was checked before a place was confirmed, so the room was made up of people who own workforce decisions in retail and hospitality.

See who attends
  • CHROs and HR Directors
  • Operations Directors
  • People and Culture Directors
  • Talent and L&D Leaders
  • Workforce Strategists
  • Technology and Innovation Leads
  • Finance Directors
The WIE 2026 branded entrance at Protein Studios, New Inn Yard
Protein Studios main hall with its glass roof
The venue

Protein Studios, Shoreditch.

A Victorian warehouse with a glass roof, exposed steel and concrete floors. Big enough for two stages and the expo, small enough that you keep bumping into people.

31 New Inn Yard
Shoreditch, London EC2A 3EY
3 minutes from Shoreditch High Street station
Open in Google Maps
Places limited to 750

22 September 2027. Save your place.

Free for qualified retail and hospitality professionals. Every registration is checked before a place is confirmed, and places are capped at 750.

Apply for your free place Enquire about exhibiting

Questions before you register.

Anything else, email the team and we'll come back to you.

A free, one-day conference and expo for HR, People Operations, Operations and IT leaders in retail and hospitality. 750 pre-vetted professionals, 36 speakers, 50 exhibitor stands and structured networking, on Wednesday 22 September 2027 at Protein Studios, Shoreditch.
Yes. Sessions, the expo floor and catering throughout the day are all included. A short eligibility check confirms you work in retail or hospitality workforce management, and places are capped at 750.
Wednesday 22 September 2027, 9:30am to 4:30pm, followed by evening drinks. Protein Studios, 31 New Inn Yard, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3EY, three minutes' walk from Shoreditch High Street station.
In 2026, most delegates were Director level and above in HR, People Operations, Operations, Finance and IT. 35% worked at businesses turning over £1bn or more, and 56% worked for companies with 2,000+ employees. Every registration is checked before a place is confirmed.
Keynote panels and practical case studies on recruitment, reducing labour costs, productivity, staff retention and engagement, automation and AI, and the workforce of the future. In 2026 speakers came from Jimmy Choo, Co-op, Mitchells & Butlers, The Very Group, Indeed, Dishoom and Hilton.
Because it keeps the room useful. Every exhibitor is relevant and every delegate is pre-qualified, so you spend the day in conversations worth having rather than walking past stands that have nothing to do with you.
The programme looks at where retailers and hospitality groups are already using automation and AI in scheduling, hiring and day-to-day admin, what it means for frontline roles, and how to plan for the workforce of the future.
Yes. Every session, speaker and exhibitor is chosen for high-turnover, shift-based, multi-site operations. If you work outside retail or hospitality, this probably isn't the event for you.
Yes. 50 stands are available alongside sponsored sessions and content packages, all subject to editorial assessment. If you supply HR, workforce, scheduling or operations technology to retail or hospitality, enquire about a stand.
Register free at workforceinnovationexpo.com/register. There's a short eligibility check, and places are limited to 750.