Quiet Sponsorship

The Partnership Mandate

AI in Retail, from Rarely Heard Voices, is a private, closed-door forum for senior retail leaders responsible for operational, enterprise and growth accountability. This is not a conference, a trade show, or a marketplace. The delegate group is meticulously curated, with the majority holding C-suite, Board, or Chief Executive roles. Delegate curation exists to protect the quality of the dialogue, the integrity of the room and the relevance of our Partners’ investment.

The Currency of Credibility

Partnership at AI in Retail is not designed to deliver visibility; it is designed to create credibility inside a high-trust environment. Partners do not purchase attention, nor are they positioned as advertisers. They earn proximity through demonstrated relevance, maturity, and a deep alignment with the operational realities facing retail leaders today. The result is engagement measured in trust, not reach.

We work with a highly limited number of partners across three clearly defined roles. All of these roles are structured for scale, lead generation and relationship.

1. Naming Partner: The Collaborator

This role is designed for organisations seeking long-term, strategic alignment with Rarely Heard Voices. Naming Partners participate at the leadership level, contributing to the programme through moderated, intimate discussions and closed-door social events.

Visibility is deliberate and earned. Participation is framed as 
peer-level dialogue, validated by retail leaders, not positioned as keynote authority. There is no stage ownership and no sales narrative. The emphasis is on judgement, learning, and credibility built through contribution, not amplification.

  • Investment: $ 70,000
  • Availability: 2 total | 1 remaining
  • Total Passes: 8
    • Sponsor Executives: 3
    • Retail Participants: 3
  • On-Stage Participation: Yes 
  • Private Dinner Host, The Polo Bar: Yes
  • Physical Presence: None

2. Brand Activation Partner: The Contextual Presence

This role is designed for organisations that need to be present without being intrusive. Participation centres on a moderated, retailer-led on-stage conversation, supported by a contained, 
desk-scale presence.

Engagement occurs only by invitation. Nothing is optimised for footfall, volume, or lead capture. Presence is contextual, optional, and tightly controlled. This role suits partners who understand 
that relevance in senior retail environments is demonstrated through relationship.

  • Investment: $ 30,000
  • Availability: 8 total | 6 remaining
  • Total Passes: 6
    • Sponsor Executives: 2
    • Retail Participants: 4
  • On-Stage Participation: Yes
  • Private Dinner Host, AVRA Rockefeller: Yes
  • Physical Presence: Yes, desk-scale 

3. Community Partner: The Contributor

Community Partners support the community experience itself. Their role is to underwrite defined production elements, enabling the retail leaders’ community forum to function at its intended standard.

Acknowledgement is discreet. This role exists for organisations that value contributing to the Rarely Heard Voices leadership ecosystem, even when visibility is intentionally designed.

  • Investment: $ 20,000
  • Availability: Category-limited
  • Total Passes: 4
    • Sponsor Executives: 2
    • Retail Participants: 2
  • On-Stage Participation: No
  • Private Dinner Access: No
  • Physical Presence: No

The Non-Negotiables: A Partnership Rooted in Influence, Not Interruption

The strength of AI IN RETaiL is derived from what we refuse to compromise, based on experience gained over ten years. We do not sell ‘speaking slots’ or panels. We do not provide delegate lists. We do not permit sales language, lead capture, or follow-up without explicit consent. Press and public promotion are strictly excluded. Every decision is made to preserve absolute trust and candour in the room.

Senior retail leaders engage differently when they are not being sold to. They listen more closely, challenge more directly, and validate peers openly. For partners, the outcome is not exposure or pipeline, but influence earned through trust.

For further details or to explore the opportunity to engage as a Quiet Sponsor, please contact Sarah Smyth.

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES