ELA Member HUB Meeting – Amsterdam, Netherlands

An informal yet informative networking event for Heads of Loyalty and CRM from brands and retailers.

Enjoy the company of 40+ senior peers, a thought provoking agenda (some drinks and canapés) and discuss all things loyalty.

To join, you do not need to be a member of the European Loyalty Association (ELA), but we recommend it as then the ticket price will be free. Please sign up here

You are welcome to purchase a ticket without becoming a member of the ELA, as long as you are employed by a consumer brand or retailer and manage a loyalty programme or CRM.*

*Conditions apply

Agenda

8:30 – Registration

9:00 – Welcome note

9:20 – Table introductions

9:35 – From Insight to Action: Applying ELA’s Best Practices with Cutting-Edge Martech. Speaker: Adam Greco, Product Evangelist at Hightouch

The ELA e-book outlines many lessons and learnings from the ELA’s historic first year! But how do loyalty teams apply those lessons in the real world with real technology? In this session, data industry veteran Adam Greco will share ways to model ELA best practices using cutting-edge marketing technology. Attend this session to learn practical ways you can leverage your customer data to personalise and improve your customer loyalty interactions and programs.

10:05 – Fuelling Loyalty: How Shell’s Enhanced Loyalty Programme Drives Brand Connections.   Speaker – Robert van der Zouwen. Head of Loyalty, CRM & Payment Benelux and France, Shell, Netherlands

Join us for an engaging keynote as Robert unveils the transformative journey to Shell’s newly enhanced loyalty programme. Discover how they’ve shifted focus to increase brand connection in their journey to forge deeper, meaningful connections with their customers. By harnessing the power of customer insights and placing brand loyalty at the forefront, they’ve created a loyalty experience that speaks to the heart of their community.

In this case study, Robert will explore the strategic decisions that led to a complete reinvention of their loyalty offering, highlighting the advantages of having full ownership, while continuing to leverage value from the Air Miles coalition. Learn how their commitment to understanding customers has empowered them to design a programme that resonates with their values and aspirations. Join us as we celebrate this new era of loyalty, where it’s not just about points and prizes, but about nurturing lasting relationships and fuelling a community of brand advocates.

10.35 – Level Up Loyalty: How 3D Worlds Are Changing Customer Engagement. Speakers: Daniel Kosh, Chief Product Officer and Johnny O’Hagan, Chief of Staff from Katmai

Katmai’s Loyalty Platform creates immersive, branded 3D worlds that enhance customer engagement through gamified experiences. Customers are rewarded for participation, driving both loyalty and purchases. Their collaboration with Starbucks has successfully scaled to millions of users, driving significant incremental revenue and boosting rewards membership growth. They’ll be doing a live demo, showcasing this innovative experience and its impact on customer engagement.

11.20 – Coffee break

11.50 – Loyalty Unlocked: Real-World Success Stories from Top Brands. Speaker – John Tsaousidis, Enterprise Strategy & Architect Principal, Marigold

In today’s competitive market, loyalty programs are no longer just about rewards – they’re about creating lasting customer relationships. This session breaks down four real brand case studies, showing how they tackled common hurdles and found success:

Overcoming Post-Launch Challenges – How a major brand tackled low member engagement and redemption rates after launch.

Optimising Programme Margins – Using segmentation and test-and-learn strategies to improve profitability while keeping customers happy.

Personalisation and Gamification – How one brand used data, profiling, and gamification to increase spending and emotional connection.

Global Programme Rollout – Balancing global consistency with local relevance across 16 countries.

Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies that can be applied immediately.

12: 20 – From Local to Global: Decathlon’s Loyalty Transformation Playbook. Speakers – Marion D’Aillières, Head of Loyalty & CRM, Decathlon and Kaymir Stark, Membership Manager, Loyalty, Decathlon

Decathlon’s loyalty programme has undergone a major transformation, evolving from a local initiative to a global powerhouse. But how do you successfully scale a programme across multiple markets while keeping customers engaged, employees motivated, and internal stakeholders aligned? In this keynote, Decathlon’s CRM & Loyalty Lead will take you behind the scenes of their journey—sharing real-world lessons on navigating change, mitigating risks, and overcoming challenges:

• ✅ Store activation – ensuring a seamless transition at the frontline
• ✅ Employee engagement – turning teams into loyalty champions
• ✅ Stakeholder buy-in – aligning vision across global and local teams
• ✅ Customer retention – keeping loyal members engaged through change

If you’re at a pivotal moment in scaling or revamping your loyalty programme, this session will equip you with practical takeaways and best practices to help you make the leap—without losing momentum.

13.05 – Lunch and networking

14:05 – Brewing Business Loyalty: How Heineken Crafted a Global B2B Programme.  Speaker: Kelly Ammerlaan, Global Product Owner Loyalty, Heineken

When you think of Heineken, B2C immediately comes to mind. But behind the scenes, Heineken has brewed up a B2B loyalty programme that’s as innovative as it is impactful. In this session, discover the journey of transforming what started as a customer benefit into a full-scale B2B loyalty programme. Explore how Heineken navigated the complexities of balancing global consistency with local market needs, and learn how the programme is delivering measurable value—not just for their customers but for the brand itself. Expect candid insights into the struggles, strategies, and successes of building a loyalty programme for a brand that traditionally speaks to consumers but has unlocked a new frontier in B2B relationships.

14:35 – Loyalty X Talk – When Brands and Consumers Don’t Quite Fit: Why Intent Matters More Than Assumptions. Speaker: Milou Steenvorden, Consumer Engagement Leader

Consumers don’t always fit neatly into the boxes brands create for them. Just like buying a house—what looks perfect from the outside might not work once you step inside. In this thought-provoking session, Milou will explore the critical space where brands and audiences meet, why assumptions can lead to missed opportunities, and how intent-led engagement puts the consumer in the driver’s seat. Drawing on years of experience shaping global engagement strategies, Milou will share why brands need to stop forcing fit and start truly listening.

15.05 – Table Discussions

15.25 – Keynote presentation. Speaker TBC

15.55 – Coffee break

16:25 – Let’s Geek Out.  – One hour round table ‘nerding’ on one topic: 

• Under the hood: The CRM Foundations for smarter loyalty marketing
• Differences in Loyalty Across Industries
• Personalisation at Scale: Navigating Advanced Marketing Ecosystems
• The SIlver Bullet that is CLV
• From Colleagues to Advocates: Turning Store Teams into Loyalty Ambassadors
• Beyond Discounts: Creative Ways to Reward Top Customers

17.20 – Closing remarks

17:30 – Networking Drinks

19.30 – Event Close

Speakers

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