Retail Expansion Summit: Key Retail Themes from Mexico

On October 15–16, 2026, The Westin Santa Fe in Mexico City hosted the inaugural Retail Expansion Summit & Expo. Organized by Lizan Retail Advisors (LRA), the event brought together more than 300 executives from 170 companies across 17 countries.

Under the theme “The Latin American Gateway,” the event connected brands, developers, investors and operators to explore opportunities for retail expansion across Latin America. Carlos Sánchez, Business Developer Manager México, attended on behalf of Gómez Platero Architecture & Urbanism.

Retail Expansion: Brands, Locations and New Formats

The program featured four keynote presentations, seven panels, more than 40 speakers and 13 exhibitors. Executives from Joe & The Juice, Alsea, La Casa de las Carcasas and KidZania delivered the keynotes, with an agenda spanning growth strategies, franchising and new consumer experiences.

Participating companies included H&M, Grupo Axo, Decathlon and Brunello Cucinelli, representing fashion, sports and luxury retail. Parque Arauco, Fibra UNO, Fibra SOMA, CBRE and MiRA were among the companies representing the real estate sector.

Jorge Lizán, Managing Director of Lizan Retail Advisors, summed up the event’s approach: “This is not a retail conference. It is a marketplace for decisions.”

The main themes on the agenda included:

• Brand expansion and franchising: growth opportunities and entry into new markets.
• Location as a strategic factor: site selection and its relationship to retail development.
• New anchor concepts: dining, entertainment and services as components of the tenant mix.
• Shopping center transformation: design, technology and a mix of uses that respond to evolving consumer expectations.

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Explore how retail spaces are evolving into destinations for experiences and social interaction.

Discover 120 Minutes: Shopping Centers.

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Shopping Centers: Design, Experience and Mixed Use

The evolution of shopping centers into experience-led destinations was a central theme of the program. Discussions explored how entertainment, dining and services are reshaping these assets, alongside the strategies developers are adopting to attract international brands.

From an architectural perspective, these themes raise the challenge of bringing together activities with different spatial requirements, operating hours and audiences. Mixed-use development broadens this perspective, connecting retail with other building programs and the surrounding urban context while incorporating flexibility and spaces for people to gather.

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Take a closer look at flexible mixed-use design and its contribution to urban life.

Access the downloadable report here

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Mexico: Market Context and Retail District Tours

The scale of the local market provided context for the discussions. According to LRA, in 2025 Mexico City and its metropolitan area accounted for 8.1 million square meters of shopping center space—31% of Mexico’s total inventory.

The exchange continued beyond the conference sessions. A networking dinner on October 14 brought together around 100 guests, followed by a tour of Roma, Juárez and Condesa on October 16. These activities complemented the program with opportunities to meet industry peers and explore the city’s retail districts.

The inaugural edition brought together different scales of retail development: from brand expansion and site selection to the transformation of shopping centers and their relationship with the city.