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Dinner & Briefing: Real-time Insights from CES/NRF — What Does Customer Experience Look Like with Data × AI?

Date

January 12, 2026 (Monday)

Time

19:00 - 21:30

Place

La Mercerie at Roman and Williams Guild / New York, United States

Fee

Free

Apply by

Wednesday, December 24, 2025, 6:00 PM

Dinner & Briefing: Real-time Insights from CES/NRF — What Does Customer Experience Look Like with Data × AI?

Event Overview

We are pleased to host an Executive Salon in New York for those attending “NRF: Retail's Big Show 2026,” which will be held in New York, USA, over three days from January 11, 2026.

The first half will feature a digest of CES/NRF, short presentations on the latest case studies in product data × AI, and a concise look at retail and brand trends in New York. Each session is designed to focus on insights directly applicable to real-world operations, and the program is structured so that speakers and participants can mingle casually over dinner. It is an ideal setting for executives and business leaders, as well as decision-makers in marketing and digital, who want both a strategic perspective and ideas they can put to use right away.

<Short session topics>・CES/NRF on-the-ground updates from Mr. Koji Okutani and Mr. Daijiro Ban・Latest trends in “product data × AI” by Hagiwara of Lazuli・A store/brand experience report from a New York-born and raised perspective by Mr. Iwahara

The venue, 'La Mercerie at Roman and Williams Guild,' actually sells tableware, cutlery, furniture, and other items used in the restaurant right in the store, embodying a new kind of retail. Please also enjoy taking a look around the venue. https://www.lamercerieny.com/

Capacity     Limited number of participants (invite-only)    

Inquiries Lazuli Event Operations Office       TEL :090-8506-0091       Email :event@lazuli.ninja       Reception hours:Weekdays 10:00–18:00 (excluding weekends and public holidays)

Application notes

・If there are more applicants than available spots, participants will be selected by lottery.・The program content, schedule, and speakers may change without notice due to unavoidable circumstances. Thank you for your understanding in advance.・This salon may decline participation from students, freelancers, or those deemed to be in a competitive relationship with the organizer or speakers. Thank you for your understanding in advance.・Please refrain from unilateral sales activities toward the speakers and other participants. If such sales activities occur, we will refuse your participation in future salons hosted by our company.・To confirm your application details, our staff (Jinnai / Miyahara) may call the contact information you registered.

Program

18:45 -

Reception

18:45 -

Reception

19:00 -

Greetings and Toast
Dinner begins

19:00 -

Greetings and Toast
Dinner begins

19:05 - 19:25

CES & NRF Brief Digest
Reporting by Mr. Okutani and Mr. Ban of Customer Time Co., Ltd.

19:05 - 19:25

CES & NRF Brief Digest
Reporting by Mr. Okutani and Mr. Ban of Customer Time Co., Ltd.

19:25 - 19:40

Product Data × AI Trends
Case study introduction by Hagiwara from Lazuli Inc.

19:25 - 19:40

Product Data × AI Trends
Case study introduction by Hagiwara from Lazuli Inc.

19:40 - 19:55

NY Local Retail/Brand Trends
New York trend report by Mr. Iwahara of Sibling

19:40 - 19:55

NY Local Retail/Brand Trends
New York trend report by Mr. Iwahara of Sibling

19:55 - 21:00

Dinner and conversation

19:55 - 21:00

Dinner and conversation

21:00

Closing Remarks

21:00

Closing Remarks

'- 21:30

End

'- 21:30

End

Speaker Profile

Takashi Okutani

Customer Time Co., Ltd. Co-CEO and Representative Director
Super Normal Co., Ltd. Representative Director
Oisix ra Daichi Co., Ltd. Chief Omni-Channel Officer

Joined Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. in 1997. After working in stores, being seconded to a trading partner company (based in Germany), World MUJI planning, and the Planning and Design Office, in 2005, as category manager for fashion accessories, developed “Right-Angle Socks” and grew them into a staple hit product. Became head of the Web Division in 2010 and produced “MUJI passport.” Joined Oisix (now Oisix ra daichi) in October 2015 and has held the current position since then.


In September 2018, appointed Co-CEO/Director of Kokyaku Jikan Co., Ltd.

Takashi Okutani

Customer Time Co., Ltd. Co-CEO and Representative Director
Super Normal Co., Ltd. Representative Director
Oisix ra Daichi Co., Ltd. Chief Omni-Channel Officer

Joined Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. in 1997. After working in stores, being seconded to a trading partner company (based in Germany), World MUJI planning, and the Planning and Design Office, in 2005, as category manager for fashion accessories, developed “Right-Angle Socks” and grew them into a staple hit product. Became head of the Web Division in 2010 and produced “MUJI passport.” Joined Oisix (now Oisix ra daichi) in October 2015 and has held the current position since then.


In September 2018, appointed Co-CEO/Director of Kokyaku Jikan Co., Ltd.

Daijiro Ban

Customer Time Co., Ltd. Chief CX Strategist
Yappli Co., Ltd. Executive Officer
db-lab LLC CEO

Focused on the importance of CRM in the retail industry. After consistently engaging in strategic planning and service development centered on data utilization, joined Opt in 2011. After serving as a marketing consultant, expanded the business as Head of the Marketing Division from 2015. While launching the Marketing Management Department and OMO-related departments, among others, oversaw the digital marketing consulting organization. Founded db-lab LLC in 2021. Since February 2021, joined Customer Time Co., Ltd. as a project manager. Since June 2021, appointed Executive Specialist at Yappli, Inc.

Collects information on retail through overseas events and company visits, and conducts company research and communication activities. His book includes “CRM in the Mobile Era: How Has Smartphone Customer Communication Changed?” (Shoeisha Digital First).

Daijiro Ban

Customer Time Co., Ltd. Chief CX Strategist
Yappli Co., Ltd. Executive Officer
db-lab LLC CEO

Focused on the importance of CRM in the retail industry. After consistently engaging in strategic planning and service development centered on data utilization, joined Opt in 2011. After serving as a marketing consultant, expanded the business as Head of the Marketing Division from 2015. While launching the Marketing Management Department and OMO-related departments, among others, oversaw the digital marketing consulting organization. Founded db-lab LLC in 2021. Since February 2021, joined Customer Time Co., Ltd. as a project manager. Since June 2021, appointed Executive Specialist at Yappli, Inc.

Collects information on retail through overseas events and company visits, and conducts company research and communication activities. His book includes “CRM in the Mobile Era: How Has Smartphone Customer Communication Changed?” (Shoeisha Digital First).

Mari Iwahara

Founder & Brand Consultant, Sibling

A branding specialist born and raised in New York, and a second-generation Japanese American. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2013, has built experience as a brand designer at major branding agencies such as Landor and Red Antler, and has also served as a brand manager and creative director for a new business at Google. Has supported brands across a wide range of industries and company sizes, from Fortune 500 corporations to startups.

In 2022, founded Sibling, a cross-cultural branding agency that supports Japanese companies entering the U.S. market. The agency supports cross-cultural businesses and initiatives to decode cultural nuances and create compelling brands that transcend borders.

Mari Iwahara

Founder & Brand Consultant, Sibling

A branding specialist born and raised in New York, and a second-generation Japanese American. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2013, has built experience as a brand designer at major branding agencies such as Landor and Red Antler, and has also served as a brand manager and creative director for a new business at Google. Has supported brands across a wide range of industries and company sizes, from Fortune 500 corporations to startups.

In 2022, founded Sibling, a cross-cultural branding agency that supports Japanese companies entering the U.S. market. The agency supports cross-cultural businesses and initiatives to decode cultural nuances and create compelling brands that transcend borders.

Seigen Hagiwara

Lazuli Inc. Representative Director, CEO and CTO

Joined Recruit Co., Ltd. in 2005. After gaining experience in sales, marketing, and product management, led the promotion of data/AI utilization across multiple internal businesses as a data scientist and big data evangelist.

Launched the current Study Sapuri AI Lab in 2015, and led numerous data/AI initiatives and business implementations, including industry-academia collaboration such as joint research with Professor Matsuo of the University of Tokyo and proof-of-concept experiments for AI utilization.

In 2018, while serving as Head of the Data Division and Director of the Data Science Research Institute at Toreta Inc., promoting the use of data/AI in the restaurant industry, also ran an AI consulting company.

Founded Lazuli Inc. in 2020.

Completed the master's program at the Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Seigen Hagiwara

Lazuli Inc. Representative Director, CEO and CTO

Joined Recruit Co., Ltd. in 2005. After gaining experience in sales, marketing, and product management, led the promotion of data/AI utilization across multiple internal businesses as a data scientist and big data evangelist.

Launched the current Study Sapuri AI Lab in 2015, and led numerous data/AI initiatives and business implementations, including industry-academia collaboration such as joint research with Professor Matsuo of the University of Tokyo and proof-of-concept experiments for AI utilization.

In 2018, while serving as Head of the Data Division and Director of the Data Science Research Institute at Toreta Inc., promoting the use of data/AI in the restaurant industry, also ran an AI consulting company.

Founded Lazuli Inc. in 2020.

Completed the master's program at the Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Dinner & Briefing: Real-time Insights from CES/NRF — What Does Customer Experience Look Like with Data × AI?

Date

January 12, 2026 (Monday)

Time

19:00 - 21:30

Place

La Mercerie at Roman and Williams Guild / New York, United States

Fee

Free

Apply by

Wednesday, December 24, 2025, 6:00 PM

Contact