In this episode, we speak with Per Ljungberg, Head of D-Congress, about the evolution of the Nordic region’s largest tech trade show for fashion and retail.
Ljungberg explains why the event is expanding beyond its original focus on e-commerce and retail technology to include branding, culture, and creativity. He also shares the thinking behind this year’s theme and the introduction of a music festival as part of the programme.
In addition, we recap our Transformation Roundtable hosted by our editor-in-chief, Konrad Olsson, in conjunction with the event, where CEOs and senior decision-makers from Nordic fashion brands met with technology leaders to discuss the operational challenges facing the industry today.
Five key insights from Per Ljungberg
D-Congress is becoming a community, not just a conference
According to Ljungberg, the value of the event lies less in the stage programme and more in the relationships it enables across the industry. He describes D-Congress as a meeting place where vendors, brands, and decision-makers return each year to build trust and business together. As he puts it, “D-Congress is all about community and it’s all about building this kind of relations. And when you have strong relations, you do better business.”
Cultural capital will define the next generation of retail brands
While the industry is focused on AI and automation, Ljungberg believes the real competitive advantage for Nordic brands lies elsewhere. Global platforms may dominate technology, but brands can differentiate through identity and culture. “We can’t compete with Amazon, Temu and Shein when it comes to AI,” he says. “But we can compete with something they can’t copy: cultural capital.”
Branding must evolve alongside technology
D-Congress began as a technology and e-commerce event, but the programme now increasingly includes speakers from culture, design, and the creative industries. Ljungberg believes this shift is necessary as commerce becomes more closely tied to storytelling and brand identity. “It started as a tech e-commerce conference,” he explains, “but we have to work even more with branding and that kind of stuff.”
New formats are needed to strengthen industry connections
This year’s festival-style closing event replaced the traditional gala dinner, reflecting a desire to create more open networking formats. Ljungberg felt the previous setup limited interaction. “Last year I sat at this gala dinner and said, this is quite boring. You sit at the same table for three hours.” The new format allows participants to move around, meet more people, and continue conversations throughout the evening.
The ambition is to make D-Congress a Nordic platform
Although hosted in Sweden, Ljungberg sees the event increasingly as a meeting point for the entire Nordic market. Participation from Norway, Denmark, and Finland is growing, and international vendors increasingly view the region as one unified retail ecosystem. As Ljungberg explains, “Suppliers from abroad want to see the Nordics as one market.”
