Events & Awards

CBG Announces Plans for Phoenix Show

Events & AwardsJun 12, 2026

CBG Announces Plans for Phoenix Show

The group has named the keynote speaker and announced a new pavilion for its next event, which is slated for September.

CBG logo
The Continental Buying Group has wrapped its Las Vegas event and released details for the next CBG Experience, which will take place in Phoenix from Sept. 13-16.
Las Vegas—Following its two-day event in Las Vegas, the Continental Buying Group (CBG) is gearing up for its next show.

The CBG Experience in Phoenix, Arizona, will take place Sept. 13-16 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.

Rishad Tobaccowala, a former chief strategist and chief growth officer at European advertising company Publicis Groupe, will give the keynote address.

He will share his perspective on how independent businesses can adapt, differentiate, and lead in a rapidly changing landscape.

Tobaccowala has decades of experience helping organizations navigate the intersection of data and human intuition, a concept he describes as “marrying the math and the magic.”

He has been named a “Marketing Innovator” by TIME magazine and has been inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame.

His most recent book, “Rethinking Work,” addresses the profound shifts reshaping business in the age of artificial intelligence and distributed work.

 Related stories will be right here … 

The Curated Designer Project (CDP), a curated pavilion showcasing independent fine jewelry designers, will continue in Phoenix.

The CDP debuted as a four-designer showcase in Miami earlier this year, had its sophomore showing in Las Vegas where it expanded to eight designers, and will expand further to include at least four additional designers in Pheonix.

“The Las Vegas event reminded us of what makes this community special,” said CBG CEO Joe Murphy.

“The quality of conversation on the floor, the genuine connections between our retail and supplier members, and the energy around the Curated Designer Project all point to an organization that is moving in the right direction. We are carrying that momentum into Phoenix.”

The CBG Experience in Phoenix will also introduce several programming changes “informed by member feedback,” organizers said.

Its traditional breakfast sessions will be replaced by facilitated Strategy Roundtables that organizers said are designed to generate more meaningful peer-to-peer dialogue among CBG’s retail and supplier members.

CBG will also debut “The Essentials,” a fully furnished and enclosed pavilion within the event floor that will spotlight emerging and value-oriented suppliers.

It will provide a structured, accessible entry point for newer brands looking to build relationships with the group’s independent retail members, organizers said.

“We listen closely to our members, and the changes coming to The CBG Experience in Phoenix reflect what we have heard,” said CBG President Matt Tratner.

“The Strategy Roundtables are designed to give our retailers a forum for honest, facilitated conversation about the challenges and opportunities they face every day. The Essentials at CBG gives emerging suppliers a dedicated, prominent home within our events, and we are excited to introduce it in Arizona.”

In place of evening programming, there will be cocktail receptions with hors d'oeuvres and activations designed to entertain, connect, and help build relationships.

For more information about The CBG Experience in Phoenix, visit the group’s website. 

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