José Hilario Gómez Romero - Strategy & Business

Adaptability to changes, innovations and technology, buyer trends and robotics in the retail industry of Latin America, were discussed by Juan Carlos Eichholz, consultant and professor at the Business School of Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile and Juan Manuel Saravia, founder of Ohla ai., at the Fourth Latin Consumer Summit - Chapter Panama, held on March 13, 2026, in the Panamanian capital and organized by Grupo Ohla and Redvolution Shopper Marketing.

Eichholz stated that the computer that took man to the Moon in the 1960s had the capacity to process 2,000 operations per second while the small device we have here (cell phone) processes more than one billion operations per second. He added that "if we are not connected to the biggest things happening in the world and with technology, we will simply be displaced."

A timeline that began with the printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century and that included the last decades of the present where technological advances have accelerated, such as artificial intelligence, was shared by the professor with representatives of the retail sector in Panama.

Among the changes redefining the retail sector, Eichholz mentioned the following: the consumer has shifted from a buyer to a value manager, compares prices, shows less loyalty to brands, growth of private brands, the consumer is more omnichannel and does not distinguish between physical and digital commerce.

For his part, Saravia expressed that Ohla.ai offers companies to stay updated on the latest trends in the retail market and create spaces for conversation with other entrepreneurs where industry giants participate. At the same time, they innovate with cutting-edge technology and have a presence in more than 25 markets.

Regarding establishing the group hub in Panama, Saravia pointed out that he seeks to strengthen the presence in Central America and the Caribbean. "The group sees a very big opportunity in continuing to participate in these markets and to offer our clients all the services of the group, from the United States to Argentina," he specified.

The founder of Ohla.ai stated that the regional conferences, such as the largest one to be held in Miami, United States in May 2026, have among their objectives to connect people working in the mass consumption industry, due to the lack of an organized and relevant convention in Latin America that connects the actors in the sector.

The meeting concluded with the panel How to generate value for the consumer? which analyzed the trends, challenges, and key insights to understand what consumers are looking for today and how brands can respond with more relevant proposals, featured: Loriela Gómez, CEO of Saint – Honoré and Alfredo Argueta, CEO of Dicarina, under the guidance of Antonio Monckeberg, CEO of Grupo Ohla.

The fourth Latin Consumer Summit - Chapter Panama, gathered more than 120 executives from consumption, retail, and sales to analyze how artificial intelligence, the adaptive capacity of organizations, and new value strategies are redefining the relationship between brands and consumers.

Event organized by Grupo Ohla, Redvolution Shopper Marketing and the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez.