The 16th DIY & Home Improvement Conference is proud to welcome one of the most emblematic figures of the industry worldwide, John W. Herbert, General Secretary of EDRA/GHIN. The event will take place on Wednesday, November 12, at the Benaki Museum in Athens.
John W. Herbert will be honored by Karydakis Media with the International Lifetime Award, a distinction that recognizes his long-standing contribution to shaping and advancing the global DIY & Home Improvement industry, while also highlighting the significance of the Greek market.
His career in retail began in 1956, and since 1983 he has been closely connected with the DIY sector. Over the course of his professional journey, he served in top management positions, including seventeen years as Managing Director of the German retail chain Knauber, before taking on the leadership of BHB, the German DIY Association, in 2002. Since 2004, he has held the position of General Secretary of EDRA/GHIN, where he has played a decisive role in the internationalization and strengthening of the association’s institutional presence.

At the conference, he will share valuable experiences, insights, and international best practices that companies can adopt in order to respond effectively to the changing habits of today’s consumers.
The DIY & Home Improvement Conference is the leading annual B2B meeting point for the tools, paints, building materials, and Home & Garden equipment markets. It brings together leading Greek and international speakers, exclusive research findings, original presentations, and high-level networking opportunities with senior executives from major retail chains as well as from the traditional trade sectors of tools, paints, building materials, technology, and home equipment.

Highlights include:
International Networking: Connecting Greek manufacturers with European retailers
• AI: Practical applications and new opportunities for the Greek market
• Robotics: The future of retail stores
• Climate Forecasting: Technology for DIY and gardening
• Startups: The think tank of Athens University of Economics and Business
• Panel Discussion: How technology shapes the future of construction