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On day two of Loyalty Connect Global in Dubai, I had the privilege of delivering a keynote on a topic that sits at the heart of every loyalty professional’s agenda: the KPIs that truly define success.

Titled Loyalty KPIs: The Definitive List, the session was based on one of the most actionable chapters from my book Blind Loyalty. I unpacked ten critical KPIs that every loyalty program should be tracking to understand its true performance and long-term value.

These key metrics ranged from how many customers remain active after enrolment, to how long it takes to activate them once they’ve joined. We looked at what proportion of sales is driven through the loyalty program, how many members are redeeming, and the percentage of rewards that are actually redeemed. And of course, no discussion would be complete without looking at return on investment, the ultimate test of a loyalty program’s effectiveness.

For each of the ten KPIs, I offered the audience practical benchmarks, examples from top-performing global brands, and my personal viewpoint developed through years of experience and shared in Blind Loyalty.

I closed the session with a call to action for the loyalty industry to go beyond the numbers and make a measurable impact in the world. I invited attendees to join me in supporting the Blind Loyalty Trust and our mission to reverse blindness. Whether by purchasing a Blind Loyalty bracelet or book, converting rewards points to donations, or joining our Run for Vision initiative, every action helps raise funds and awareness to give the gift of sight to those who need it most.

For the second year running, I had the privilege of attending Loyalty Connect Global in Dubai, an event that continues to bring together the most innovative minds and transformative ideas in the loyalty industry. This year, I had the honour of moderating a panel discussion featuring two of the most progressive loyalty brands operating today.

Joining me on stage was Rob Pope from Myer One, the award-winning loyalty program of Myer, one of Australia’s most established department stores. Myer One stands out as one of the world’s best retail loyalty programs, and Rob shared compelling insights on how retail brands can use data and technology to deepen customer relationships and drive measurable results.

Also on the panel was Amélie Brechoire from Accor Live Limitless (ALL), the renowned loyalty program from global hospitality leader Accor. Amélie brought a fascinating perspective from the travel and hotel sector, speaking to how Accor is continuously evolving its loyalty offering to deliver personalised, emotionally resonant experiences for guests around the world.

Our discussion explored the core technology enablers that underpin modern loyalty success, ranging from flexible platform architecture to real-time data capabilities and seamless integration across channels. Both Rob and Amélie stressed how vital it is to have a scalable, adaptive tech foundation to support today’s fast-changing customer expectations.

We also delved into the increasing importance of personalisation in loyalty programs. No matter the industry, customers now expect relevance, whether it’s personalised rewards, tailored messaging, or intuitive customer journeys. Loyalty programs must step up to meet that expectation or risk becoming irrelevant.

What made this panel truly inspiring was hearing how these two world-class brands, each from vastly different sectors, are united in their commitment to taking loyalty to the next level. They’re not just running programs; they’re building ecosystems of value, trust, and emotional connection.

What a privilege to speak at the Emirates Skywards 25th Anniversary Conference – celebrating one of the world’s most iconic loyalty programmes.

In my keynote, I unpacked the future of loyalty strategy and global trends.

Congratulations to the Emirates Skywards team on 25 years of innovation, excellence, and customer-first thinking.