ASIA PACIFIC. TFWA has confirmed the speaker line-up for this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Conference, at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore on 8 May.
The conference theme, Re-igniting our industry, will run throughout the plenary sessions and workshops. TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen and Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association President Jaya Singh will open the event, before being joined by keynote speakers Anil Gupta and Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.
Professor Anil Gupta is a commentator, member of the World Economic Forum and author of The Quest for Global Dominance, Getting China and India Right and The Silk Road Rediscovered. He will consider the rise of Asia at a time of change, examining economic and geopolitical influences on the region’s growth as well as looking at recent advances in technology.
AirAsia X Chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz is a leading authority on regional and global trade and former Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry. She will examine the future for regional economic integration, and assess the implications for trade and free movement.
In the second plenary session, Porter Erisman, former Vice President at Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, will share his insight into one of the retail world’s greatest success stories. Dufry CEO Middle East and Africa Andrea Belardini will outline how his company is adapting its approach to cater to Asian customers’ changing needs and expectations.
After a lunch break, three workshop sessions will run simultaneously.
Workshop A – Rediscovering Japan – will bring together leaders from the airport, retailer, brand and tour operator sectors. Speakers include JATCO Chairman & CEO Isao Takashiro, Narita International Airport Corporation (NAA) Senior Vice President Hideki Hayashida, The Ginza President Nobuo Nabika and Japan Association of Travel Agents President Tadashi Shimura. The session will be chaired by The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt.
Workshop B – Re-engage: driving customer loyalty – will consider how the travel retail industry can increase repeat spend from travellers. Speakers include China Duty Free Group COO Lee Charn Cheng (CC Lee), Aer Rianta International Director Global Marketing & Strategy Nicola Wells and AOE Founder and CEO Kian Gould.
The workshop will include discussions on ways to enhance the value proposition, marketing techniques, communication and the future role of technology in engaging passengers and encouraging spend.
Workshop C – Re-assessing our industry: challenges today and tomorrow – will look at regulatory changes and challenges facing the industry. Data and insights on traffic trends and consumer behaviour, as well as the impact they are likely to have on the global duty free and travel retail industry, will also be discussed.
Speakers include Dufry External Affairs Director and ETRC President Sarah Branquinho, Imperial Brands Head of Corporate Affairs and Compliance (Global Travel Retail) and APTRA Board Member Dr Jennifer Cords, Portland Design Director of Environments Lewis Allen, Portland Design Head of Strategic Insights Terna Jibo and ForwardKeys Co-founder and CEO Olivier Jager.
Data from TFWA research will be presented as part of the session, including highlights of recent studies produced by travel analyst ForwardKeys and strategic insights specialist Portland Design.
Changi Airport Singapore is the diamond sponsor of the conference, the business networking coffee break in the morning will be provided by Leonidas, and the hostess outfits are sponsored by Pourchet.
Juul-Mortensen commented: “This exciting region continues to lead the recovery in the duty free and travel retail sector, accounting for the top three countries in terms of sales during 2016 and an impressive six out of the top ten. It’s looking to be another excellent exhibition and conference, with a record number of companies and exhibiting space.”
More information and full registrations details can be found on www.tfwa.com.
