Events
Ignite today – Accelerate tomorrow In just two months’ time, BIFA Members will gather for the fi rst BIFA National Conference in almost 20 years. Will you be amongst them?
U nder the strapline Ignite today – Accelerate tomorrow , BIFA director general Steve Parker will introduce two days of speakers and panel discussions at the BIFA National Conference that will give Members the information they need to spark internal strategic conversations and give them a head start in their planning for tomorrow. Can you afford to miss out? Conference agenda (provisional running order, subject to change) Day 1 – Wednesday 14 May Following a welcome from Steve Parker, day 1 will kick- off with a keynote speaker who promises to inspire our thinking over the next two days, as we lift the lid on key government topics and industry challenges. With the future in mind, the day will continue by addressing the five key policy areas for BIFA, beginning with Air freight . Pawel Jarza, BIFA policy advisor – air, will be joined by James Golding, Heathrow Airport Limited, to update delegates on the redevelopment plans for the cargo terminal. In addition, the progress of the Advanced Information System (AIS) for managing vehicle movements will be discussed. To close the air freight session, the ongoing development and availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will also be considered. Moderated by Robert Windsor, BIFA member policy and compliance director, the next session will focus on Ocean freight, for which we will be joined by key guest speaker Jens Roemer from Hartrodt who will provide an overview of the current maritime market. Jens is the current chair of FIATA’s working group SEA. It promises to be an interesting and informative discussion for those present. We also plan to examine the issue of alternative fuels in the maritime sector during this session. Sustainability and the environment are a hot topic amongst Members and the wider industry. BIFA’s Jamie McKean will be sharing our ongoing focus on the environment underpinned by BIFA’s Sustainability Policy Group, with the support of James Shorey of Planetmark who will outline the measurement and reporting of emissions, and Alan Lewis, a consultant to the Smartfreight Centre, who will provide a detailed insight
“ Day 1 will kick-off with a keynote speaker who promises to inspire our days, as we lift the lid on key government topics and industry challenges thinking over the next two
Kriss Akabusi, after-dinner speaker
into the GLEC Framework. In the Customs arena CDS is now in place, but is this the end or just the beginning of the future of Customs compliance? Igor Popovics, BIFA policy advisor – Customs, will welcome guest speakers from key stakeholders including HMRC, ASM (UK) and RM Boulanger to discuss the use of IT systems in managing Customs processes and the view from the EU regarding post-Brexit practices. Day one will wrap up with a session on Legal issues led by Robert Windsor and supported by specialist solicitor Bruce Hailey of Salvus Law, including some important information on the BIFA Standard Trading Conditions. Day 2 – Thursday 15 May The headline sponsor of the conference, CNS, will open day 2 with its view of the Future of Technology and its
place within the international forwarding industry. Global technology company Descartes Systems will join the discussion. A constant concern for business in the
14 | March 2025
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