Air Cargo Event Will Show Logistics and Freight Stakeholders How to Face the Future

US – WORLDWIDE – Anyone who views an air freight conference as a chance for a few days away from their working responsibilities might need to reconsider if they attend the International Air Cargo Association's (TIACA) Executive Summit & AGM hosted by Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in April this year. The 2013 event will witness a series of workshops in which respected business leaders, consultants and logistics analysts will discuss issues ranging from accelerating e-commerce without breaking the bank, essential innovation during the downturn, exploiting air cargo's growth sectors, and embracing new technology in the workplace.

For the first time, the annual event will feature two plenary sessions, giving stakeholders a chance to offer their own views and further workshops will look at streamlining and securing the supply chain, emerging trends affecting air cargo, how the industry and customs authorities can cooperate to speed up global trade, and getting ready for the impact of new sustainability laws. The moderators and panellists that have already confirmed their participation in the event from April 16th-18th 2013 reads like a who’s who of industry experts and include Robert Mellin, Head of Distribution Logistics at Ericsson, one of the world's leading providers of telecommunications and services, Lee Sandler, Founding Member of Sandler, Travis and Rosenberg and Sandler and Travis Trade Advisory Services, which together represent the largest customs and international trade services provider in the world and Kenji Hashimoto, President of American Airlines Cargo.

They will be joined by Oliver Evans, Chief Cargo Officer of Swiss International Airlines, Enno Osinga, Senior Vice President Cargo, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Issa Baluch, Chairman of Air Cargo Trader, Michael Webber, owner of Webber Air Cargo, Liz Shaver, Director Cargo Services at Airlines for America, Marco Bloemen, Senior Vice President of Seabury, Simon Heaney, Research Manager at Drewey, Mike White, Assistant Director Cargo Facilitation, Security and Standards at CNS, and TIACA's Senior Director of Government Affairs, Sue Presti. Daniel Fernandez, Secretary General of TIACA, said:

"We are working in a world of unprecedented challenges and opportunities and it is clear that the organisations that are best informed and best prepared for these changing market conditions will be the ones that prosper. At our Executive Summit we will have leading experts on hand to give their opinions and advice on all of the major issues affecting our businesses and industry right now and to look at the most effective ways to grow and protect ourselves and our customers in what remains a volatile economic market."

The theme of the 2013 Executive Summit is 'Facing the Future Together’ and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport's CEO, Jeff Fegan, says hosting the event reinforces the airport's position as one of North America's premier air cargo gateways, adding:

"With the ease and convenience of flying into DFW International Airport, as well as the exciting attractions and recent business growth of the metroplex, we feel Dallas/Fort Worth is the ideal choice as the first U.S. host of this exclusive event.”

On the evening of April 17th, delegates will also gather for TIACA's Hall of Fame Awards Dinner when the Association will be honoring the careers of Philip Wei, past Chairman of China Airlines, and William (Bill) Boesch, President of Logistics, Council for Logistics Research, Inc.

Photo: Corporate aviation facility at Dallas/Fort Worth airport.