Recalibrating the ‘norm‘

Session 1: WSTA Annual Industry Update

10am, 15 September (1hr)

Welcome by Michael Saunders, WSTA Chairman

Industry Update by Miles Beale, WSTA CEO

Session 2: Global Trade: Standards, Software and staying ahead of the curve

2.30pm, 15 September (1.5hrs)

Chair: Miles Beale, WSTA CEO
Spotlight Briefing:  Chainvine (Oliver Oram)
Spotlight Briefing:  E-labelling, Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, CEEV

What role does technology currently play in today’s global trading economy? The answer is probably “too little!”. Incompatible systems, piles of physical hardcopies and mountains of duplicate data entered across the supply chain, are only a few issues global trade has to deal with. And much of that time the sheer volume of that paper and the detail of its content is too much to be effectively checked at any border, so it’s really only there as a comfort blanket.

The rapid development of technology in recent years has the potential to transform how we do business with overseas partners. Blockchain, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things could all play a much larger role in helping to streamline supply chains, creating transparency and efficiency across the whole operation. So why are these technologies not being used to their full potential right now? Well, with a huge global marketplace, a large number of different border operations and customs procedures, and billions of goods being traded every day… oh and the usual hesitancy towards change…updating the technology that underpins global trade might be easier said than done. Or maybe not…?

As one of the more regulated industries in terms of customs procedures, we need to get ahead of the curve. Enter information once, make it securely available to whoever needs it and make that data populate official declarations and returns. In this session you’ll hear how blockchain – a now universal platform – smart contracts and e-labelling could help streamline global trade and create transparency across the system.

Session 3: Recalibrating the 'norm'

10am, 16 September (1hr)

Returning Chair: Alex Forrest Whiting, Freelance Journalist

Many industries have been hit hard over recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the fallout of Brexit has created major disruption and uncertainty across the world. Whether it was turning around a new digital e-commerce site at pace, or a complete change in business priorities, being reactive has been key for business survival. Now we are almost on the other side, should we be aiming to get back to business as usual? Or do we use this as an opportunity to innovate, be proactive, and transform the sector to ensure lasting stability and growth?

Join Lorraine Copes and George Yip as they discuss macro versus micro perspectives in a bid to help stimulate positive growth and long-term transformational change for businesses.

Session 4: A Conscious Business

2.30pm, 16 September (1.5hrs)

Chair: Alex Forrest Whiting, Freelance Journalist

Two spotlight briefings followed by a panel discussion

The impact of COVID-19 on businesses has been profound, and in many cases has meant previously high priority issues – such as Environmental, social and governance (ESG) and diversity and inclusion – have had to temporarily take a back seat. But are opportunities now arising that could help accelerate the transformation to become a more conscious business?

This session will be an open discussion on how businesses could and should be advocating and proactively driving forward initiatives around ESG and diversity and inclusion.

Keynote speaker, Lorraine Copes, will also join this session to provide an insight into the work of Be Inclusive Hospitality.

Returning Chair: Alex Forrest Whiting

Broadcaster, Conference Host & Media Trainer, alexfw.com

Alex will be hosting sessions 3 & 4

Alex Forrest Whiting has reported and presented for major broadcasters around the world. For many years she was a political correspondent and presenter for ITV News, which included six years at Westminster. Alex has also reported for BBC World and Al Jazeera English. She now has a number of roles at Germany’s international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle (DW) based in Berlin. These include TV reporting and presenting, overseeing the online video team and training journalists how to write, edit and voice reports.

A major part of Alex’s work is event hosting, moderating and public speaking.

Session 2 Chair & Speaker: Miles Beale

Chief Executive, WSTA

Miles will be providing an Industry Update in Session 1 and will chair Session 2.

Miles joined the WSTA in 2012 from the Defra. He has overall responsibility for the Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s operations. Miles was previously Deputy Director for EU and International Agriculture Policy, including reform of the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy. He was previously Deputy Director for European and Global Issues at the Cabinet Office and spent much of his early career at the Department of Communities and Local Government.

Miles has worked across a broad range of public policy, including urban regeneration, drugs policy and social exclusion, and has been involved in significant negotiations at national and European level. He worked closely with senior Ministers in successive governments – including as private secretary to two Cabinet Ministers.

Session 1 Speaker: Katherine Bedard

Senior Director, International Public Policy, The Wine Institute

Katherine Bedard enjoys removing barriers for the approximately $1.4 billion of California wine exports. Based in the California (USA) Wine Institute’s Washington, D.C. office, she works with Wine Institute members and staff, the U.S. government, international industry organizations and foreign governments to respond to international barriers and advance the U.S. wine trade agenda. Previously, Katherine served as an International Trade Specialist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, focusing on eliminating trade barriers for processed agricultural products, including U.S. wine. She brings many years of experience in international trade and development having worked at the Economic and Commercial Office — Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. and in the Office of the President of the World Bank Group. Katherine has a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from the George Washington University and a Master of Arts in European Politics from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. Her favorite wine is sparkling.

Session 2 Speaker: Russell Davies

Managing Director, Hillebrand

Russell Davies is the Managing Director UK and Ireland for Hillebrand the world’s leading logistic provider for the beer, wines and spirits industry. Within the UK and Ireland Hillebrand has offices in London, Southampton, Glasgow, Dublin and Dover employing approximately 200 dedicated employees providing a range of logistics services from bulk and cased wine import, to spirits exports and customs clearance services.

Prior to Hillebrand he served as the Senior Vice President Supply Chain and Managing Director Freight Services for GKN Driveline. Here he transformed the in-house 4PL for the inbound logistics for over 40 factories worldwide creating regional control towers, supporting the supply chain operations. Russell has over 25 years of experience in supply chain, logistics and warehouse automation working across sales, commercial and general management roles.

Russell believes that sustainable results can only be achieved by building the best teams and empowering them to make decisions.

Russell is a proud father to Hannah and Thomas, and husband to Tracy who shares his passion for running and now cycling.

Session 2 Speaker: Oliver Oram

Chief Executive, Chainvine

Oliver’s background in financial technology opened his eyes to the potential of Blockchain & distributed ledger technology, which led him to study an MSc of International Management, focusing on fiscal decentralisation, at the School of Oriental Studies.
He has valuable experience in international markets and a keen interest in developing current and future decentralised technology. As CEO, he draws on these experiences and interests to lead Chainvine’s team of experts. Oliver acts as a thought leader/Smart partner at Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management & is an expert advisor at the OECD to the Rural Innovation Group through his work with the wine industry.

Session 2 Speaker: Ignacio Sánchez Recarte

Secretary General, Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV)

Dr Ignacio Sánchez Recarte was appointed Secretary General of CEEV, the association representing European wine companies, in June 2015. Before that, he served as Director for Internal Market & Sustainability at spiritsEUROPE, the European association of spirit producers, and as Director of Environment affairs and Innovation at Bodegas Chivite, a Spanish wine group.

For the previous 7 years, Ignacio worked for the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), first as Head of the Viticulture Unit, then as Head of the Economy and Law Unit.

Prior to this, he was a researcher in the Food Technology Department of the Public University of Navarra.

Ignacio is an Agronomic Engineer from the Public University of Navarra and obtained his PhD in Engineering at the University of Lleida. A Spanish citizen, Ignacio is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian.

In 2016, he was elected Vice-President of the international federation of wine and spirits producers (FIVS), and Vice-President of CELCAA, the organization representing EU associations and companies active in the sector of agricultural and agri-food trading.

Session 3 Keynote: Lorraine Copes

Founder, Be Inclusive Hospitality, Procurement Consultant & Life Coach, Be Inclusive Hospitality

Lorraine Copes is the founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, Procurement Consultant and Life Coach.  Having spent almost two decades working within the hospitality sector successfully leading procurement teams for brands including Shake Shack, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants and Corbin & King her experience spans new market entry, national and international leadership roles.

Lorraine is passionate about helping others advance and has been able to do so during her career within Procurement by helping organisations to improve profitability, and as a Life Coach through helping individuals gain clarity, confidence and courage.

In 2019 Lorraine felt compelled to form Be Inclusive Hospitality due to the consistent lack of representation of people from Black, Asian Minority backgrounds in positions of influence, and that those that do exist being invisible. This social enterprise will now hold the prime position of accelerating racial equality and levelling the playing field for those from underrepresented backgrounds within hospitality, food and drink sectors.

Lorraine is based in London.

Session 3 Keynote: George Yip

Emeritus Professor of Marketing and Strategy, Imperial College Business School

Emeritus Professor of Marketing and Strategy at Imperial College Business School in London. Distinguished Visiting Professor at Northeastern University in Boston. Thinkers50 Hall of Fame. Fellow of the Academy of International Business. Editorial Advisory Boards of California Management Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. Previous business positions include VP and Director of Research & Innovation at Capgemini Consulting, senior manager at Price Waterhouse (USA), manager at Unilever, and various boards. Author or co-author of Pioneers, Hidden Champions, Change Makers and Underdogs: Lessons From China’s Innovators (2019), China’s Next Strategic Advantage: From Imitation to Innovation (2016), Strategic Transformation (2013), Managing Global Customers (2007), and Total Global Strategy (1992 and 2012). Frequent keynote speaker at corporate conferences all lover the world.

Session 4 Speaker: Kathy Caton

Founder & MD, Brighton Gin

Kathy Caton is the Founder and Managing Director of Brighton Gin.  Launched in 2013 and with a focus on ethical and sustainable production and community engagement since day one, Brighton Gin has won multiple awards including IWSC Gold Medals, the Nordic Spirits Award Gold Medal, being named as the UK’s Best Gin and last year named as Artisan Gin Distillery of the Year. When not making gin she can be found broadcasting on a weekly LGBTQ+ show on BBC Radio Sussex and she has recently launched The Sipping Forecast, a drinks-focused podcast, out now via all the usual platforms like Spotify, Google Podcasts or Anchor.

Session 4 Speaker: Valentina Lira

Director of Sustainability, Viña Concha y Toro

Industrial Engineer from the University of Chile, with a postgraduate degree in Environmental Economics from the University of California Berkeley. She worked as a Development Engineer at CMPC Holding and as Director of the Development and Conservation Program of Fundación Chile, achieving the first sale of carbon credits from forestry projects in Chile.
Since 2011, leads the Sustainability Division at Viña Concha y Toro, in charge of the development and implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Strategy. During this time, the company has integrated the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and has become the first Latin American company to make its commitment to reduce emissions based on climate science.

Since 2020, she is an active member of the SBT Net-Zero Expert Advisory Group, contributing to the generation of a global standard for Net Zero Emission scenario.

Session 4 Speaker: Mandy Nyarko

Co-Founder, Startup Discovery School

Mandy is the co founder of Startup Discovery School, a business accelerator and incubator programme designed to accelerate entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, such as Women, People of colour, LGBTQ+ etc. The programme aims to enable founders to access both mentorship and investment ecosystems that will help them to grow and sustain their businesses.

She has collaborate at Exec level to create ESG initiatives and innovation programmes that lead to both environmental and social change. Her speciality is working with large organisations with complex structures to help them to adapt to fast moving global economic, demographic and cultural change. She has a corporate background in banking, and has worked at 2 of the BIG 5 UK banks, coaching senior leaders to deliver and embed new processes that develop and nurture their workforce (management/front line) whilst delivering strong financial results. She is also an accredited coach.