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Business Leaders Forum
The BIFA Business Leaders Forum events were established in 2023 to provide a regular opportunity for the senior management of BIFA member companies to come together to hear updates on national and international events impacting the industry and discuss the way forward.
Wednesday 1st October will see the fifth event in the series taking place in central London and members are now invited to register to attend.
BIFA director general, Steve Parker says “It is my aim to continue to drive member engagement with regular face-to-face meetings that can be accessed by a large proportion of the membership. BIFA is your organisation and I welcome your input to the content and structure of these events. I am currently in discussion with speakers who I believe will bring a great deal of value to your business but I am always happy to hear from you, the members, if you have a particular topic that you feel should be covered. Please email me with your thoughts and I will do my best to secure the best speaker for the topic.”
Provisional agenda:
| 09:20 | Registration & refreshments | |
| 09:45 | Welcome | Steve Parker, BIFA |
| Descartes Global Survey | James Stafford, Descartes | |
| News from the Labour Party conference | Allie Renison, SEC Newgate | |
| Managing a return to the office | Ed Hussey, Menzies LLP | |
| 11:05 | REFRESHMENT BREAK | |
| 11:25 | S&S GB: the view from the border | Ian Wilkins, HMRC & Richard Steeples, Border Force |
| Insuring against the consequences of cyber-attack | James Bishop, Macbeths | |
| How AI Agents Are Transforming Freight Forwarding Efficiency & Profitability | James McElroy, Axe AI | |
| BIFA update | Steve Parker, BIFA | |
| 13:05 | LUNCH | |
| 14:00 | End of event |
Confirmed speakers:
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The Descartes Global Survey 2025: an analysis
James Stafford of Descartes will open the event by sharing trends and insights from the recent Descartes Systems UK Ltd Forwarder Benchmark survey, recognised industry-wide for capturing the pulse of our fast-changing logistics and trade environment. BIFA members were invited to participate earlier this year, and this session will provide a snapshot of the most pressing issues shaping global commerce.
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News from the Labour Party Conference
Allie Renison is a director at SEC Newgate UK, the global strategic communications and advocacy group, and we are delighted to welcome her back, following her insightful session on Trade Tariffs at our National Conference in May. During this session, we will gain key industry-related insights from the Labour Party Conference, which takes place shortly before our event.
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Managing a Return to the Office
Many companies are rethinking traditional workplace expectations, whilst some are questioning whether their employees should fully return to office-based working. During Ed’s session, he will explore key factors that BIFA members need to consider in addressing this question, and what other issues require attention in today’s workplace.
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UK-Ukraine: Opportunities for collaboration Natalia is a legal partner of the Association of International Freight Forwarders of Ukraine (AIFFU). She will outline the opportunities for UK freight forwarders to collaborate with their Ukrainian counterparts, the defence of foreign companies’ interests during the war and the ability for logistics operators to support the delivery of supplies to the people of Ukraine both now and in the future.
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S&S GB: the view from the border
Following the last Business Leaders Forum we received multiple requests to invite more Government speakers. Therefore, Ian Wilkins (HMRC) and Richard Wilkins (Border Force) will be sharing an update on Safety and Security GB and other matters relating to the UK border.
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Insuring against the consequences of cyber-attack
James Bishop, Client Manager at Macbeth Insurance Brokers will discuss one of the fastest-growing risks for freight forwarders, that of cyber-attack. Insurers now expect businesses to demonstrate strong cyber hygiene before offering cover. At this session, discover what practical steps you should take to strengthen your defences, meet insurer requirements, and ensure your business is resilient—and insurable—against today’s evolving cyber risks.
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How AI Agents Are Transforming Freight Forwarding Efficiency & Profitability
James McElroy is the founder and CEO of Axe, a technology company building AI agents for the logistics industry. His team helps freight forwarders automate high-volume calls, accelerate quoting, and deliver 24/7 service without extra headcount. Axe works with forwarders and carriers across the UK, Europe, and the US to turn AI from a buzzword into a measurable driver of efficiency and profitability.
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Secure your space by registering HERE.
