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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260512T090000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260512T140000
DTSTAMP:20251001T083000Z
CREATED:20251001T083000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T083000Z
UID:24744-1778576400-1778594400@dev.bifa.org
SUMMARY:Business Leaders Forum
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe next BIFA Business Leaders Forum event will take place on Tuesday 12th May 2026 and BIFA members are now invited to register for a free ticket. 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\, the Business Leaders Forum has grown in popularity and is seen as an important opportunity to to network with peers and prepare for the future. \nBIFA 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. The venue and agenda for this event are being discussed 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.” \nPROVISIONAL RUNNING ORDER \n\n09:15 Arrival and networking breakfast\n09:30 Welcome\n09:45 – 12:45 Speaker sessions (TBC) with networking refreshment break\n12:45 Closing remarks\n13:00 Networking lunch\n13:50 BIFA Annual General Meeting\n14:00 event ends\n\n\n\n\n\nEmployment Rights Bill \nJane Williams is the owner of JW Employment Law and has specialised in the field since becoming a solicitor in 1995. Jane has advised many companies in the freight forwarding and logistics sector with several clients commenting upon her down-to-earth approach and practical viewpoint that not only looks at the law but also the needs of the business. \n \n\n\n\nUK Haulage: The Road Ahead \nThe UK road haulage sector is changing fast — and the numbers tell a powerful story. Richard Smith from the Road Haulage Association will break down what’s happening on the ground\, the action being taken through government engagement\, and the supportive role that BIFA members can play. We’ll close with some blue-sky thinking\, asking what the future of haulage could (and should) look like and the opportunities that lie ahead. \n \n\n\n\nDevelopments in the UK Deep Sea Market\, a container terminal perspective  \nIn this session\, Vice president Commercial\, North Europe for DP World\, Aart Hille Ris Lambers will cover the recent and expected future developments of the UK container terminals and the global container shipping lines. How do we see the total market develop\, what are the competitive developments we foresee for different ports\, what is happening with vessel supply and sizes and how the UK terminals are competing with the main continental terminals. Any more black swan events expected?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n    \nLondon Gatwick: Driving Economic Growth \nWith 43m annual passengers\, London Gatwick is a vital piece of national infrastructure that drives both the national and regional economies.  Future growth plans will increase capacity by bringing the existing Northern Runway into routine use.  As Economic Partnerships Manager\, Richard Lennard works with stakeholders to ensure that the airport is a partner and advocate for a thriving resilient economy. \n \n\n\n\nYou can register for your free ticket now
URL:https://dev.bifa.org/event/business-leaders-forum-6-2/
LOCATION:ETC Venues\, Monument\, 8 Eastcheap\, London EC3M 1AE
CATEGORIES:Business Leaders Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
ORGANIZER;CN="BIFA Events Team":MAILTO:bifaevents@bifa.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260512T090000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260512T140000
DTSTAMP:20251001T083000Z
CREATED:20251001T083000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T083000Z
UID:21774-1778576400-1778594400@dev.bifa.org
SUMMARY:Business Leaders Forum
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe next BIFA Business Leaders Forum event will take place on Tuesday 12th May 2026 and BIFA members are now invited to register for a free ticket. 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\, the Business Leaders Forum has grown in popularity and is seen as an important opportunity to to network with peers and prepare for the future. \nBIFA 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. The venue and agenda for this event are being discussed 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.” \nPROVISIONAL RUNNING ORDER \n\n09:15 Arrival and networking breakfast\n09:30 Welcome\n09:45 – 12:45 Speaker sessions (TBC) with networking refreshment break\n12:45 Closing remarks\n13:00 Networking lunch\n13:50 BIFA Annual General Meeting\n14:00 event ends\n\n\n\n\n\nEmployment Rights Bill \nJane Williams is the owner of JW Employment Law and has specialised in the field since becoming a solicitor in 1995. Jane has advised many companies in the freight forwarding and logistics sector with several clients commenting upon her down-to-earth approach and practical viewpoint that not only looks at the law but also the needs of the business. \n \n\n\n\nUK Haulage: The Road Ahead \nThe UK road haulage sector is changing fast — and the numbers tell a powerful story. Richard Smith from the Road Haulage Association will break down what’s happening on the ground\, the action being taken through government engagement\, and the supportive role that BIFA members can play. We’ll close with some blue-sky thinking\, asking what the future of haulage could (and should) look like and the opportunities that lie ahead. \n \n\n\n\nDevelopments in the UK Deep Sea Market\, a container terminal perspective  \nIn this session\, Vice president Commercial\, North Europe for DP World\, Aart Hille Ris Lambers will cover the recent and expected future developments of the UK container terminals and the global container shipping lines. How do we see the total market develop\, what are the competitive developments we foresee for different ports\, what is happening with vessel supply and sizes and how the UK terminals are competing with the main continental terminals. Any more black swan events expected?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n    \nLondon Gatwick: Driving Economic Growth \nWith 43m annual passengers\, London Gatwick is a vital piece of national infrastructure that drives both the national and regional economies.  Future growth plans will increase capacity by bringing the existing Northern Runway into routine use.  As Economic Partnerships Manager\, Richard Lennard works with stakeholders to ensure that the airport is a partner and advocate for a thriving resilient economy. \n \n\n\n\nYou can register for your free ticket now
URL:https://dev.bifa.org/event/business-leaders-forum-6/
LOCATION:ETC Venues\, Monument\, 8 Eastcheap\, London EC3M 1AE
CATEGORIES:Business Leaders Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
ORGANIZER;CN="BIFA Events Team":MAILTO:bifaevents@bifa.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T093000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T140000
DTSTAMP:20250708T133146Z
CREATED:20250708T133146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250708T133146Z
UID:24733-1759311000-1759327200@dev.bifa.org
SUMMARY:Business Leaders Forum
DESCRIPTION: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. \nWednesday 1st October will see the fifth event in the series taking place in central London and members are now invited to register to attend. \nBIFA 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.” \nProvisional agenda: \n\n\n\n09:20\nRegistration & refreshments\n\n\n\n09:45\nWelcome\nSteve Parker\, BIFA\n\n\n\nDescartes Global Survey\nJames Stafford\, Descartes\n\n\n\nNews from the Labour Party conference\nAllie Renison\, SEC Newgate\n\n\n\nManaging a return to the office\nEd Hussey\, Menzies LLP\n\n\n11:05\nREFRESHMENT BREAK\n\n\n\n11:25\nS&S GB: the view from the border\nIan Wilkins\, HMRC & Richard Steeples\, Border Force\n\n\n\nInsuring against the consequences of cyber-attack\nJames Bishop\, Macbeths\n\n\n\nHow AI Agents Are Transforming Freight Forwarding Efficiency & Profitability\nJames McElroy\, Axe AI\n\n\n\nBIFA update\nSteve Parker\, BIFA\n\n\n13:05\nLUNCH\n\n\n\n14:00\nEnd of event\n\n\n\n\n  \nConfirmed speakers: \n  \n\n\n\n\nThe Descartes Global Survey 2025: an analysis  \n  \nJames 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. \n \n\n\n\nNews from the Labour Party Conference \n  \nAllie 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. \nDuring this session\, we will gain key industry-related insights from the Labour Party Conference\, which takes place shortly before our event. \n \n\n\n\nManaging a Return to the Office \n  \nMany companies are rethinking traditional workplace expectations\, whilst some are questioning whether their employees should fully return to office-based working. \nDuring 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. \n \n\n\n\n  \nUK-Ukraine: Opportunities for collaboration \nNatalia 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. \n \n\n\n \n\n  \nS&S GB: the view from the border \n  \nFollowing 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. \n  \n \n\n\n\nInsuring against the consequences of cyber-attack \n  \nJames 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. \n \n\n\n\nHow AI Agents Are Transforming Freight Forwarding Efficiency & Profitability \n  \nJames 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. \n \n\n\n\nSecure your space by registering HERE. \n  \nBIFA Business Leaders Forum Oct 2025
URL:https://dev.bifa.org/event/business-leaders-forum-5-2/
LOCATION:ETC Venues\, Monument\, 8 Eastcheap\, London EC3M 1AE
CATEGORIES:Business Leaders Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
ORGANIZER;CN="BIFA Events Team":MAILTO:bifaevents@bifa.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T093000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T140000
DTSTAMP:20250708T133146Z
CREATED:20250708T133146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250708T133146Z
UID:21214-1759311000-1759327200@dev.bifa.org
SUMMARY:Business Leaders Forum
DESCRIPTION: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. \nWednesday 1st October will see the fifth event in the series taking place in central London and members are now invited to register to attend. \nBIFA 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.” \nProvisional agenda: \n\n\n\n09:20\nRegistration & refreshments\n\n\n\n09:45\nWelcome\nSteve Parker\, BIFA\n\n\n\nDescartes Global Survey\nJames Stafford\, Descartes\n\n\n\nNews from the Labour Party conference\nAllie Renison\, SEC Newgate\n\n\n\nManaging a return to the office\nEd Hussey\, Menzies LLP\n\n\n11:05\nREFRESHMENT BREAK\n\n\n\n11:25\nS&S GB: the view from the border\nIan Wilkins\, HMRC & Richard Steeples\, Border Force\n\n\n\nInsuring against the consequences of cyber-attack\nJames Bishop\, Macbeths\n\n\n\nHow AI Agents Are Transforming Freight Forwarding Efficiency & Profitability\nJames McElroy\, Axe AI\n\n\n\nBIFA update\nSteve Parker\, BIFA\n\n\n13:05\nLUNCH\n\n\n\n14:00\nEnd of event\n\n\n\n\n  \nConfirmed speakers: \n  \n\n\n\n\nThe Descartes Global Survey 2025: an analysis  \n  \nJames 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. \n \n\n\n\nNews from the Labour Party Conference \n  \nAllie 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. \nDuring this session\, we will gain key industry-related insights from the Labour Party Conference\, which takes place shortly before our event. \n \n\n\n\nManaging a Return to the Office \n  \nMany companies are rethinking traditional workplace expectations\, whilst some are questioning whether their employees should fully return to office-based working. \nDuring 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. \n \n\n\n\n  \nUK-Ukraine: Opportunities for collaboration \nNatalia 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. \n \n\n\n \n\n  \nS&S GB: the view from the border \n  \nFollowing 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. \n  \n \n\n\n\nInsuring against the consequences of cyber-attack \n  \nJames 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. \n \n\n\n\nHow AI Agents Are Transforming Freight Forwarding Efficiency & Profitability \n  \nJames 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. \n \n\n\n\nSecure your space by registering HERE. \n  \nBIFA Business Leaders Forum Oct 2025
URL:https://dev.bifa.org/event/business-leaders-forum-5/
LOCATION:ETC Venues\, Monument\, 8 Eastcheap\, London EC3M 1AE
CATEGORIES:Business Leaders Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
ORGANIZER;CN="BIFA Events Team":MAILTO:bifaevents@bifa.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241010T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241010T140000
DTSTAMP:20240705T095146Z
CREATED:20240705T095146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240705T095146Z
UID:24627-1728554400-1728568800@dev.bifa.org
SUMMARY:Business Leaders Forum
DESCRIPTION:The next Business Leaders Forum will take place on the 10th October at etc venues\, Monument in central London. \nAGENDA \n10:00-10:30    Arrival refreshments & networking \n10:30-11:40     Speakers sessions (see below) \n11:40-11:55      Break \n11:55-13:15      Speaker sessions (see below) \n13:15-14:00     Lunch\, networking & departure \nSession 1- Maritime MATTERS! \nIn our opening session we dive into the various issues affecting the global maritime shipping industry. During an open discussion the background to the issues will be examined alongside the actions being taken by shipping lines to mitigate disruption. Finally\, we will look at the protections offered by the BIFA STC to the forwarder in these instances. \nSession 2 – The EU Entry / Exit System – Channel port readiness \nThe EU EES will affect ALL individuals travelling into and out of the EU from the UK\, regardless of whether they are travelling for business or pleasure. Speakers from the Port of Dover and Getlink / Eurotunnel will explain the new border processes and what you can do now to avoid delays. \nSession 3 – Revolutionising Trade Compliance with AI \nIn this session\, founder of icustoms\, Adnan Zaheer\, will show how forwarders can streamline complex processes and unlock significant time and cost savings through the power of AI. We will also hear from specialist maritime solicitor Bruce Hailey of Salvus Law who will examine the legal implications and impact on the BIFA STC. \nSession 4 – Inspiring the next generation \nPhil Roe of Generation Logistics joins us to showcase the initiatives taking place across the industry to inspire the next generation of talent. \nSession 5 – BIFA + ITN \nSteve Parker\, BIFA director general\, will round off this Business Leaders Forum with some important updates on your membership benefits for 2025 and exciting news on the ITN Digital “Transforming Logistics: Precision & Purpose” programme. \nRegistration for this event is now closed. \n  \n 
URL:https://dev.bifa.org/event/business-leaders-forum-4-2-2/
LOCATION:ETC Venues\, Monument\, 8 Eastcheap\, London EC3M 1AE
CATEGORIES:Business Leaders Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
ORGANIZER;CN="BIFA Events Team":MAILTO:bifaevents@bifa.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241010T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241010T140000
DTSTAMP:20240705T095146Z
CREATED:20240705T095146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240705T095146Z
UID:17839-1728554400-1728568800@dev.bifa.org
SUMMARY:Business Leaders Forum
DESCRIPTION:The next Business Leaders Forum will take place on the 10th October at etc venues\, Monument in central London. \nAGENDA \n10:00-10:30    Arrival refreshments & networking \n10:30-11:40     Speakers sessions (see below) \n11:40-11:55      Break \n11:55-13:15      Speaker sessions (see below) \n13:15-14:00     Lunch\, networking & departure \nSession 1- Maritime MATTERS! \nIn our opening session we dive into the various issues affecting the global maritime shipping industry. During an open discussion the background to the issues will be examined alongside the actions being taken by shipping lines to mitigate disruption. Finally\, we will look at the protections offered by the BIFA STC to the forwarder in these instances. \nSession 2 – The EU Entry / Exit System – Channel port readiness \nThe EU EES will affect ALL individuals travelling into and out of the EU from the UK\, regardless of whether they are travelling for business or pleasure. Speakers from the Port of Dover and Getlink / Eurotunnel will explain the new border processes and what you can do now to avoid delays. \nSession 3 – Revolutionising Trade Compliance with AI \nIn this session\, founder of icustoms\, Adnan Zaheer\, will show how forwarders can streamline complex processes and unlock significant time and cost savings through the power of AI. We will also hear from specialist maritime solicitor Bruce Hailey of Salvus Law who will examine the legal implications and impact on the BIFA STC. \nSession 4 – Inspiring the next generation \nPhil Roe of Generation Logistics joins us to showcase the initiatives taking place across the industry to inspire the next generation of talent. \nSession 5 – BIFA + ITN \nSteve Parker\, BIFA director general\, will round off this Business Leaders Forum with some important updates on your membership benefits for 2025 and exciting news on the ITN Digital “Transforming Logistics: Precision & Purpose” programme. \nRegistration for this event is now closed. \n  \n 
URL:https://dev.bifa.org/event/business-leaders-forum-4-2/
LOCATION:ETC Venues\, Monument\, 8 Eastcheap\, London EC3M 1AE
CATEGORIES:Business Leaders Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
ORGANIZER;CN="BIFA Events Team":MAILTO:bifaevents@bifa.org
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR