Former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon will join former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, and Editor-at-large of Wired UK, David Rowan on stage at the TFWA World Exhibition’s Opening Conference on 2 October in Cannes.

 

As is customary, the conference will be opened by TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen, who will deliver his annual State of the Industry address, followed by a presentation from former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.

 

Ban Ki-moon was the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, serving two consecutive terms from 2007 to 2016.

 

He is acutely aware of East Asia’s importance to world stability and of the obstacles on the road to lasting peace and prosperity.

 

NEED FOR CALM LEADERSHIP

He will be addressing the new global landscape at a time where the need for a calm leadership has never been greater.

 

As the duty free and travel retail industry celebrates its 70th anniversary, the conference will welcome a speaker from ‘the birthplace’ of the industry. Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland, is one of the country’s most respected public figures.

 

Also serving as UN High Commissioner for human rights from 1997 to 2002, Robinson has been credited with transforming the Irish presidency and playing a vital role in building peace in Ireland.

 

Since her presidency, Robinson has worked endlessly to promote human rights and end poverty worldwide, earning her numerous honours and awards including the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

 

70 YEARS AND COUNTING…

David Rowan at the helm of award-winning technology and trends magazine Wired UK, is also a particularly appropriate speaker this year, as TFWA launches the exhibition’s ‘Digital Village’.

 

Rowan is an acknowledged expert on the powerful influence of technology on businesses and everyday life after serving as Editor-in-chief for just under eight years following the launch of Wired UK.

 

Rowan will be looking at the duty free and travel retail industry from the viewpoint of a tech start-up and analysing how advances in technology will transform traveller behaviour.

 

“This year’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference speakers are especially well placed to explain the forces that will shape our industry and landscape in the future,” said TFWA president Erik Juul-Mortensen.

 

“In the year of our 70th anniversary, it is more important than ever that we celebrate our history, but also equip ourselves for the challenges of the years and decades to come.”

 

The conference will once again be moderated by Stephen Sackur, journalist and presenter of current affairs programme HARDTalk on BBC World.

 

The exhibition will run from 1-6 October 2017. More information, including full details of pre-registration, which is now open, can be found at www.tfwa.com.