What to expect at this month’s Leaders in Logistics Summit in London

Postal operators, carriers, 3PLs, retailers and start-ups will all convene in London at the end this month to take part in the Leaders in Logistics Summit, which will examine what the future holds for the parcel delivery and e-commerce logistics sector.

The event, which is being held on March 28-29, will bring together more than 450 attendees and 80+ speakers from around 40 countries in North, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia to identify future trends, share best practice and forge game-changing partnerships.

According to the event organiser, MarketforceLive, around 60% of the executives attending the event hold C-Level, Director or Head positions at their respective organisations.

CEP-Research is once again a media partner for the Leaders in Logistics Summit and will be reporting from the event at the Business Design Centre later this month.

The key topics for this year’s event cover international strategy, transforming the last mile, sustainability, e-commerce fulfilment and technology and innovation. Discussing these topics will be speakers from some of the logistics sector’s leading firms, including Geopost, Amazon, Pos Malaysia, Cainiao, Maersk, PostNL, La Poste France, An Post, Omniva, DHL, Aramex, International Post Corporation, Ukrposhta, Poste Italiane, Royal Mail, plus many more. 

Headline speakers

The conference will include 80 speakers across three specialised stages covering the most relevant developments in the e-commerce and logistics sectors. Outside of the conference, the exhibition hall will give visitors the chance to see the latest innovations and technologies to hit the market. There will also be plenty of networking opportunities, both in person via exclusive roundtable discussions and during networking breaks, and via a dedicated networking app.

Conference sessions on day one of the event (March 28) include presentations from Neil Shelton, Chief Strategy Officer at GXO Logistics on “Making e-commerce logistics better: creating a superb and sustainable fulfilment experience,” and from Andre Pharand, Global Managing Director of Postal & Parcel Industry at Accenture on “Future trends in postal and parcel delivery.”

A Leaders’ Forum, featuring Charles Brewer, Group Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Post and Thiemo van Spellen, Group Global Accounts Managing Director, Geopost, will also discuss how logistics in the post-COVID world need to be digital, sustainable and efficient.

Other sessions on day one include Sven Richard Magerøy Tønnessen, Head of Emerging Technology at Posten Norge discussing innovation; Thierry Golliard, Director of Open Innovation and Venturing at Swiss Post looking at corporate venturing; and Mike Richmond, Chief Commercial Officer at Doddle exploring consumer behaviour in delivery.

Day one will also host Julia Pavlenko, Director of International Operations at Ukrposhta, who will discuss navigating the challenges of parcel and postal delivery during times of war.

Other topics to be discussed during the first day of the event include seamless supply chains, international perspectives, last mile flexibility, customer convenience, micro fulfilment, cross border, warehouse robotics, retailer requirements, and transforming the workforce.

Day two sessions

Meanwhile, on day two (March 29), sustainability takes centre stage, with presentations from Olly Craughan, Head of Sustainability at DPD UK, on “Creating a better world for people, planet and communities,” and from Marina Lussich, Principal Program Manager, Sustainability at Amazon Transportation Services Europe on “Developing new sustainable transportation methods: strategies for success.”

Other sustainable topics to be discussed include accelerating the sustainability transition, the role of cargo bikes and micro-mobility in city logistics, and future fleets. Elsewhere on day two, speakers will cover technology transformation, data analytics, quick commerce, e-commerce marketplaces, and future challenges.

Start-up and after party events

Prior to two packed days of conference talks and technology showcases in the exhibition hall, attendees will also have the opportunity to attend a pre-event start-up and networking evening on March 27 at The Skinny Kitchen. During this event, visitors can network and enjoy refreshments while hearing pitches from some of the most innovative logistics firms around, including bodo, UNIPaaS, Magway, Yolodoor, Medical Logistics and DirectTrainSystems.

Each start-up will pitch for five minutes followed by another five minutes of questioning from a select panel of venture and logistics experts. At the end of the session the audience will vote to determine the winner of this year’s Leader in Logistics Start-up Award

After the conference on March 28, MarketforceLive will also hold its official after party at London’s Postal Museum. Attendees will head underground to Mail Rail, which reveals the story of the postal service’s subterranean world beneath the streets of London. The event, which is sponsored by delivery marketplace Ryde, will include live music and refreshments, and another opportunity for networking.