With June 2025 just around the corner, CargoForwarder Global (CFG) asked TIACA’s Director General, Glyn Hughes (GH) a few questions about the TIACA Executive Summit 2025. This time, the three-day event will be hosted in Hong Kong, from 24-26JUN25. Among the highlights will be the release of an industry white paper on e-commerce. What else can attendees expect?
CFG: So, first off, Glyn: Why was Hong Kong chosen for this year’s TIACA Executive Summit?
GH: The TIACA Board has defined a clear process when it comes to selection of event locations, ensuring we operate in a transparent fashion. With TIACA holding ACF’s in the Americas and another in the Middle East, the Board guided us to look at Asia this year, and next year look at Europe and Africa as locations for the executive summit. We then reached out to many potential locations in Asia and invited key stakeholders to express interest in holding our event in their location. From the submissions received the events subgroup guided the Board on a preferred location. Hong Kong is right at the center of the growth of e-commerce and is a critical global air cargo hub with more cargo tonnage moving through the airport than any other.
CFG: How many attendees are expected and will IATA, FIATA, ICAO and the like be there?
GH: We are aiming for 300-350 attendees drawn from across the supply chain and across the globe. Initial registrations look like we are hitting that desired blend. We have invited representatives of many global, regional and local associations to ensure we provide an opportunity for their voices to be heard also.
CFG: What is the purpose and value of attending?
GH: The Executive Summit is primarily focused on action-based discussions. We want to raise the critical issues, such as trade challenges, balancing capacity and demand, e-commerce opportunities and obstacles, airport infrastructure and other critical issues. We are bringing industry leaders to engage, debate and challenge. We will then take the key outcomes and feed them into our Board discussions to identify how TIACA can support the industry, whether that is through advocacy, programs or solutions. This is how the BlueSky program and our other sustainability solutions were born, and another example was the call last year for an industry analysis of e-commerce obstacles and opportunities. We have been working on that through a dedicated Task Force and the output, in the form of a White Paper, will be presented in Hong Kong.
CFG: What can attendees expect from the Cathay Cargo Terminal tour? What will be the highlights? How many have been invited to it?
GH: We are very fortunate that this executive summit has two tours on offer. On the day prior to the conference, Cathay Cargo has kindly offered to host a by-invitation tour of its facilities, and the day after the event, HACTL has also kindly offered to host another tour of its facilities. I think both will be an eye-opening and inspirational insight into how such large volumes of cargo are processed via the use of the latest technology, automated systems and focus on quality. Each has specialized facilities aligned with the most sophisticated shipper demands and will serve as a great illustration as to how things should be done as they are being done.
CFG: Cathay Cargo Terminal presented an inspiring waste management project at the World Cargo Symposium in Dubai this year, whereby single-use plastics are recycled so that single-use plastic going out of HKG is now 50% generated from incoming material. Will attendees be shown this and other Sustainable BDPs, and will there be a focus on adoption at other companies across the world?
GH: Indeed, all parties operating cargo facilities in Hong Kong are very much focused on innovative and inspirational sustainability solutions. Last year’s TIACA’s Corporate Sustainability Award winner was AAT with their autonomous vehicle solution. HACTL have also showcased their amazing recycling programs and, together with Cathay Cargo Terminal solutions, demonstrate that collectively these organizations are inspiring each other to do better. We will have a session dedicated to sustainability to showcase best practices and create a wider discussion about what more can we do?
CFG: There are a few blank spots on the agenda – what topics are expected to fill them?
GH: I think all sessions have now been allocated, as we like to ensure the program is relevant to the key issues of the day. We have therefore added a session looking at safety in the supply chain.
CFG: It’s good to see a couple of experts presenting on international trade and tariffs. Do you expect the tariffs to affect travel/attendance/sponsorship in any way?
GH: It’s always difficult to predict how global situations impact different organizations but we remain hopeful that those key speakers will still be available and that all those who would like to attend are able to attend. We also make pricing attractive compared to some other events, to make TIACA’s events accessible, and of course we continue to offer the ‘bring an under-30 free for all paid attendees’ as young professionals can really accelerate their network development by attending these events.
CFG: e-commerce plays a prominent role on the agenda – what will be the main messages/topics of discussion in this regard?
GH: This is one of the sessions I am looking forward to most and rather than my surmising what may be covered, I think it’s a case of let’s see what the experts have in store for us. Last year during one of our events, there was a call for an industry analysis of e-commerce obstacles and opportunities. As mentioned already, we will be releasing and presenting our e-commerce white paper in Hong Kong, which has been under development by an amazing task force drawn from across the supply chain over the last 6 months.
CFG: How has the interest in this year’s Sustainability Awards been? What truly outstanding/eye-opening projects have there been? When can people expect to hear about the shortlist?
GH: I am always very impressed with every entry we receive in both the corporate and small business/start up categories. The independent jury will be evaluating over 20 different entries this year and we hope the short list will be announced within the coming week or so.
CFG: What makes this year’s summit different to previous ones?
GH: The industry is different because the world is different, as a consequence we are all different so the event must reflect that in its program, its speakers and its outcomes. Some topics may be similar, but the discussions will be very different. There will be many great speakers… all are key and all have unique perspectives. This Executive Summit promises to be engaging, stimulating, fun and instrumental in helping to establish what the key industry issues are and how we can collectively address them. We invite everyone to join us and help shape the future.
CFG: How will you know if the Executive Summit was a success?
GH: We know there are many industry events on the annual calendar, and we really appreciate that they choose to attend our event, and we hope they will look back afterwards and say I learnt something new, I shared my success, I met new colleagues, I forged new business relationships, my voice was heard, and I enjoyed my time. This, for us, is success.
