Key players to attend LIWF 2012 Conference on global future trends.

London will play host to some of the world’s key influencers at the annual LIWF Conference on Monday, 21st May at ExCeL. With an over-arching theme of global future trends, the summit will focus on how today’s issues can impact wine businesses and influence future direction. Featuring an international panel of speakers drawn from wine and finance, the conference will tackle key issues facing the trade in today’s uncertain economic climate.

Senior investment columnist at The Financial Times and editor of The Long View, John Authers, will open the conference by painting a picture of life without the Euro. This will be followed by Jancis Robinson OBE MW presenting global insights into future trends in wine, and Paul Mackenzie, CEO of The Source will expose consumer trends and buying habits. The late morning session will take innovation as its theme and include insight from Paul Schaafsma, General Manager UK & Europe of Australian Vintage. Schaafsma will illustrate how he manages the fastest growing wine brand in the UK, whilst increasing price by 9%. Independent retailing then comes under the spotlight, with a panel discussion focusing on trends in this tremendously vibrant sector.

The afternoon will feature a theme of emerging markets, and will open with an exploration of these markets and their potential by Euromonitor. Joshua Green, editor of US publication, Wine and Spirits and Jennifer Brown of PCLB Luxury Brands will participate on a panel looking at key trends in the US market. The final discussion will be led by Marcelo Copello, publisher of BACO magazine will focus on Brazil, outlining why it has become such a dynamic emerging economy and what the potential opportunities are.

The Conference will take place at ExCeL (ExCeL London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1XL) on Monday 21st May from 10am – 4.30pm.
Conference details

Around 15,000 visitors from the UK and around the world use the London Wine Fair as a buying platform, to see what new wines are available and to research industry trends. It’s perfect for everyone for whom wine and spirits are important:
Importers, Sommeliers, Wholesalers, Wine Merchants, Pub/Bar Managers, Restaurateurs, Mixologists, Caterers, Producers

Here are a few more ideas of what the LIWF can do for you:

* Discovery – 20,000 wines and spirits to explore and taste
* Experience – meet the actual winemaker of wines that you serve, or want to serve in the future. Brilliant first-hand knowledge.
* Network – some of the world’s leading sommeliers and restaurateurs are doing business at the Fair, who will you bump into?
* Training – why not organise a trip for your new staff? Improve their confidence, tasting technique and wine and spirits knowledge.

For independent retailers, sommeliers, and those looking to source boutique and niche wines, head to our new zone within the Fair, the Small Independents Pavilion (SIP).
SIP champions small producers and importers who specialise in selecting wines that you wont find on the supermarket shelves.

Brintex, the organisers of the LIWF, believes that the UK industry is more than worthy of hosting a world-class wine trade event such as the London International Wine Fair. The UK remains an extremely important trading nation to many of the world’s producers and as a country without any bias towards wine provenance, its unique position will always lend itself to staging an exciting trade event designed to stimulate business and growth.

The important thing is that you make sure that you make time to be there. Plan your day in advance and you’ll be amazed how much you can profit from time spent at the LIWF.

See you there!
L.