“Logistics | a Catalyst to Investments” 2nd International Logistics Forum
Logistics create a competitive advantage in the Internet of Things Era.
Athens, 07 October 2016
The 2nd International Logistics Forum “Logistics | a Catalyst to Investments”, organized by the Hellenic Institute for Logistics Management in collaboration with the Geo Routes Cultural Institute and held under the auspices of the European Logistics Association (ELA) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Athens, was successfully concluded on October 3rd 2016, at the Cotsen Hall of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
The 200 participants, all of them high-ranking institutions’ representatives and business executives, had the opportunity to listen to established speakers from Greece and abroad, who documented the crucial relevance of Logistics in the rapidly changing environment of the fourth industrial revolution “Industry 4.0” and their contribution to the new global trade and industry map.
Nowadays, when the digitization of the economy expands at full speed, the supply chain encounters some serious challenges. Therefore, in their effort to increase their market share, enterprises adopt new rules, making use of OMNI-channel distribution networks, which involve contemporary information technology tools and ensure access to consumers worldwide.
The digitization of the economy creates new trends in consumption, in production, in distribution and in trade as a whole and, as a result, the enterprises aspiring to play a leading role in the market elaborate carefully their strategy on transport and storage infrastructures, creating new chances for logisticians.
The 3 thematic sessions of the conference addressed issues related to the digitization’s impact on Logistics and on transport and storage infrastructures; the development of a competitive advantage through innovation; synergies to facilitate investment aid.
The closure of the 2nd International Logistics Forum was sealed with two special events: the Supply Chain and Services Director at Dixons South East Europe (Kotsovolos), Mr. Mihalis Ziglis, received the “Alexander the Great 2016” Award and ELA Certifications were awarded for the first time in Greece.
In his opening speech, the President of HILME and Board member of ELA, Mr Spyros Olympios, referred to the vision and the goals of the conference, which consist namely in highlighting best practices, promoting development tools that enhance logisticians’ role, as well as showcasing the latter’s role in investment attraction.
The working sessions of the conference were co-ordinated by Mr. Giannis Balakakis, President of the Geo Routes Cultural Institute, which maintains institutional relations with HILME, and Ms Siwarde J. Sap, Senior Advisor for Economic Affairs at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Athens.
The 2nd International Logistics Forum was concluded with a Networking Cocktail Reception and was considered such a success by its attendees, that it can rank hereinafter among the most prominent conferences on Logistics and Digital Economy taking place in Greece.
The 3rd International Logistics Forum is due to take place on 27 September 2017; HILME, ELA and the Geo Routes Cultural Institute are all committed to delivering a very promising event on Logistics and the Supply Chain and, at the same time, HILME has undertaken the organization of Eurolog 2019.
The Head of Directorate of Transport Strategic Planning – Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, Mr Miltiadis Provatas, presented the regional infrastructure development for commercial transportation needs in Greece, emphasizing the key points of commercial transportation-related policy in the years to come. The vision for the Greek plan on Logistics is based on two pillars: on one hand Greece’s position as a competitive gate in SE Europe and, on the other hand, the modernization and increase in the domestic logistics product as a vehicle to boost the national economy’s development.
The session “Logistics in Digital” was embellished by the speeches of Mr. Pantelis Panos, General Manager at American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Mr Xenophon Liapakis, CIO Interamerican Group and Mr. Chris Tsagkos, President of Nubis S.A.
At the core of the 2nd thematic session “Logistics in Infrastructures” lay the infrastructures and their critical role in a globalized trade environment, as addressed by Mr Max Philips, ProPail account Μanager for the port of Rotterdam, Mr Stavros Evangelakakis, Head of global Healthcare at Cargolux Airlines and Mr Stelios Kapetanakis, Business Development Manager at Transcombi Express S.A.
The 3rd thematic session “Logs in Innovation” shed light on new trends and best practices in the supply chain with the use of information technologies and, more specifically, in the last mile; the floor was given to Mr. Andreas Athanassopoulos, Vice-President of Dixons South-East Europe, Mr. Panos Tsakos, CMO of Viva Wallet and Ms. Christina Birliraki, Director of Orange Grove, who presented her company’s exceptional start-up business mentoring programme.
The conference was held with the kind support of: Athens International Airport, Sarmed, Transcombi Express, McCain, Geolystics, Trucksvision, ProjectYou, Beyond the Best, Eventora, Naftemporiki and Gnomon Performance S.A.