A strong international contingent is heading to the 2016 Ausdrinks Regional Beverages Summit, the non-alcoholic beverage industry conference and exhibition, which takes place in Sydney next month.
Around 150 attendees are expected - thirty per cent more than the previous Ausdrinks event in 2014 - and a higher proportion of delegates will be coming from overseas, in keeping with the theme of the conference: Global Challenges - Regional Opportunities.
The 2016 Summit is being co-hosted with the Washington DC-based International Council of Beverages Association (ICBA) for the first time and will bring together senior representatives from the global beverages industry.
International delegates from the US, Canada, Latin America, the UK, Austria, Belgium, Japan, Indonesia, and India, will be in attendance, according to its organiser, the Australian Beverages Council.
Moreover, senior international executives from the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo will be presenting at Ausdrinks, and will also be participating in panel sessions.
Leadership expert, global business consultant, and founder and CEO of About my Brain Institute, Silvia Damiano, will deliver the keynote Leading with an Innovative Mind.
The CEO of the American Beverage Association, Susan Neely, and Sigrid Ligne, UNESDA secretary general, will be among the participants of a Beverage Association Leadership Round Table on Asia Pacific to explore the opportunities and challenges of moving into emerging markets.
“The theme recognises that as an industry we've got very similar challenges around the globe, around innovation in packaging, in sweetener options, in defending against taxes, in sales restrictions, in marketing bans, and in the role of sugar in our diets,” Australian Beverages Council CEO Geoff Parker said.
“Our region is also unique - we've got a lot of the world's population sitting right on our doorstep, so for Australia, the Asia Pacific region presents massive opportunities for manufacturers, and these will be highlighted at the event.
“We think all the presentations are fantastic, but a couple of concurrent sessions on Day One are very innovative and really push the boundaries around digital transformation, and about how companies can change how they do business with the customer, not just each other,” Parker said.
Another Ausdrinks highlight will be the networking events, according Parker. “We know from past events that delegates want two things, they want knowledge and networking, so we've crated a program which provides ample networking opportunities.
“The location at Doltone House in and around beautiful Darling Harbour is conducive to this. Most of the networking events will take place in and around the trade exhibition area, to provide an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase what they are able to offer manufacturers in Australia and around the region.”
