2023 Summit Conference Sessions
The program of the 2023 Summit of the Americas provides valuable education about the important issues facing the duty free and travel retail industry. Below you will find information about the 2023 conference sessions.
Monday, April 17, 2023
8:00 am – 9:00 am
IAADFS Welcoming Comments
Rene Riedi, IAADFS Chair
Keynote Address
Scott Miller, Senior Advisor on Thought Leadership, FranklinCovey
Join us to hear renowned speaker and best-selling author Scott Miller. Scott is a senior advisor on thought leadership and strategy for Franklin Covey, the world's most trusted leadership company. Scott has presented to hundreds of audiences across numerous industries and shares his views as an unfiltered leader in today's highly filtered corporate culture. He has led C-Suite conversations with some of the world's leading executives and has one of the largest and fastest-growing leadership podcasts. His practical and engaging session will promise to stimulate and inspire you to think and act differently, which is critical in today's rapidly evolving business world. Perhaps no industry has experienced those challenges more than the duty free and travel retail business as we emerge from the COVID era.
We express our sincere appreciation to IAADFS Board Member and Stellar Partners President and CEO Padraig Drennan for his company's sponsorship of the keynote address.
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Airports – Critical Partners for the Duty Free and Travel Retail
Kevin Burke, President, Airports Council International – North America
Rafael Echevarne, Director General, Airports Council International – Latin America and the Caribbean
Airports are the essential component of a vibrant, profitable and user-friendly travel retail business sector. Hear from two of the region's most influential leaders sharing their insights on the powerful dynamics and ever-changing developments facing airports across North America, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Learn how infrastructure demands, labor challenges, security requirements, ensuring adequate dwell time for shoppers, and regulatory hurdles are being addressed to help advance our business. The discussion will be moderated by Rene Riedi, IAADFS Chairman.
Thank you to our partners ACI-NA and ACI-LAC for providing their expertise and support.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Regional Recovery, Global Context
Tania Lee, Vice President of Sales, Blue Water Bridge Duty Free, and President, Frontier Duty Free Association
Barbara Barrett, Executive Director, Frontier Duty Free Association
Cyril Letocart, CEO, Lagardere Travel Retail Peru
John Hume, Senior Advisor, Penta Group
John Rimmer, Managing Director, Tax Free World Association
This session will focus on the regional challenges and opportunities facing the Americas duty free and travel retail industry and global issues that impact the region, including important advocacy issues. A panel of your colleagues with expertise in these important issues will enlighten and educate us from their perspectives. John Rimmer, Managing Director, TFWA will moderate the session.
IAADFS appreciates the partnership that TFWA brings to the Summit through their participation and support.
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Building a Resilient, Sustainable Future
Matthew Greenbaum, Director, International Shoppes
Erasmo Orillac, CEO, Motta Internacional, SA
Jim DeCock, J DeCock Consulting
Andrew Weddig, Executive Director, Airport Restaurant & Retail Association
Moderator: Dermot Davitt, President, The Moodie Davitt Report
The international aviation ecosystem has recovered rapidly over the past year, but in some key respects business is not back to normal. The pandemic and its consequences have forced many short- and long-term changes; how we manage these carefully and collaboratively will determine the shape of our sector's future. In this session, co-organised by the Airport Restaurant & Retail Association and The Moodie Davitt Report, we explore ways to evolve the airport concessionaire business framework to support a sustainable, resilient and equitable future for our industry.
Thank you to ARRA and The Moodie Davitt Report for organizing another informative program following on last year's very successful content session.