Global Forum 2012

Event website: https://www.etouches.com/GF2012

Start date: 20 May 2012

End date: 22 May 2012

Location: Chicago

NATO Summit  NATO Summit Press Release

As you may have heard, the NATO Summit is taking place in Chicago during the OPI Global Forum. The NATO meetings are not near to our hotel and we are not expecting any excessive inconvenience during our Forum. Most of the NATO meetings are at McCormick Place which is approximately 3 miles from where we will be.

However you should expect increased security at the airport and you might want to allow extra time for this on your journey in and out of Chicago. The hotel team is closely monitoring the situation and will be able to update you on any traffic issues. 

I have attached a local press release that itemises some of the traffic changes in more detail. 

In additon there will be a few closures during the NATO Summit of popular tourist destinations.  Please see too a few openings as well.

CLOSED: Art Institute from May 19-21

CLOSED: Shedd Aquarium from May 19-21

CLOSED: Field Museum from May 20-21

CLOSED: Adler Planetarium from May 19-21

CLOSED: Chicago Trolley Tours from May 19-21

OPEN: Chicago Line Cruises, Chicago’s First Lady, Wendella

OPEN: Museum of Science & Industry (Normal Hours)

_______________________________________________________________________________

About the OPI Global Forum

In May 2009 OPI launched the first CEO Forum for the business products industry. This was an international gathering for senior executive leaders and provided a rare opportunity to discuss the state of the office products industry and to examine together our universal challenges. This event was incredibly successful and the attendees derived great value from meeting with their peers and discussing openly the  challenges we all face.

The program was world class .The time and investement was well worth it. I was able  to network with many industry leaders that  proved to be extremly valuable.
Mike Gentile, President/CEO, is.group

OPI will host the third Global CEO Forum in May 2012 in Chicago and we plan to again bring together an exceptional audience and an outstanding programme. We hope this forum will provide you with the opportunity to discuss the unique challenges of the office products industry's with the people who understand the uniqueness of our sector and who recognise the importance of working together as an industry. 

Invitation-only
This is not a large conference but a small, invitation-only forum with invites sent strictly to CEO/Chairman-level executives at leading resellers, manufacturers and wholesalers of office products, including "non-traditional" retailers and vendors from the increasingly important EOS and consumer electronics categories.

Not just talking heads!
We will provide a number of speakers and moderators of an extremely high quality to stimulate thought and debate.

Networking
We understand that networking and free time is important, enabling you to spend quality time with fellow office products leaders from all over the world. There will be both structured groups to give you an opportunity to meet new people and discuss ideas as well as plenty of informal times for more private discussions. To ensure this can be accomplished in an appropriate environment, this will be a private meeting operating under Chatham House rules.

Guests
We have invited key leaders from all around the globe, including senior executives from leading office products companies in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, India, Latin America and Australasia. Invites have been rationed to those companies that are truly among the market leaders.

We are always keen to hear your feedback. If you have any comments then do let me know. If you would like to be considered for an invitation please email me.

Steve Hilleard  
CEO, OPI
Tel: + 44 20 7841 2940
Email: steve.hilleard@opi.net

I talked to some of the participants after the Global Forum and we all agreed that this was first of all a fantastic idea to get together in such a smaller group of excecutives. It was one the best events ever taken place with OPI. Apart from the concrete and open presentations and discussions which have given a lot of new insights and know how to me, it was very valuable to talk to old friends and to meet new friends and build up new relationships. I am looking forward to join your next event.
Arno Alberty, Executive Vice President, Pelikan Europe

Programme

The programme is aimed at CEOs in the office products market. The content will consist of industry experts and relevant contributions from outside the sector. With a professional moderator, Jeffrey Hayzlett, we will be aiming to bring a high level of interaction and debate.

This programme is based on our research with our intended audience and aims to reflect the critical issues faced by the industry and explore the trends that will shape its future. 

Moderator

Jeffrey Hayzlett will chair this exclusive event for C-level executives from the business supplies industry. A former Fortune 100 Executive, Hayzlett is a well-travelled public speaker, bestselling author and business celebrity, with appearances on programmes including Fox Business News, MSNBC's Your Business and Celebrity Apprentice. Drawing upon his extensive background in business, we are sure Hayzlett will be the perfect host to steer proceedings and lead interesting debate at this year's Global Forum event.

Sunday 20 May 

17.00     Registration  

19.00     Welcome recpetion

20.00     Welcome dinner

Monday 21 May

07.15    Breakfast buffet

08.20    Welcome

08.25    Opening remarks from the Chairman

08.45    KEYNOTE 1: Success by design

Design impacts our whole society, but for some reason the office products industry has been slower to respond to this influence. In this presentation, Bob Thacker will share insights on how the power of design has influenced other retailers and has the potential to revolutionise our industry as well.

Bob Thacker, Chief Cubist, Cubit Consulting & previously SVP, Marketing & Advertising, OfficeMax

09.30    KEYNOTE 2: A dozen surprises about the future of work

Taking a provocative approach Andy  Hines will suggest some potentially surprising     outcomes regarding the future of work. It builds upon existing trends and covers a wide spectrum of topics that will stretch the audience’s thinking on how work might be different in the future. The session will conclude with some strategic implications designed to encourage a lively Q&A.

Andy Hines, Hinesight

10.15    Morning break for refreshments and networking

10.45    ANALYSIS

Based on original research with key industry executives, this session will examine what the perceived challenges and opportunities are in the current market and in the next 5-10 years. 
Martin Wilde, Managing Director, Martin Wilde Associates

11.20    PANEL ‘PLUS’: Evolution of the channel
Featuring short presentations followed by an interactive debate.

• ‘There’s no such thing as the channel anymore.’
• Getting the balance right: How to reach the end-user without cannibalising or threatening existing relationships
• What are the main drivers for evolving the channel, apart from the web?
• Channel evolution vs. multi-channel operations
• Is it time we all started sharing data more proactively?  How can we do this in practice and what are the risks and pitfalls?
• What can we learn from the UK partnering of Advantia with office2office? 
• Update on OfficeTeam’s PALS scheme
• Anticipating consolidation – how might the industry look in 2014?  What can we learn from other industries?  

12.20    Exploring the MPS offering and how the industry needs to react
•    Who’s offering a real MPS solution? 
•    Devising an optimum growth strategy
•    Identifying acquisition candidates
•    Creating a compelling differentiator through focused marketing programmes
•    Selecting a partner to develop the MPS infrastructure
Edward Crowley, CEO & Founder, Photizo Group

13.05    Lunch

14.20    ROUNDTABLES: Informal expert-hosted discussion sessions with a maximum of 15 participants. 
 
1.    How changing values are reshaping the consumer landscape
Moderator: Andy Hines, Hinesight
2.    How social media can help generate a sustainable business advantageModerator: Jay Wilkinson, CEO, Firespring
3.    Optimising your website for mobile users and other ways to drive online traffic and profitability
Moderator: Tony Ellison, Founder & Chairman, Shoplet.com
4.    Exploiting opportunities in jan/san: Risks and pitfalls, entry strategies, plus environmental product development
Moderator: Shaun Chatterton, Managing Director, CPD
5.    Profiling (and understanding) the modern OP buyer: Who is SHE?  To what extent is purchasing automated/centralised/decided annually?  What role or influence does the typical office buyer have?  If we understood the buyer better, could we affect his/her purchasing decisions?
Moderator: Doug Ramsdale, OP Resource
6.    Imaging and MPS
Moderator: Greg Welchans, President, Supplies Network
7.    Online retail challenges and opportunities for resellers
Moderator: Perry James, President – Office Supplies & Non-Games Software, The NPD Group

15.20    Afternoon break for refreshments and networking

15.50    ROUNDTABLES:  Options as above

16.50    BIG INTERVIEW with Ravi Saligram, CEO, OfficeMax

17.30    Closing remarks from the Chairman

19.00    Group dinner
 


Tuesday 22 May

07.30     Breakfast buffet

08.40    Opening remarks from the Chairman

09.00    Driving brand value and awareness in an increasingly commoditised business
•    Why is branding important?  Why should you prioritise building brand value?
•    Social media marketing to support brand value and brand development
•    Some examples of strong OP brands – what do they do right?  How do they connect with the customer?

John E Fellowes II, President & General Manager, Business Machines, Fellowes

09.45    Becoming and 'employer of choice'
Building on the topics presented the previous day by Andy Hines on the future of work, Jay Wilkinson will share the steps he took with Firespring to build and sustain a 'destination workplace', and offer some practical and actionable ideas on how businesses can transfrom their company culture. 
Jay Wilkinson, CEO, Firespring

10.30    Morning break for refreshments and networking

11.00   Retail 2015: Key trends and drivers of change and what it means to the office products marketplace
How retail will change in the next 3-5 years:

 - key drivers of change for retail and overall spending and consumption
 - retail store saturation, concentration, intensifying competition
 - online impact on bricks and mortar retailers
 - channel and retailer segment shifts = winners and losers

How the office products market will fare:

- office specialist vs broadline vs online
- competition and market structure
- strategies and capabilities needed to compete and win in this environment
Tim O’Connor, VP Research, RetailNet Group  

11.45    PANEL ‘PLUS’:  How resellers can optimise the impact of online operations
Featuring short presentations on the importance of online to the reseller channel followed by an interactive debate
•    Shaping and ‘owning’ a really ambitious e-commerce strategy
•    Techniques to drive website traffic
•    Exploring the latest developments in mobile payment technology,
•    Improving online sales conversion rates and value-per-order

Simon Drakeford, Managing Director, Euroffice

 Michael Patriarca, President, Quill.com

Jennifer Schulman, President, Fortune Web Marketing

12.45    Closing remarks from the Chairman

13.00    Lunch

14.00    End of Global Forum 2012

Delegate Fees

Booking for first attendee at the OPI Global Forum.

• Bookings before 30 March 2012 are available at the early rate of $2995.
• Booking after the 30th March 2012 are charged at the full rate of $3300.

Booking for a second attendee at the OPI Global Forum
If you are sending a delegate for the full fee than you may be able to send a second, from the same company, for this reduced rate. Subject to the second delegate meeting the requirements for attendees. .

• Bookings before 30 March 2012 are available at the early rate of $1790.
• Booking after the 30th March 2012 are charged at the full rate of $1980.

Book Online
Book online here: https://www.etouches.com/gf2012

Reduced Fees
We have arrange 10 subsidised places to assist the attendance of certain delegate. This is a special rate for particualr companies for example small but innovative companies or delegates with unusual travel expenses. We review each request on its merits but please understand that as an unsponsored event the delegate fees for the Global Forum are expensive. The lack of sponsorship ensure a higher quality of debate and avoids sales pitches. Unfortunately we can not offer reduced rates to everyone and there are a limited number of places available at this rate. Please do not ask for a discounted rate if it is not applicable to you, or if you can afford the fees, and save the places for those that really need them. This will ensure a more diverse audience and a better experience for everyone.

We appreciate your understanding.

If you need any information in the meantime then please contact Janet Bell

Janet Bell, Director, OPI
janet.bell@opi.net
            + 44 20 7841 2941      

The CEO, or equivalent, from the following companies have attended a previous Global Forum :

Spaces are extremely limited so if you are planning to attend please book your place as soon as possible.