World Trade Symposium 2021

The new world order: Global outlook and trade trends

Will 2021 be as bumpy as the previous year? In this opening session, we hear from The Economist Intelligence Unit about the outlook for world trade and the global economy for 2021 and beyond.

A new president in America, a new head of the WTO, post-Brexit opportunities and challenges for Britain, covid-19 vaccines on the horizon, China’s growing influence on the world stage and unrelenting technological innovation to help boost resilience and tackle systemic trade challenges. What will it mean for your business, and what new opportunities await?

Throughout this year’s World Trade Symposium, we feature visionaries, creative thinkers and start-up founders who are questioning accepted approaches, and remaking trade in the process. This first of these sessions will feature an in-depth case study to give attendees a new way to think about the concept of ‘agility’ in business.

Nigeria fell victim to incredible hardship as a consequence of covid-19. How did the government use monetary and fiscal tools to mitigate the fallout?

The disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic induced different kinds of responses from businesses. While some thrived, some survived and some suffered, the disruption has triggered a response in all sectors and segments.What have corporate leaders and policymakers learned from 2020? How have they adapted to unforeseen and evolving risks, and what strategies did they put in place in response? This session will give viewers a look into the minds of corporate leaders who implemented practical, achievable solutions to manage unprecedented problems. Their takeaways will help attendees cultivate and refine their own approaches.

Splintered Global Trade – How can business thrive? (By invitation only)

Digital Trade – The New frontier (By invitation only)

Supply-chain disruptions happen, but rarely are as calamitous as those seen during covid-19. The pandemic debilitated critical industries and resulted in widespread shortages in protective equipment, food, medicine and other necessary goods. Yet, a herculean effort by some governments and firms helped avoid catastrophe.In this session, we hear from the companies that experienced breakdowns in their global supply chains and managed to quickly adapt. How did they adjust manufacturing and distribution approaches, work with governments, and keep workers safe and healthy throughout? Speakers will outline which approaches worked best, which technologies have been most effective and what further steps are needed to strengthen supply-chain resilience. Viewers can use these insights as a basis to make their supply chains more robust.

The second ‘future-focused’ session places the spotlight on an innovative business which is rethinking how to build a cost-effective, high-performing supply chain.

What’s next for digital trade?

Digital trade has many purported benefits, but must be implemented strategically to maximise investment. What new technologies and networks are emerging to make supply chains more robust? How are business leaders tackling cyber security and data-privacy concerns? How can digital trade standards and data governance be made an industry-wide priority to foster greater tech integration? In this session, attendees will learn about how to structure their digital trade and technology strategy according to their industries, geographies and budgets.

The benefits of globalisation have not been shared equally among all groups and its rise has coincided with widening of income gaps around the world. Companies have faced increasing pressure from consumers and governments to make trade more inclusive, ensuring that communities are beneficiaries of the businesses which rely on them.This session will bring together two viewpoints: one that considers which aspects of globalisation must be retained while the other examines how to incorporate socially responsible trade principles into a redesign of global trade.

Covid-19 has wrought havoc for world trade and the global economy. But out of the ruins, a better trade ecosystem could be within reach – one which is much more sustainable and inclusive, and which shares its benefits equitably. Can businesses, governments and other key stakeholders seize the opportunity?

This session will feature a dynamic leader outlining how they designed a business that sacrifices neither profits nor its social conscience in pursuit of success.

This session will feature a dynamic leader outlining how they designed a business that sacrifices neither profits nor its social conscience in pursuit of success.

Doing business responsibly and minimising negative effects on the environment are no longer a matter of choice for most companies. But transitioning away from conventional approaches towards greener ones is rarely seen as cost-effective or easy.In this series of interviews, we invite renowned chief executives and climate visionaries to share their vision for a more eco-friendly trade ecosystem. Attendees will learn about the process of implementing a eco-friendly trade strategy, and the factors that underpin its success.

Globalisation was marketed extremely well in the 1990s and 2000s. Today, the focus is shifting towards a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable trade framework.In this session, we invite a world leader to outline trade priorities and ambitions in the post-covid 19 era. Can the ambition become reality, and how will that affect economies, industries, societies and individuals?

The case for sustainable trade (By Invitation only)