British household name and well-known businessman Gerald Ratner has been invited at the IAAF’s Annual Conference in December, sponsored by Impression Communication, as keynote speaker. The automotive aftermarket marketplace in 2019 and beyond will be the underlying theme of IAAF’s agenda, as the federation aims to produce another lively debate for its conference guests.
Gerald Ratner is known for one of the business world’s biggest falls from grace, following his unfortunate turn of phrase describing products sold by his company, H. Samuel, during a speech at the Institute of Directors in 1991. He will be sharing his experiences with the audience, including what happened in the immediate aftermath, the fallout and the comeback, as written about in his book, ‘The Rise And Fall And Rise Again’.
Held on the 6th of December at DoubleTree by Hilton, Milton Keynes, the Conference will have an array of influential key speakers from across the industry taking centre stage to discuss important issues involving ‘tomorrow’s’ aftermarket and future technology.
The day’s discussions will examine technologies including data access, connected and autonomous vehicles, as well as other advanced concepts such as 5G connectivity, car-sharing and e-hailing. Insight on other market trends in today’s world will also be thrown into the mix, including the issue of counterfeit and fraudulent products, as well as the evolving role of shows and exhibitions.
“This year’s Conference is set to encapsulate the breakneck pace of technological change that has accelerated rapidly over the last few years, and will serve as a reminder to our guests that the future we’ve been urged to prepare for is now here, so we must be ready for it,” said Wendy Williamson, IAAF Chief Executive.
“As always, we cannot wait to welcome our guests and hear them share their industry expertise and insight. We’re delighted that Gerald Ratner will be our new keynote speaker to replace Dan Dalton, whom we are sorry can’t join us this year. No doubt hearing how Gerald ultimately triumphed in the face of challenge, which draws parallels with the aftermarket’s own story, will go down a storm at the Conference,” Wendy concluded.
