UPU World Leaders Forum 2024

Theme: Smart and collaborative solutions to enhance customer trust

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The postal sector is essential for global communication and commerce, yet it faces challenges such as digital transformation, evolving market expectations and the need for increased collaboration. The aim of this forum is to bring together postal operators and wider postal sector players to discuss strategies for creating a more inclusive, collaborative and efficient postal ecosystem against the backdrop of rapid technological changes. As a supporting foundation and fulfilling its role as the primary forum for international postal cooperation, the UPU will provide an opportunity for dialogue on effective collaboration in order to build bridges between postal operators and their potential transport, technology, e-commerce, logistics and other partners.


Programme

Day 1 – 22 October 2024

11.00–12.00   Special panel: "Empowering Women Leaders to Shape the Future of Post: Innovation,
                        Inclusion, and Trust"
 
In an era of rapid technological advancements, female leadership in the postal sector is essential to driving innovation and fostering inclusive, collaborative growth. This panel will spotlight prominent women leaders from global postal organizations, discussing how they are advancing gender equality and ensuring their organizations stay ahead in a digital-first world. The session will also align with key themes from the UPU World Leaders Forum, such as customer trust, AI, and cybersecurity, offering insights into how women are steering the future of post through visionary leadership.
 

• Moderator: Simona Bratusa, Advisor, International Mail, Posta Slovenije

• Ivana Vrviscar, Member of the Executive Management, Posta Slovenije

• ​Mariella Buisson, CEO, Seychelles Postal Service

• Siobhan MacDermott, Head, Global Advisory Business, 8 Degrees East
   

12.30–13.30   Reception in celebration of the UPU’s 150th anniversary

Be part of a milestone celebration as the Universal Postal Union (UPU) marks 150 years of facilitating global communication, postal development, and cross-border commerce. Join us for a special reception, sponsored by UPU Consultative Committee member Beyon Connect, to honour this legacy and explore the future of postal technology and logistics. Connect with industry leaders, share insights, and raise a toast to a century and a half of postal innovation and partnership.

13.30–13.45   Welcome remarks
 

• Marjan Osvald, Deputy Director General, UPU International Bureau

• Anthony Robinson, CEO and Founder, UKI Media & Events​

13.45–14.15   Keynote session on artificial intelligence

Next-generation technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) have become a source of both inspiration and anxiety for businesses and entire industries. Our keynote speaker will delve into some of today’s most pressing questions on the topic of AI. This session will provide insight into whether the postal and logistics sector is embracing AI effectively compared to other industries globally, consider whether we are overestimating the impact of intelligent solutions on our business, and examine ways in which AI might help us to define a roadmap to success for the sector.
 

• Edgar Barroso, CEO, Horizons Architecture, Professor of Innovation and Public Entrepreneurship at Tecnológico de Monterrey
   

14.15–15.15   Coffee break at the UPU stand

15.15–16.00   Round table on intelligent solutions for the postal sector

Inspired by our keynote session on AI, leaders from Posts and technological partners will dive deeper into how the sector can apply intelligent solutions to better anticipate and meet customer needs. They will examine ways in which Posts and wider postal sector players can use AI to optimize their collaboration.
 

• Moderator: Edgar Barroso, CEO, Horizons Architecture, Professor of Innovation and Public Entrepreneurship at Tecnológico de Monterrey

• Dr. Vinaya Prakash Singh, Secretary-General, Asian-Pacific Postal Union

• ​Christian Oestergaard, Lead Visionary and Senior Group Strategist – IT Production/IoT/AI, PostNord

• Farah Akoum, Senior Director – Product Management and Digital Shopping Experience, Nordstrom 

• Valeria Sadovykh, Technology Strategist, Microsoft

​
16.00–16.30   Q&A with panellists

Day 2 – 23 October 2024

9.30–10.30   Coffee break at the UPU stand – Presenting UPU's Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) Project
 
The UPU’s Postal Technology Centre, along with Zonos and Hurricane Commerce, will showcase the UPU’s brand-new Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) project. Both companies have been contracted by the UPU to complement its portfolio of IT solutions for cross-border operations, specifically by providing additional tools for regulatory compliance, accelerating cross-border mailing processes, and enhancing the overall experience for consumers worldwide. A ten-minute interactive discussion will be followed by networking over coffee.


10.30–11.00   Keynote session on cybersecurity

As technologies become more sophisticated, so do those who seek to abuse them. Customer trust is a key component in the survival of any business and, in our rapidly chang¬ing world, cybersecurity is a cornerstone in maintaining that trust. The keynote will explore the global landscape of cyber threats in the postal sector, emphasizing the role of emotional intelligence in crisis management. By examining case studies, the presentation will highlight how empathy, transparency, and quick decision-making are crucial for maintaining customer trust and handling cybersecurity incidents effectively in a connected world.
 

• Nadja El Fertasi, Founder, Thrive with EQ, leadership coach on trust and security in digital transformation
   

11.00–11.30   Coffee break at the UPU stand – Stay secure with .POST

The UPU will showcase how .POST – the UPU sponsored Internet Top Level Domain for the postal, supply chain and logistics sectors – offers innovative businesses a unique and comprehensive portfolio of secure products and services.

The presentation will include a demonstration of the .POST Shared Services Platform which provides stakeholders with a trusted digital space, safeguarding sensitive data, thereby ensuring secure and trustworthy transactions and communication across the global postal network. Visitors can look forward to learning about upcoming Cybersecurity-focused initiatives that will improve the cyber resilience of postal operators and wider postal sector players. 

11.30–12.15   Round table on modern cybersecurity considerations for the postal sector

Following on from the preceding keynote session, leaders from Posts and technology partners will have the opportunity to discuss the sector’s current situation and investigate ways and means to safeguard customers by cooperating on agile cybersecurity solutions. 
 

• Moderator: Nadja El Fertasi, Founder, Thrive with EQ, leadership coach on trust and security in digital transformation

• Siobhan MacDermott, Head, Global Advisory Business, 8 Degrees East

• Michel Dubois, Scientific and Technology Director, Cybersecurity Department, La Poste Group

• Dr. Kiru Pillay, Chief Director, Cybersecurity Operations & Cybersecurity Hub in the South African Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT)

• Dr. Sushan Banerjee, Global Information Security Officer, BEYON Connect

12.15–12.45   Q&A with panellists

12.45–14.30   Lunch break

14.30–15.15   Partnership showcase

Posts and their partners will share their success stories and best practices for implementing intelligent solutions to the benefit of their customers and bottom line.

An Post (Ireland) and Hurricane Commerce will highlight their partnership, which strives to ensure the efficiency of cross-border e-commerce deliveries by leveraging Hurricane’s data solutions for duty and tax calculations. This collaboration will result in smoother customs processes and compliance, improving the overall experience for An Post’s customers.

Ukrposhta and AfterShip will share how they developed a special API, enabling Ukrainian merchants to sell and fulfil cross-border orders on platforms like Etsy and eBay, helping to track nearly 200,000 packages monthly and supporting Ukrainian merchants while preserving Ukrposhta’s shipping volumes.
 

• Moderator: Farah Akoum, Senior Director – Product Management and Digital Shopping Experience, Nordstrom

• Cyril McGrane, Director of Pricing, International & QOS, An Post

• David Spottiswood, Co-Founder, Hurricane Commerce

• Julia Pavlenko, Director of International Operations, Ukrposhta

• Eric Pong, Logistics Partnerships Director, AfterShip

15.15–15.45   Coffee break at the UPU stand – Posti & Escher Group

Posti (Finland) and Escher Group will demonstrate how they used AI-powered Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to transform mail processing. This innovative solution streamlined sorting, reduced manual intervention, and boosted efficiency, enabling Posti to adapt to declining letter mail volumes while enhancing profitability and customer trust. A five-minute interactive showcase will be followed by networking over coffee.

15.45–16.30   Partnership showcase

Posts and their partners will share their success stories and best practices for implementing intelligent solutions to the benefit of their customers and bottom line.

GN TEQ and Saudi Post (SPL) share how they collaborated to enhance SPL's logistics operations by digitizing processes to improve efficiency and drive revenue growth in cross-border e-commerce. The project included automating customer onboarding, customs clearance, billing, and tracking, which has significantly increased shipment volumes and delivery success rates in Saudi Arabia.

SF Express and partner China Post will discuss how they are implementing an intelligent cloud security inspection platform to protect postal workers and customers, improve customer satisfaction, and strengthen collaboration with global post and logistics partners. 
 

• Moderator: Valeria Sadovykh, Technology Strategist, Microsoft

• Walid AlSulami, General Manager of Products, SPL Group

• Francois Lazzari, CEO and Co-founder, GN TEQ Limited

• Jianqin (Sonny) Sun, Vice President of International Operations, SF Group

16.30–17.00   Coffee break at the UPU stand – Cainiao

Day 3 – 24 October 2024

11.00–11.30   Tabletop Session at the UPU Stand: Emotional Intelligence as a Cybersecurity Tool in 
                        Securing Postal Technology

Following her keynote presentation and roundtable discussion on cybersecurity at the UPU’s World Leaders Forum, Nadja El Fertasi, Founder and CEO of Thrive with EQ, will lead a tabletop exercise focused on enhancing cyber resilience.

In this session, Nadja will guide participants through a practical discussion on how emotional intelligence can be a powerful tool in fostering stronger cooperation between postal services and technology partners. By integrating emotional intelligence into cybersecurity efforts, leaders will gain insights on how to build trust-based, agile solutions that not only safeguard customers but also empower teams to respond proactively to cyber challenges on their digitization journey.

Participants will leave with actionable strategies for:
 

• Integrating emotional intelligence into leadership and decision-making

• Enhancing collaboration across teams and stakeholders

• Strengthening cyber resilience through emotionally intelligent leadership

All are welcome to join and contribute to the future of modern cybersecurity!