This year’s action-packed Fleet Europe Forum and Awards event in the eternal city of Rome on November 18-19 promises to offer something for everyone in the world of international fleet.
The Fleet Europe Awards on the final evening of the two-day event, at the stunning Salone delle Fontane, will announce the winners of some of the most coveted accolades in fleet, including International Fleet Manager of the Year, and the International Fleet Mobility, International Fleet Innovation, International Fleet Green and the International Fleet Safety Awards.
Only hours before at Rome’s Sheraton Roma hotel, the centre for the Fleet Forum and the Fleet Village, delegates will have had the chance to consider the Future of Fleet Management at a top-level morning-long conference, which includes presentations from some of Europe’s leading fleet experts.
There is also the opportunity for delegates to network with a selection of the fleet industry’s leading suppliers in the ever-popular Fleet Europe Village, which offers a professional but informal setting in which to meet and interact with car fleet suppliers, other fleet managers and fleet clients.
The appetizers to the main course take place the day before the Forum and Awards on Wednesday, November 18.
The first is the International Fleet Managers Institute session which will look at the impact of alternative powertrains in fleet, and will seek to provide a TCO checklist for fleet managers wanting to add alternative powertrain vehicles to a fleet.
The Institute, now in its 13th year, provides fleet management professionals with a meeting place where they can exchange experiences and best practice. And it aims to stimulate innovative thinking about any and all aspects of international fleet management. Speakers this year include global fleet expert, Tony Elliot.
Running concurrently with the IFMI session is the Remarketing Forum, in its second year following a successful launch in Hamburg last year. This year’s day-long event considers the challenges facing the international remarketing arena, and will include a mix of expert presentations, panel discussions, and workshops.
Delegates at this year’s Forum will include international decision-makers in the remarketing industry, remarketing specialists from OEMs, car leasing and rental companies, residual value and forecast specialists, auction executives, remarketing solutions suppliers, and international corporate fleet managers.
Then it’s on to the main course, with this year’s Fleet Europe Forum opening at 8.00am for registration on the morning of Thursday, November 19. The Forum lasts until 12.30pm and includes presentations from leading international fleet experts over five separate sessions.
Session one is delivered by Dataforce and looks at the three main trends impacting on the automotive and car fleet market in Europe. Session two looks at the impact of connectivity and technology on the automotive and fleet management business and is presented by technology company, Mobileye.
There then follows a debate amongst leading suppliers around this topic, comprising Geotab, Shell, Fleet Logistics, Europcar and Aon Risk Solutions.
Session three looks at the future of the fleet management concept and the fleet managers’ profession in the light of social and demographic changes. And it includes a debate involving leading fleet managers Michael Dana, FedEx Express, Luc Dendievel, Johnson & Johnson, Ivor Johnson, Pfizer and Joe Carreira, MSD.
Session four considers fleet management trends from North America and their impact on Europe in the shape of a debate between three major international fleet management providers: Wheels, ARI and Element Financial.
The final session is then given over to the now traditional debate between the CEOs of the leasing international car leasing companies.
This year’s debate, which looks at the trends towards consolidation and internationalisation, comprises leading figures Vahid Daemi, CEO LeasePlan; Knut Krösche, Head International Fleet VWFS; Philippe Bismut, CEO Arval; Frans Janssen, President Athlon Car Lease; Ed Frederiks, CEO Alphabet; and Mike Masterson, CEO ALD Automotive.
Following the conclusion of the morning sessions, the afternoon is given over to a ‘walking’ lunch in the Fleet Village from 12.30 to 1.30pm, and a series of corporate side presentations from leading suppliers: Hyundai, Geotab, LeasePlan, Volkswagen Financial Services, Daimler, ARI and Arval.
In the evening, the celebrations commence with a cocktail reception at 6.00pm followed by the Fleet Europe Awards ceremony from 7.00 to 8.00pm, including the announcement of the winners of the highly regarded awards. After that, it’s the gala dinner from 8.00pm until late.
Steven Schoefs, Chief Editor Fleet Europe, said: “If you’re a fleet professional, you’d better have a good excuse not to be in Rome on 18 and 19 November.
