The Asia Pacific Fuel Industry Forum (APFIF) is the Australian petrol and convenience industry event. Bringing together fuel transport, fuel wholesaling, petrol/convenience retailing and equipment contracting and service providers to learn and network it is not to be missed.
The 2022 Conference Theme has developed around the concept of “Doing Business in a Post-Covid Economy”, recognising the fact that the global pandemic has significantly reshaped – and will continue to reshape – the nature of the market in which all fuel businesses operate.
Delegates will hear directly from some of the ‘captains’ of industry including Scott Wyatt (CEO of Viva Energy) and Angus McKay (CEO of 7 Eleven). Mr Wyatt will provide a perspective on the outlook for fuel refining in Australia given recent changes in the Australian refining landscape and Mr McKay will share his thoughts on the growing importance of non-fuel offerings in the petrol and convenience retail market.
“We realise that there are numerous conferences that relate to our industry, but the APFIF is an event designed and delivered by ACAPMA to provide delegates with a knowledge dividend. That is, practical insights that help business owners manage their businesses in the face of an ever changing strategic, regulatory, and political landscape”, said ACAPMA CEO Mark McKenzie.
“For that reason, the speakers at our annual Forum include some of the biggest names in our industry as well as key regulators and industry commentators and the 2022 Forum is no exception.”
Given the significant influence that national regulators have in the operation of our industry, we are pleased to be joined by Sandra Parker (Fair Work Ombudsman) and Bruce Bilson (Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman) at the 2022 event. Ms Parker will speak about the continuing challenge of wage compliance while Mr Billson will discuss recent changes in the laws governing business to business relationships in Australia.
Electric and Hydrogen vehicle technology will be a significant topic of discussion over the two days with presentations from Mark Hammond (Chief Technical Officer, Truck Industry Council) and Tony Weber (CEO, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry) who will each discuss the outlook for the supply of new technology cars and trucks in Australia in the near term. These leaders of the Australian automotive industry will be accompanied by Alan Cadd (Managing Director, Informed Sources) who will examine the Norway EV experience.
The program includes a focus on issues impacting the petrol and convenience retail sector and the wider consumer ecosystem – particularly the growing impact of digital commerce – with presentations delivered from industry leaders and global experts.
“We are delighted to announce the return of Casey Hyun, a global futurist, who will travel from London to update his 2018 Auckland address about the issues that businesses in the petrol-convenience industry will likely need to navigate to remain future relevant”, said Mark.
“We will also be unveiling the results of the 2022 Monitor of Petrol-Convenience Consumer Attitudes during Day 2 and these findings will form the basis of a panel discussion involving members of our National Petroleum and Convenience Retailing Council – a joint initiative of ACAPMA and Convenience World.”
But of course, it is not all work. The agenda includes the opportunity for all delegates to meet and network after a long break due to Covid.
The Conference opens with a Welcome Reception on the night of Monday, 5 September 2022 (the night before the conference begins) and the usual Gala Dinner returns on the night of Day 1, thanks to the continued support of the New Sunrise Group and their partners.
As always, one of the objectives of the Forum is to allow business owners to connect with service providers in a meaningful but relaxed way. This year’s forum incorporates a ‘business marketplace’ that will operate during each of the breaks in the two-day Conference program.
“All in all, we have utilised the long Covid break and worked with our generous sponsors to assemble a conference program that will genuinely inform delegates while also allowing delegates to relax and reflect on what has been a very challenging three years between our last forum in Melbourne (September 2019) and this event in Adelaide (5-7 September 2022)”, concluded Mark.
ACAPMA thanks all the many sponsors and business partners that are supporting the delivery of the 2022 event. These organisations include Convenience World and Marsh McLennan (Platinum Sponsors), e-Fuel Systems and EMS and New Sunrise Group (Gold Partners), Caltex/Chevron and eftpos and FuelTrans PDI and HDI (Bronze Partners), Franklin Fueling Systems (Lanyard Partner), and more than 20 businesses who will participate in the business marketplace.
To learn more about the event and register as a delegate, please visit the 2022 Forum website at APFI Forum 2022 – Organised by ACAPMA.
ACAPMA