- 11 June event to hear from Ian Harnett, Director of Purchasing, Jaguar Land Rover
- Other global speakers include Ford Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Europe, Nissan Europe
- Audi, BMW and Tesla also on the speaker list
- Event sits alongside MotorExpo, London’s biggest free-to-visit motoring event
The line-up for the SMMT International Automotive Summit has been unveiled for the showcase 11 June event.
Headlining the bill at the East Wintergarden at Canary Wharf is Ian Harnett, board member and Director of Purchasing who will speak about Jaguar Land Rover’s unique position in the global market place, with specific reference to the supply chain.
Joining Mr Harnett will be an array of automotive talent from around the world discussing major issues affecting the sector.
Looking specifically into the future of advanced propulsion, the Summit will hear from Kevin E Layden, Ford Motor Company’s Global Director of Electrified Powertrain Engineering. He will be joined by Nissan’s Jerry Hardcastle OBE, who also chairs the Automotive Council’s Technology Group, and Frank Meijer, Head of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle, Hyundai Motor Europe. The supply chain perspective will be represented by Rob Rickell, Senior Vice President Engineering from GKN Driveline.
In the Summit’s afternoon sessions, one workstream will focus on the consumer, looking at how technology is enhancing and not replacing the retail experience and how that, in turn, is changing the nature of dealerships. Experts from Audi and Tesla Motors will outline their views.
Focus will then turn to connectivity and content with Hugh Dickerson from Google and Fiona Clarke-Hackston of the British Screen Advisory Council discussing how content is fast changing in the modern motor vehicle.
The second stream will focus on innovation. Dan Knight from BMW will discuss the connected car and just where technology is taking us. The final session will look at how we can bring new technologies to market in a way which maximises the opportunity for the UK motor industry.
Back in plenary, the day finishes with a look into the skills challenges facing the sector, particularly looking at developing and retaining leaders across the UK manufacturing and retail environments.
Booking details can be found at: www.smmtsummit.co.uk
The Summit is sponsored by KPMG