SMMT Events

SMMT Global Trade Conference

Tuesday 12 October 2021

In a post-pandemic era, a robust rebound in international automotive trade is key to fostering the world’s recovery and critical in ensuring the worldwide spread of new-generation vehicles and related technologies.

Against a rapidly changing landscape, the inaugural SMMT Global Trade Conference brought together high-profile speakers to address global and regional trade priorities and explore the growing intersection between trade, environmental and competitiveness objectives.

The virtual nature of this the event enabled Global Trade Conference to reach an even broader audience from our membership, senior global automotive executives, policy makers, trade experts and the media.

Watch the speakers

Keynote speakers

Speakers

The agenda for the day covered a myriad of important topics and featured top-level speaker line up, including:

  • Dr Pinar Artiran, WTO Chair Holder, Istanbul Bilgi University Law School
  • Sebastian Cortes-Sanchez, Deputy Director, Asian Trade Centre (ATC)
  • Sigrid de Vries, Secretary General, CLEPA
  • Kristin Dziczek, Senior Vice President – Research, Center for Automotive Research
  • Julian Hetherington, Automotive Transformation Director, Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)
  • Dr Anna Jerzewska, Director, Trade & Borders
  • Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for European Reform
  • Chris Marchand, Vice President, Government and Industry Relations, Americas, Jaguar Land Rover North America
  • Andrew McCall, Vice President – Government and Community Relations, Ford of Europe
  • Vonjy Rajakoba, Managing Director, Robert Bosch UK
  • Johann Schmidt, Deputy Director for Trade Policy and Analysis, British Embassy Mexico
  • Miyuki Takahashi, Division General Manager – External and Government Affairs, Nissan Motor Company
  • Rohit Vadhwana, First Secretary (Economic), High Commission of India

Download the SMMT Trade report 2021

The event comprised of political and industry keynote sessions and engaging panel discussions. Topics to be covered include:

  • New Horizons for Automotive Trade: the Indo-Pacific Region
  • Building a New European Automotive Partnership: Life after Brexit
  • Automotive at a Crossroads: Global Trade, Competitiveness, the Environment and the Supply Chain
  • North America: Reforging Motor Trading Ties

 

SMMT’s third annual trade report, Driving Global Britain, was launched at the event. It is published in a year when markets around the world shut down as individual countries grappled with the pandemic, every sector had to readjust expectations. Despite this, 2020 did confirm one vital fact that should fuel optimism for all those involved in automotive: road vehicles remained the UK’s single most valuable export. To download the report, please click here.

For information enquiries, please contact: globaltrade@smmt.co.uk