EVENTS – World Coffee Leaders Forum 2014 confirms ICO executive director as keynote speaker

LONDON, 29 October 2014 – The 3rd World Coffee Leaders Forum (WCFL) 2014 will be held at the Coex Convention Center in Seoul, South Korea, on 19-22 November 2014. The International Coffee Organization (ICO) supports this event which will feature Mr Robério Oliveira Silva, ICO’s Executive Director, as keynote speaker for the second year in a row.
The 3rd WCLF will focus on the paradigm shifts in international business, economy, and trade and the effects for the global coffee industry, with the objectives of creating a platform for knowledge exchange. WCLF, the first international coffee forum in Asia, was held for the first time in November 2012 and holds as its mission to provide valuable insights on the global coffee industry and seek methods for its sustainable development.
The event attracted worldwide attention in 2013 with more than 800 participants from 34 countries. A total of 30 experts from 12 countries provided their insights into the coffee industry at the three day event, including Mr Silva, Mr Geoff Watts, Vice President of Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, and Mr David Veal, Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE), among others.
This year, WCFL organizers expect approximately 1,200 participants from 35 countries, along with 34 confirmed speakers including Mr Silva, Mr Andrea Illy, CEO of Illycaffe, Mr Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), Mr Matt Lounsbury, Vice President of Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and Mr Rick Peyser, Former Social Advocacy and Supply Chain Community Outreach Director of Keurig Green Mountain, among others.
WCLF 2014 will take place over the span of four days, allowing for more in-depth analysis and focus on a greater variety of topics with the theme of “Paradigm Shifts in Coffee Industry and its Countermeasures.”
The programme includes a Plenary Session, Asia Session, Technical Session, Adventure Session, World Coffee Youth Leadership Forum, and Business Session. Each session will have capacity limitations and registration will be on a first come, first served basis. Deadline for registration is 12 November 2014.
Registration, fees, programme, and other useful information can be found on their website at www.wclforum.org.