Leading global figures from trade, logistics, business and government will discuss the future of freight in Dubai this week at DP World’s Global Freight Summit.

Industry leaders will debate and discuss topics that touch on lives around the globe, such as how to steer global trade toward prosperity, what trade will look like in 2050, and unleashing the game-changing power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Solutions and best-in-class modern approaches to challenges such as building truly sustainable supply chains and balancing food demand, supply and security will be shared as the event aims to offer a platform for collaboration in the industry.

The three-day event includes a special discussion with Jim Yong Kim, 12th President of the World Bank, on boosting global growth for shared prosperity. Tony Fernandes, who built Asia’s largest low-cost airline, AirAsia, will discuss the opportunity of disruption and how to challenge the status quo. H.S.H. Prince Michael von Lichtenstein will provide perspectives on managing risk today for long-term returns.

Other keynote speakers include celebrated data scientist Rumman Chowdhury, Co-Founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, and supply chain experts from Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.

DP World’s 2024 Global Freight Summit is now its third year with the level of interest and impact increasingly significantly year-on-year.

Group Chairman and CEO of DP World Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, said: “The logistics landscape is transforming rapidly. Customers now expect solutions that are not only cost-effective, but also meet heightened standards for efficiency, sustainability and resilience, in response to global challenges.

“It is essential that as an industry we collaborate to meet these demands using the latest, efficient, innovative and sustainable methods. That is the ultimate objective of the Global Freight Summit.”

The majority of event participants are Freight Forwarders who are increasingly turning to technology-driven solutions and partnerships to meet shifting demands from consumers.

Mike Bhaskaran, Group Chief Operations Officer of Digital Technology at DP World, said :“The most successful Freight Forwarders will be those that adopt a customer-centric approach – taking on ever more complex demands and forming partnerships with the right firms capable of delivering innovative solutions.

“Price is still a huge driver for business and cargo movements still need to be cost-effective, but now more than ever they also need to be efficient, sustainable and robust enough to overcome an increasing number of geopolitical and environmental challenges.

“We are supporting our Freight Forwarder partners with bigger and more complex work than ever before, due to customer and end-user demands as well as new legislation and expectations on sustainable logistics,” Bhaskaran added.

The Global Freight Summit 2024, taking place at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City from 18 to 20 November, is expected to draw over 10,000 industry leaders from more than 155 countries.