2 December 2004

New BPIF events manager to launch major national conference

Charlotte Locks-Moro is joining the BPIF as corporate events manager and in her first year will oversee the BPIF’s first national conference for 10 years. Charlotte will also be responsible for the BPIF Excellence Awards 2006, which will be moving from its traditional autumn slot to be co-hosted with IPEX 2006. Director of Corporate and External Affairs, Cicely Brown, believes that by bringing event management in house, the BPIF will reinvigorate its networking role within the UK printing industry: “Over the last three years the Excellence Awards have increased in size by over 100% and have established themselves in the industry’s calendar as one of the premium events for recognising business excellence. We want to build on this success and extend the breadth and depth of our events portfolio so that the BPIF re-establishes itself as the leading networking organisation for the industry in addition to being the key business support organisation,” she says. In order to make the move to return to its Spring slot, the Excellence Awards will not be run in Autumn 2005, but instead the BPIF is planning a major conference looking at strategic issues within the UK print sector and beyond. A high calibre speaker programme will be put in place to attract a possible 350 delegates. Chief executive Michael Johnson intends that the conference will become an annual event. “Although our plans are not yet finalised, we are convinced that there is a need for an event of this calibre in the UK and indeed feel that there may be opportunities to extend its reach throughout Europe. There are many business issues that need to be addressed, from productivity through to marketing, training through to public policy. This will give the industry’s senior managers the opportunity to learn and exchange best practice in order to accelerate the improvement in competitiveness of the industry,” says Michael Johnson. Charlotte Locks-Moro, who has worked in event management for the last 8 years, is excited by this opportunity to transform the BPIF events calendar and through this, make a real impact on the industry. “The BPIF has already proved its commitment to its members and the industry it serves which was recognised by The Trade Association of the Year Award in 2003. I feel strongly that by developing and broadening the events portfolio of the BPIF we will be able to give our members and the industry the platform and facilities to encourage continued growth and development. Our proposed programme will ensure that industry best practices are not just achieved but surpassed.” Cicely Brown concludes: “This is a significant and very exciting development for the BPIF which we intend to grab with both hands. It is an essential tool in our constant endeavour to promote the transfer of best practice and thereby promote the profitability and competitiveness of the UK printing industry.”