SINGAPORE. The Rt Hon Paul Keating, former Prime Minister of Australia, will deliver the keynote address at the TFWA Asia Pacific Conference on Tuesday 20 May in Singapore. Drawing on his extensive experience of working in the Asia Pacific region, for which Keio University awarded him an honorary degree in 1995, Keating will present a provocative view of “The Asian Future”.
Entitled “Charting a Course for the Future”, the 2003 conference will focus on the way forward for the travel retail industry and the obstacles it faces as it strives to develop. As keynote speaker, Keating will challenge delegates to consider the international context in which they will operate in the future with insight to the particular opportunities and constraints associated with Asia.
Paul Keating is credited with far reaching financial reforms during his period as Treasurer in the Labor Government. As Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996 he was responsible for the deregulation of the airline and telecommunications industries and other major reforms.
Also on stage will be HE Mohammed Ali Alabbar, director general of the Dubai Department of Economic Development and a driving force behind the commercial and tourism development of Dubai. An expert in finance and business administration, the director general has been closely involved in the planning and execution of recent investment and related legislative issues in Dubai.
Conference organiser TFWA said it was very disappointed when Mike Moore, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former director general of the World Trade Organization, cancelled his scheduled appearance. “To have speakers of such pivotal influence on the world stage agree to address our conference, in spite of their unenviable list of commitments, is testament to the high regard in which this industry is held,” said TFWA president Erik Juul-Mortensen. Juul-Mortensen will open the conference with his assessment of the “State of the Travel Retail Industry”.
