IBISConnect Middle East agenda

14.00 – Welcome to IBISConnect Middle East

Robert Snook welcomes delegates, explains how the conference platform works and sets out the timings and objectives for the simulcast.

Robert Snook, conference moderator, IBIS Worldwide

14.05 – Theory of constraints – how to get more from less

Understanding your business challenges is a great way to get more from less, but how do you avoid falling into the trap of simply doing the wrong things better? Many day-to-day challenges that occur in bodyshops and businesses are completely avoidable. We discuss the benefits of Systems Thinking and how it can be applied, not to process, but to the way in which the business is run.

Jon Parker, MD, Bodyshop Revolution

14.35 – The voice of the bodyshop – what is it saying?

What is the voice of the bodyshops and what is it saying? How have the fixed priced repair contracts worked out, where are we with lump sum repairs, how will the price per panel model adapt to the changes in vehicle technology and what challenges do we still need to meet to enable us to be more efficient with our operational processes?

Yousef Abu Alaish 

Udayakumar Velu

15.00 – ESG – The impact of Environmental and Social Governance

This is the fastest growing topic across the collision repair world. We take an initial look at the impact of global legislation on the collision repair industry’s current social and environmental processes across the region – what will we need to be doing, what are the leaders already doing and how can we ensure we have robust environmental and social governance plans in place?

Bashayer Dhaif, senior corporate communication manager, Bahrain National Holding

Maher El Ghailani, area managing director, MENA Region Solera Audatex

Steven Trapp, Strategic Accounts Manager – EMEA, Axalta EMEA

15.25 – Networking break

15.45 – Sustainability – how do you commercialise it?

In 2020 we were told it would be “the new normal” and in 2021 it has become increasingly clear this means the need to be sustainable. Every business wants to be sustainable, but how is it impacting the collision repair sector stakeholders and is it always just an additional cost or are there some commercial opportunities and benefits too?

Stephen Louis, key account manager, Axalta Middle East

Murat Ustuner, regional division leader, South-East Europe, Middle East & Africa, 3M

Michael LoPrete, VP global operations, Plastfix

16.15 – People – turning an obstacle into an opportunity

The biggest challenges across the collision repair world in 2021 have been around people. This has presented many obstacles, but there are those who are thinking differently and doing different things with recruitment, development, retention and planning to future proof their team and their business. Our panel of people experts discuss how people obstacles are becoming people opportunities and what we can all do to build a better team, rather than simply go back to filling vacancies.

Dr. John Mathew, head of talent management, Ebrahim K. Kanoo

Mark Forshaw, owner, Fusion Education Consultancy

Dean Lander, head of repair sector services, Thatcham

16.40 – Close

Times are shown in Gulf Standard Time