7 Things to Watch Out for at This Year’s Franchise Asia Virtual Conference
Samie Lim, the “Father of Franchising” in the Philippines, envisions the years 2021 to 2025 to be the “Golden Age of Franchising.” Paving the way for this era is the first-ever Franchise Asia Philippines 2020 Virtual Conference, which is happening on September 21 to 25.
Also read: What if The Philippines Was a British Colony
The five-day event will be the biggest opportunity to learn from over 30 world-class speakers and experts including 25 brand owners and CEOs (including Max’s, 7-Eleven, McDonald’s, Penshoppe, Potato Corner, Belo Medical, SM, etc.); Cabinet Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism, and Departmentof Trade and Industry; and International experts such as franchise relationships guru Greg Nathan, International Franchise Association-US Chairman Catherine Monson, and Aptos Retail UK Director David Sheekey.
Wit the theme “Pivoting Towards the Golden Age of Franchising,” the virtual conference aims to provide an accessible and effective platform for sharing valuable insights, strategies, innovative solutions, and best practices to address COVID-19 challenges while banking on the opportunities for growth in the new normal.
As you plan to submit your registration online, here is a quick round-up of the things that you should watch out for in the conference:
1| The Great Debate "- To Mall or Not to Mall?"
This forum will showcase thought-provoking exchanges on the topic “To Mall or Not to Mall: Which is Better for my Business?” The discussions will be led by influential panelists namely, JohnLu Koa of Chatime and The French Baker, and Eric Roberto Luchangco of the Bank of the Philippine Islands for the “To Mall position,” and Joey Garcia of Wendy’s and Conti’s and David Leechiu of Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc. for the “Not To Mall position.” You will get the chance to be heard as you participate in the poll-voting in which your position will be counted.
2| Latest government policies and updates
Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, and National Economic Development Authority Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon will share the latest updates and policies of the Philippine government as the country embarks on the journey to recovery.
3| Leadership lessons from big and successful brands
Learn about the first-hand experiences and golden nuggets of lessons from the country’s biggest and most successful brands such as SM, Max’s, and McDonald’s. These brands will take the stage on the second day of the virtual conference as they lead the session on “Leading Organizations Amidst Disruption.”
4| Insights on resiliency and sustainability
What will set your business apart is your resiliency and sustainability game plan. Take note of the insights that will be shared by Josiah Go, Chairman and Chief Innovation Strategist of Mansmith and Fielders, Inc.; Dr. Vicky Belo, CEO and Medical Director of the Belo Medical Group; and Jose Magsaysay, Jr., CFE, Chairman Emeritus of Potato Corner.
5| Strategies for store profitability and customer experience
Learn how to make your business more profitable and how to re-imagine your customer experience as experts from Penshoppe, 7-Eleven, Potato Corner, Havas Media Ortega, and SAP Philippines discuss some strategies and best practices on the third day.
6| Innovations on digitalization and supply chain
On the fourth day, companies like Insular Health Care, Inc., Shopee Philippines, PLDT Enterprise, and Google North Asia will discuss how to embrace and maximize digitalization in an ever-changing world. Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture, MyKuya, Lalamove Philippines, and Aptos Retail UK will share innovations on how to effectively redesign the logistics and supply chain of your business.
7| International perspectives
IFA US Chairman Catherine Monson will talk about “Franchising Resiliency in the Post-Pandemic World” in the first plenary session. In the track sessions, Chayapatra Thongcharoen, CEO, Rocks Foods Co., Ltd and Potato Corner Master Franchisee, Thailand; Samuel Jeanblanc, Regional Partner Manager, Google North Asia –JP, CN, TW, HK, KR; and David Sheekey, Director - Solutions Principal, Aptos Retail, UK will bring in their perspectives on various topics relevant to the new normal. On the last plenary session, Franchise Relationships Institute Founder Greg Nathan will talk about “The Future of the Franchise Relationship.”
Franchise Asia Philippines 2020 Virtual Conference is happening virtually on September 21 to 25, and is organized by the Philippine Franchise Association, the country's pioneer and largest franchise association with members ranging from micro to large, both homegrown and international involved in food, retail, services and other types of businesses.
Francorp is the Philippines’s largest franchise consulting company and conducts regular seminars and events. For more information on Franchise Asia 2020, contact (+632) 8638.31.42 / 0917.835.55.30 / (SMART) 0999-8833732, (SUN) 0932-8792732, (GLOBE) 0917-8320732 / www.pfa.org.ph / or email [email protected] / [email protected].
Sam Christopher Lim is the CEO of Francorp Philippines; Co-author of 12 Strategies for Franchising; President of U-Franchise Sales & Management; and Chairman for ASEAN Integration of the Philippine Franchise Association.
