UCB 2023 CONFERENCE – WITHOUT LIMITS

This week AACS CEO Theo Foukkare had the pleasure of attending the UCB 2023 conference at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, which was underpinned by the key theme of Without Limits.

UCB conferences are always great for networking, insights & lots of fun. The 2023 conference introduced a new format designed to provide even greater insights through business sessions spread across multiple days, and the trade show time was doubled to allow more time for retailers & suppliers to connect, learn about new products & grab a deal.

The business sessions were filled with amazing insights covering a realistic perspective on the future of mobility by Josh Dowling from Drive, Australia’s Illicit tobacco & nicotine vaping problem & how responsible retailers need to be more vigilant in reporting illegitimate operators to authorities was covered by Brad Shaw from Phillip Morris.

Berta Cabella Calvo, Renewable Fuels Director, Repsol Spain shared what they are up to in their march to Net Zero, which is looking at non-traditional ways & repurposing existing assets & new materials to achieve the same outcome as what some operators think is only possible through electrification. The lively & thought-provoking Gus Balbontin shared his life experience & described how some organisations can easily be institutionalised into “order & processes” but they end up being stuck in concrete & miss the changing consumer. Gus shared that chaos is necessary to balance the traditional organisation flow allowing them to talk focus on the customers issues not their own organisations issues.

Casey Gee Hoon Hyun, award winning vehicle designer, EV strategist and futurist shared his experiences working along & inside top global firms like Google & Volvo, that while it seems as though the future is electric if you believe everything that you read, Australia is very unique & there are other challenges which will likely delay the rollout in comparison to other countries like in Europe. Casey also covered off that this electrification will be another form of energy, perhaps among many & that traditional retailers need to seize the opportunity to design stores to cater for their customer needs, allowing them to continue to maximise their time whilst charging / refuelling in their travels.

AACS CEO Theo Foukkare was lucky enough to spend the day prior to the conference with Kevin Smart, CEO of TXB Stores from Texas, a leading retailer that is changing the face of convenience retailing.

Kevin shared the TXB experience & his unique best practice strategies with everyone at the conference on what community focused, fresh quality food, underpinned with a great brand & a tailored range combining private label as an option for customers alongside the known brands has helped them achieve results in line with global QSR brands in terms of performance.  

The charismatic & extremely knowledgeable Mark Bouris AM economist & financial expert simplified the current position of the Australian economy unpacking inflation, interest rates, the fixed rate mortgage cliff & the impact it will have on consumer spending behaviour. Mark’s key message was ensure that you are fit, well planned, trained & you will survive the challenging environment over the next 18 months.

Throughout the conference, the trade show was extremely well attended & buzzing with innovation, relationship building & lots of deals.

Outside of the business sessions, there was lots of fun, dinners & experiences. UCB members are all now on their way home with lots to think about on how they can succeed in 2023 & run their business without limits.

See some photos of the event here.