World Coffee Alliance (WCA) announces confirmed speakers at WCA Cross Talk series 2021 virtual event

World Coffee Alliance (WCA), a network alliance of coffee industry professionals producing critical insights including market research, due diligence reports and technical advice in the global coffee value chain will hold a Zoom virtual event WCA CROSS TALK SERIES - “TRANSFORMING SMEs INTO DIGITAL COFFEE ENTERPRISES THROUGH INNOVATION: What is the game plan?” on Wednesday, 23 June 2021 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm BST (UK) /10:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT.

Joseph de Villiers, CEO and Founder, World Coffee Alliance (WCA) said “The gathering of these global leaders including Koltiva AG, Beyco (Progreso Foundation), European Commission (EU), International Coffee Organization (ICO), International Trade Centre (ITC), Sr. Advisor to President Kenyatta Of Kenya, China Coffee Association (CCA), GSMA, GIZ, Colombian National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC), Lavazza Group and Farmforce AS is an important one as we face great challenges in the coffee sector especially following the Covid-19 pandemic. Big questions will be asked on whether Digital Transformation will play a crucial role and can shape the economic recovery worldwide”.

The Keynote will be delivered by Manfred Borer, CEO, Koltiva AG, Inspirational Speech by Isabel van Bemmelen, Managing Director, PROGRESO and BEYCO. Panel One will discuss about DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: A CHIMERA OR REALITY? and will be moderated by Dr. Steffen Schwarz, Managing Director, Coffee Consulate, and confirmed speakers include Dr. Leonard Mizzi, Acting Director of Planet and Prosperity and Head of Unit Rural Development, DG DEVCO European Commission, Jose Sette, Executive Director, International Coffee Organization(ICO), Robert Skidmore, Chief, Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness, International Trade Centre (ITC), Prof. Joseph Kieyah JD, Chairman of Coffee Sub-Sector Reforms Implementation Standing Committee (CSIC) and Senior Adviser to President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Lucy Jingya Fu, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General, China Coffee Association (CCA).

Panel Two will be headed by Sierra Bayles, Sustainability Manager from Deloitte Consulting and will discuss about ENABLING DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT AND DEMOCRATISATION OF DATA. Confirmed Speakers include Daniele Tricarico, Director of Insights, AgriTech, GSMA, Yves R. Brehm, Head of Section, Value Creation and Innovation in Agriculture, GIZ, Lorenzo Giorda, Global Digital Marketing Director, Lavazza Group, Juan Camillo Ramos, Chief Commercial Officer, Colombian National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC), and Anne Jorun Aas, CEO, FARMFORCE AS.

“I hope that this event will help us understand how we can promote digital transformation that can provide solutions that are practicable, inexpensive and sustainable whilst we flesh out some of these basic issues like living wage and coffee price through a meaningful dialogue” De Villiers added.

World Coffee Alliance is a network alliance of coffee industry professionals providing critical insights including market research, due diligence reports and technical advice in the global coffee value chain. Our mission is to help create a sustainable business environment, by working closely with the stakeholders in the coffee industry by advising them on how to adopt best practices, utilize cutting-edge technology and help build a community that can tackle climate change. www.worldcoffeealliance.com