The North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), organisers of the North East Automotive Expo, has officially announced the headline speakers and thematic seminars ahead of this year’s event.
Incorporating high calibre sponsors and delegates from both UK and globally renowned automotive companies, the Expo speakers will be split across day, which will be held at the Beacon of Light, Sunderland on 29th September.
Following an opening welcome from NEAA Chairman, Matt Boyle MBE, and headline sponsor, Patrick Melia, Chief Executive at Sunderland City Council, visitors to the event will hear from keynote speaker Alan Johnson, Vice President Manufacturing at Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK (NMUK).
Alan Johnson, said: “Now is a key time for our industry and I’m looking forward to hearing from the wider North East automotive sector, as we look forward to our bright electrified future, together.”
The following seminars and panel discussions will also take place throughout the day:
- 10:40-11:10 – How to transform the Automotive industry into a sustainable industry?
Dr. Mansoor Soomro, Senior Lecturer in Sustainability and International Business, Teesside University International Business School - 11:30-12:00 – Stop the Hype: The Realities of Using 5G & IOT for Manufacturing
BAI Communications and Sunderland City Council
Panel: Exploring real life case studies of IOT in manufacturing?
Chaired by Tim Lawrence, Head of Digital Supply Chain, Digital Catapult - 13:00-13:30 – Local Skills Improvement Plan: Empowering employers to shape the local skills provision
Paul Butler, CEO, NEAA, Sean McIlveen, Director & Bob Blenkinsop, Director, Infinitive Perspective
Teesside University will commence the seminar line-up as they talk about sustainability in the automotive sector. Dr. Mansoor Soomro, senior lecturer in sustainability and international business at the Teesside University International Business School (TUIBS), who has served in various international leadership roles with the global engineering giant Siemens, will present the seminar.
Dr. Mansoor Soomro said of the event: “I am delighted to be working with the North East Automotive Alliance and its members to deliver this topical session on sustainability.
“We have a rich history of automotive manufacturing here in the North East. This fast-paced environment is ever evolving, with the adoption of new technology and processes to ensure it remains globally competitive. However, sustainability is a huge consideration as we move towards net zero and the electrified future. This session will discuss the steps of change that must be implemented to ensure the sector remains resilient.”
The closing seminar will highlight new details on the Department for Education’s £20.9m Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs). The NEAA has been named among 37 business groups chosen to lead the development of employer led local skills plans. The aim is to forge a stronger and more dynamic partnership between employers and Further Education providers that will enable provision to be more responsive to the skills needs of employers in local labour markets.
Paul Butler, CEO, NEAA stated: “This is a fantastic opportunity to build upon the excellent work the NEAA has done in this space to date. We look forward to working with other Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs), employers and providers across the North East LSIP area, which includes Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland, to develop an evidence-based, credible, and actionable plan.”
This year’s North East Automotive Expo marks its 7th anniversary and follows on from last year’s event which attracted over 650 delegates.
More details on the Expo, and delegate booking, can be found here: https://northeastautomotivealliance.com/events/automotive-expo/
