200+ cotton professionals connect at ICA’s first hybrid trade event

Day One saw industry renowned Joe Nicosia (Louis Dreyfus Company) deliver a keynote addressing the Outlook on Cotton. It was followed by an ICA Update delivered by Bill Kingdon (ICA Managing Director) and a final keynote from Andrew Olah (Kingpins) on the future of the cotton industry and the most important strategic actions that need to take place.

Day Two included an all-female panel moderated by Kim Hanna (TransGlobal Inspections) which examined What does changing demand mean for cotton’s future? The final keynote of the event was delivered by Michael Zimmerman and Sameer Bajaj (Kearney), looking at the topical issue of Logistics Markets: Navigating the worst conditions in history.

For the first time, the trade event also showcased a series of Cotton Connected hybrid sessions which allowed
for smaller, more interactive discussions. Topics included Arbitration, ICAspire, Women in Cotton, World
Cotton Day and a number of regional sessions to address different markets.

The event concluded with a St George’s Soirée in the Concert Room of the magnificent St George’s Hall, where in-person delegates gathered for a sophisticated cocktail party with drinks and entertainment.

Speaking after the event, ICA President, Alex Hsu said:

“Delivering a Hybrid Trade Event was a first for the
ICA, it required new technology and a new format to address the challenge of keeping both an in-person and online audience engaged. While it was a great disappointment that I couldn’t attend in-person, I am delighted with the success of Liverpool 2021 and how the cotton community managed to connect under the circumstances. We have learnt a lot and will take these learnings with us as we plan for Singapore 2022, which I hope will see the larger part of the global cotton community reunited together, in-person.”