The 2017 German British Forum conference, “Digitalisation and The Future of Work” in association with EEF, the German British Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Liverpool LEP and LCR 4.0, was held on 14^th November 2017 at Liverpool Town Hall.

The conference debated the challenges for recruitment and training for businesses in the age of digitalisation and automation.

The conference focused upon manufacturing, engineering and logistics. Keynote speeches and panel discussions exchanged the understanding of the future employment needs of industrial companies.

Guest speakers for the event included:

•  Dr Peter Ammon, German Ambassador to the United Kingdom

•  Chuka Umunna, MP for Streatham, Chair of Vote Leave Watch, Co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on EU Relations

•  Prof. Juergen Maier, CEO of Siemens UK

•  Dieter Geus, General Manager, Logistics, Plant Hams Hall, BMW

•  Carl Arntzen, CEO of BOSCH Thermotechnology Ltd

•  Mark Howard, Head of UK Research & Technology, Airbus

•  Gary Hodgson, Strategic Projects Director, Peel Ports Group which operates Liverpool2, the new deep-water container terminal capable of handling the largest vessels in the global fleet

•  Dr Frank-Stephan Hardt, chief financial officer of T-Systems Ltd

•  Alison Mitchell, CEO of Sensor City

•  Terry Scuoler, CEO of manufacturers’ organisation EEF

•  Burkhard Sommer, director of PwC Maritime Competence Centre in Hamburg

•  Kieran Ring, CEO of the Global Institute of Logistics

•  Prof. Alan McKinnon, Professor of Logistics in the Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg

•  David Swann, CTO of Tharsus, makers of robotic systems for retail and industrial applications

•  Andrew Higgs, expert in maritime law, on the regulatory frameworks for unmanned ships

Plus panelists from DHL, University of Liverpool, Hugh Baird College, TUC and more.