Finat adds young managers’ challenge to ELF program

The workshop comes 10 years after the YMC was established in 2008, at the occasion of Finat’s Golden Jubilee congress in Paris, to meet an increasing need for up-and-coming managers in small-to-medium sized, and often family-run, enterprises. Finat explained that these young professionals are seeking help in becoming tomorrow’s leaders and to expand their knowledge about self-adhesive labels. YMC helps develop emerging management talent by providing needed educational and vocational opportunities.

Taking place on Wednesday afternoon prior to the start of ELF, the workshop will include a competition that will see young versus old battle it out in a business simulation workshop, ‘which should prove to be both educational and entertaining’, according to Finat.

During the main ELF program, the opening keynote speaker on the second day of the event, Sarah Sladek, an author, speaker and CEO of XYZ University, will also address the generation question. Her company has helped hundreds of organizations grow membership and reduce turnover among younger generations. She will discuss her experience in helping organizations engage future generations of members and talent and share ideas about best practices.

10 years after the foundation of YMC, the challenge for the industry and Finat itself is not only to activate a new generation of leaders, but also to attract and retain talent in technical and commercial functions. At the occasion of this anniversary year, the ELF Industry debate that will follow Sladek’s keynote presentation will take stock of where our industry is and will be going in terms of succession, consolidation, ownership, technology innovation, leadership, skills, know-how, resources etc.

YMC president Chris Jones, of UK-based anilox roll cleaning specialist Alphasonics, commented: ‘We are very pleased that YMC will have its own workshop as part of the ELF. There is a lot of dynamic change happening in the industry; and we need focused, dedicated and inspiring leaders that will continue to drive all the positive change currently underway far into the future.

‘ELF will give our members the opportunity to learn more from their peers while our own conference will help them address some of the more specific day-to-day challenges they face.’

YMC will also benefit from the forum’s broader program, which will cover a wide range of issues pertinent to labels and packaging providers across Europe, including:

• The European label industry after Brexit;
• Diversification of the labels and narrow web industry into short-run packaging;
• Intelligent labels and packaging;
• Recruitment and retention of talent;
• The state of affairs in digital label printing;
• TCO of different label printing technologies;
• Innovations in brand protection;
• Branding your company via online marketing;
• Managing food compliance regulations; and
• Preparing for upcoming legislation on serialization and tamper evidence.

Other keynote speakers are Alastair Campbell, TV commentator and spokesman of former British PM Tony Blair, who will address Brexit; and Professor Noreena Hertz, economist and author, who will offer guidance on how to make the right decisions in an increasingly complex business environment.

Jones concluded: ‘The YMC workshop is just one element of what will be a truly outstanding programme this year. There is something for everyone in this conference that each will be able to bring back to their companies and implement to future-proof their businesses. We encourage YMC members to invest in this special programme as a career advancement opportunity in addition to the advantages they receive from ELF as a whole.’