Franchise Asia confab slated next month

CEBU, Philippines — Leaders in the Philippine franchising industry are bent on strengthening this country’s edge in franchising under the new normal environment, taking advantage of the high interest in franchise business here and abroad.

Because of this, the Philippine Franchise Association (PFC) led by President Chris Lim urged Pinoy entrepreneurs, and those who are considering starting a business through franchising to join this year’s Franchise Asia Philippines (FAPHL) International Conference slated on June 7 to 8 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.

According to Lim around 70 local and foreign experts will be on hand to share emerging strategies and business trends that will be critical to the continued growth of the industry in this age of global disruption.

"The International Franchise Conference is one of several initiatives being conducted by the PFA to promote franchising as the best business strategy that aspiring entrepreneurs can practice in the face of various social and economic difficulties and to advance the local and international growth of more emerging Filipino brands," Lim noted, adding that the FAPHL is a must-attend event anew for franchising stakeholders, with the thought-provoking sessions designed to further professionalize the industry and strengthen its global competitiveness and sustainability.

PFA Chair Sherill Quintana said the conference, which carries the theme “Franchising Fast Forward,” focuses on preparing franchise organizations for the future and moving businesses forward for growth.

"Sessions and discussions are curated in a way that speakers and panelists can share future trends and prospects, operational excellence, and real-life strategic applications to boost forward the growth and success of franchising amidst disruption and the ever-changing business landscape. the theme highlights the importance of emerging technologies and the latest business and workplace trends," Quintana stressed.

Franchise Asia Philippines Conference is the PFA’s flagship capability-building program that has immensely opened unparalleled and immeasurable windows of opportunities for growth, expansion, and success for the franchising sector. It represents the strength and solidarity of the sector and its stakeholders. Through the years, the event’s significance has widened within the country and even beyond borders and has significantly contributed to charting the future of the franchising community.

Franchise Asia Philippines 2023 Conference Chair Joey Garcia and Co-Chair Margot are one in saying that the event offers massive opportunities for stakeholders in the franchising sector to learn fresh ideas from some of the sector’s top minds as well as to network with their peers.

Among the highlights of this year’s event is a keynote speech from none other than the Secretary of Finance of the Philippines Hon. Benjamin Diokno. Secretary Diokno will discuss the Department of Finance’s outlook and prospects for the national economy during his speech.

Apart from Secretary Diokno, the Conference boasts seven (7) Highly Dynamic and Curated Plenary Sessions, 12 Concurrent Area-Focused Track Sessions, 30+ Peer-to-Peer Business Roundtable Discussions, and 70+ World Class Speakers, Industry Experts, and Facilitators.

In line with this year’s theme of Franchising Fast Forward, the plenary sessions will focus on how franchise businesses can prepare for the emergence of new technologies and how to keep themselves relevant in the ever-changing social and economic landscape of the world.

Topics include the future of franchising, consumer behavior trends in 2023 and beyond, the use of third-party marketplaces, and the future of the digital world and its impact on small and medium enterprises (SMEs).  Speakers include reputable franchise industry experts from Franchise Well Consulting, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Google, Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines, Lazada Philippines, and Retail Associates.

The conference will also be a historic opportunity to put on a single stage the biggest and brightest superstars of the franchising community in the Philippines at the CEO Forum: Franchising Fast Forward. CEO panelists from some of the country’s most trusted brands such as 7-Eleven, Jollibee, McDonald’s Philippines, and Max’s Group will share thought leadership on how they are preparing their companies and brands for the future and moving fast forward in a fast-changing environment. The CEO Forum promises to be a learning opportunity for participants of the Conference as the CEOs of these successful brands share best practices on sustainability.

The conference will also feature two Great Debate Forums featuring a panel of experts discussing whether aggregators or in-house solutions are the best way to serve your customers better and market expansion either by traditional or non-traditional locations. These sessions will feature industry leaders from Grab Philippines, Army Navy, Shakey’s, McDonald’s Philippines, SM Supermalls, Koomi, Pick.A.Roo, and Wendy’s Philippines sharing their thoughts and expert opinions on where they stand on these topics.

Another component of the Conference includes area-focused breakout sessions where participants can choose to join four (4) sessions. To be held in the meeting rooms of the SMX Convention Center, the concurrent sessions will focus on specific aspects of the franchise business.  — (FREEMAN)