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The 2nd edition of Inspiring Change Conference held which has enabled easy access to European
from August 02-03, 2019 provided a platform to markets. This has led to a tremendous growth of the News
Inspiring Change national and international experts who shared wealth war, a debate on how Pakistan can benefit from the
textile industrialists to interact with a number of key
industrial sector. Conferring about the US China trade
of their knowledge, experience and, more
US China trade war.
importantly, solutions about various issues related to
Conference 2019 the industry. The event was a resounding success Focusing on management of the mills, Emerging
with more than 300 textile industry top decision
Challenges and Opportunities in Textiles”, the key
concept highlighted was if the local textile industry is
makers from around the globe.
Human Resource. The HR framework is based on
The conference was structured to foster discussions prepared to overcome the challenges with regards to
between textile stakeholders from around the globe two factors: Potential candidates and the HR
to offer solutions to the challenges which the textile philosophy of the organization. It is crucial
industry is facing. challenges that the textile industry is facing today is
how to attain talent and then retain it as well. A
The opening keynote sessions held by Dr Salman debate on the weak industry university linkages and
Shah (Adviser on Economic Affairs and Planning - how they’ve only grown weaker rather than getting
Govt. of Punjab), Ms Anne Marchal (Chargé stronger was also conducted.
d'Affaires a.i.,Delegation of the European Union to
Pakistan), Mr Navid Fazil (C.E.O - Interloop Limited, Key speakers at the conference included Mr Richard
Pakistan) and Mr Holger Fischer (Managing Director Clarke (Vice President - Cotton Council International,
- Euro Centra Ltd. - Wünsche Group) held a common U.S.A), Mr Herman Selker (Head of Marketing
thread which suggested that the future of Pakistan is Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG, Germany), Mr Azfar
International Conference on Textiles
bright when the whole nation including the Hasan (C.E.O - Matrix Sourcing, Pakistan), Mr
government, private sector and associations work William Rhea Bettendorf (Director - Cotton Council
together. International, U.S.A), Mr Kanwar Muhammad Usman
(Textile Division Ministry of Commerce), Mr Mazhar
Over the two days conference, the main objective of Mirza (CEO Sypher and CCI representative of
the conference achieved was threefold: disseminate Pakistan), Mr Roger Gilmartin (Managing Director -
the latest global trends, present Innovative TriBlend Consultants, U.S.A), Mr Karl Borgschulze
technological advancements and solutions for the (Managing Director - Consulting Service Ltd., Hong
key challenges faced by the textile industry as well as Kong), Dr Khurram Tariq (C.E.O Kay & Emms Pvt.
suggest measure to boost the textile exports. Limited., Pakistan), Mr Adnan Khurshid (SPGPrints
Pakistan Pvt. Ltd.), Mr Mujeebullah Khan (C.E.O -
During the conference some key topics discussed iTextiles Pvt Ltd.), Mr Iqbal Khurram (CEO-YS Group,
included “Importance of Textile Raw Materials and Pakistan), Mr Haroon Ellahi Sheikh (CEO - Nagina
Future Trends” where the main theme was to Group), Mr Mike Rodriguez (Technical Consultant -
increase awareness among the top decision makers Cotton Council International, U.S.A.), Prof Dr Asif Ali
of the current as well as emerging challenges of the (Vice Chancellor - MNS University of Agriculture
cost of doing business in terms of input costs. With Multan), Dr Shafique Ahmed (Regional Director
cotton being 70pc of the cost of doing business, the Pakistan and Central Asia - Better Cotton Initiative),
plan of action and strategies to control this cost was Mr Hamed K. Lateef (CEO- Tti Testing Laboratories),
discussed. Furthermore, proposed actions and their Mr Usman Ghani (C.E.O - TexCraft Solutions Pvt.
implementation to double Pakistan’s cotton Ltd.), Mr Adil Ghani (General Manager Plant - Nishat
production, achieve the set targets and the future of Mills Ltd), Mr Khalid Mahmood (Executive Director -
sustainable cotton was also discussed. Master Textile Mills), Mr Zubair Bandukda (Ex.
President – Textile Institute of Pakistan) and Ms
An outright success In the second session, “Impact of Key Global Trends Fareha Zafar Saeed (Group Head HR & CCPA,
Sapphire, SFL Group).
on Local Textile Industry” was discussed that which
industrial trends are prevailing the global market and
their impacts keeping in view the US China trade war. The next edition of the conference will be held in
Also highlighted were the benefits of GSP by EU, March 2020.

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