F&L in 2016; letter from Gavin Roser (republished)

F&L Annual report 2016
Gavin W Roser Secretary General

F&L is an exception in a world of uncertainty; we know where we are at and have a clear vision for the future. Our unique formula, think tank, non-lobby, non-profit, Council of Europe base, relationships and links to global Institutions and leaders of the European Commission, all make F&L what it is. A network unparalleled in Europe, the Chatham House Rule drives free discussion in our debates and most importantly we are independent of any other body with two conferences per year across the whole of the European geography. Our goal for 2017 is to expand the F&L dynamic into Central and Eastern Europe.

2016 had its challenges, but highlights for me were meeting people from different sectors and countries especially in the light of the Brexit vote. Europe working together has been one of the achievements of my generation and whatever emerges from negotiations I hope we can maintain the principles of co-operation and collaboration at all levels. Geography and common interests of security, wealth creation and high standards of public services, after all, unite us.

For logistics, Europe must act as one for transport systems, environment, climate change and to roll out new technology. We must maximise our common potential, capacity and reach of multimodal transport regardless of political borders and we must strive to remove barriers from outdated enterprises who try to hold on to what they have without looking at what we need to achieve. The European Union Agency for Railways is an excellent example of the need to integrate railway systems and networks across Europe; Ralf-Charley Schultze and I serve on the Management Board.

As we approach 2017 significant changes will occur for F&L. We will enter what I call the 4th era. An era is defined “a span of time marked by character, events, and changes on earth”.

F&L Era One: Very much lead by our founder in 1994, Franco Castagnetti, an enthusiast for work, never gives up and very persuasive with institutions to see his point of view. These were excellent credentials to establish F&L, the aim being to create a forum where logistics leaders from manufacturing and transport supply across Europe could review and embrace best practice. Founder member countries Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Some of our founding Fathers included Dr Horst Kubek, Antti Vehviläinen, Dr Ivan Fuller, Wibo Aris, Emilio Fernández, Rudi Svensson. Armand Toubol, Bertil Hastéus, Wout Pronk and Johannes Fritzen came soon after. Franco passed the presidential baton to Wout Pronk and Wibo Aris for the Dublin & Amsterdam conferences in 2004.

F&L Era 2: Emilio Fernández became President prior to the Glasgow conference in May 2005. Emilio is a gentleman, calm at all times but with a razor type focus on bringing rail freight into the modern world. In Spain he knows everyone. Johannes Fritzen took over at the Marseille meeting in November 2008, certainly a dry sense of humour (he later appointed me) and a steely determination to get things done. The Marseille conference was hosted by Armand Toubol. This is also the year when our redoubtable Treasurer Harald Bortolotti from Austria joined the Board. Harald has been a consistent strength to F&L ever since, giving Audrey and I consistent challenge but strong support, and he is a great believer in F&L. The Fernández-Fritzen era brought even stronger links with both the rail and automotive sectors and with the EU Commission, and our conferences took us to the UK, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Finland, Portugal, Poland, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland. No wonder F&L is unique, given this exposure to markets and country priorities in infrastructure and freight service provision.

It was during the Fritzen Presidency that Audrey and I were brought on board. We planned the November 2010 meeting in Antwerp in short order and Antti Vehviläinen as senior VP of F&L was ‘Godfather’ for the meeting to ensure that Audrey and I did not break any F&L rules. A very clever fellow, which is probably why he is now running the Finnish Transport Agency. This began a chapter which has resulted in the most stimulating and exciting appointment of my career. Audrey, now the conscience and spirit of F&L, has had a major impact on building and strengthening vital close links with members and insists on nothing less than excellent for our meetings.

F&L ERA 3: Brought us Frank Arendt of Proctor and Gamble as President following the Lucerne meeting in May 2012. Frank represented a new generation of thinkers, a dynamic influence in the modern world of logistics and the supply chain. At the London meeting he showed his commitment for the environment by riding a Boris bike into the venue, and it was during this era that we forged links with OECD (International Transport Forum) and established a working group and subsequent paper on Efficient and Sustainable Supply Chains which was presented by his successor President Zwygers at the annual ITF Leipzig event in May 2014. Frank was very persuasive in getting new shipper members on board. Theo Zwygers took over in Rotterdam November 2013, a thinker, and a clear vision of how the world worked – specifically in the context of the supply chain. Content in F&L agendas was his key demand.

I had the privilege of serving F&L as Press Officer at the end of the first era and into the second, and as Secretary General in eras 2 and 3. I owe specific thanks to Lord Tony Berkeley who introduced me to my first F&L conference in Gothenburg in May 2001 – Tony had me on his UK Railfreight Group Board, saw me as an energetic trouble maker and suggested ‘F&L would be good for you’. I also thank Wibo Aris who was at that time Chairman of the working groups. He asked if I would chair a group on the ‘location of intermodal terminals 2015’, I called the group “Project Pendolino” and never looked back. Losing Jörg Sanders of Krone has been my low point – Jörg was an amazing man, boundless energy, exceptionally well connected globally and one of the people who really made an impact. We should rejoice that we had Jörg for the time we did. He added something to everyone he met and knew.

Unique data to date: looking at what F&L has achieved in this timescale is incredible.

• Road Transport – Future Chances of Intermodal (1996)
• Freight distribution into Large European Cities (1997)
• Barging, Inland Waterways, Short Sea Shipping (1998)
• Analysis of Waterborne Transport in Europe (1999)
• Best practices on Intermodality (1999)
• Pros and Cons of Standardisation (1999)
• Cabotage Liberalisation (2000)
• Supply Chain Management Revolution (2000)
• The Impact of E-Comm on Managing the SC (2001)
• Crossing the Alps (2002)
• Crossing Baltic (2002)
• Best Practices Logistics Project Management (2002)
• Impact on SC of Expansion of EU to teh East (2004)
• Environment and Sustainable Mobility (2004)
• European Virtual Networking (2004)
• Customer Relationship Management (2004)
• Motorways of the Sea (2005)
• Pendolino – Intermodal Terminals and Distribution Platforms in 2015 (2006)
• Supply Chain Security (2007)
• Load Securing Best Practices Across Industries (2007)
• Port Congestion (2008)
• Neutral Industry Perspective All modes on EU Transport Policy 2050 (2012)
• Efficiency – Key Ingredient Sustainable Supply Chains (F&L & ECLAC, 2014)
• Current Best Practices Horizontal Collaboration (2014)
• 4PLs (2014)
• Harmonisation – Obstacles to Trade & Disparities (2014)

So now to ERA 4: Theo Zwygers has accepted a major role in the Sultanate of Oman. Theo will use his extensive global logistics experience in a new part of the world and therefore departs as President, thank you Theo. John Riley of CHEP (Brambles Group) now takes the reins as our new President; John is a walking dynamo with a passion for technology and new ideas – an ideal person to guide our Forum to new horizons.

We are looking for a successor for me – someone with industry credibility, an excellent sense of humour, someone who is motivated by new challenges, who wants to travel to meet members current and future in their own backyards and someone who will refuse to accept F&L delivering anything but the best to its members.

I will not leave F&L but will take on a new challenge as your ‘Ambassador at Large’. This gives me time to focus on delivering more of my video interviews with the great and the good, to keep learning and pass on my knowledge, to cause trouble at meetings and to continue to promote collaboration and working together for common gain. Please note Audrey’s role, involvement and commitment will not change in any way – she is here to stay.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement.

Gavin W. Roser
2016