Global chief executive of Kaizen Institute António Costa and former airline captain and founder of charity Project Wingman Captain Emma Henderson have been announced as keynote speakers for the Scottish Wholesale Association’s annual conference.
Taking place in Aberdeen on Thursday, 5th June, the conference has adopted the theme Kaizen – a Japanese business philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement – the conference will look to the future, shining a spotlight on what a thriving Scottish wholesale sector looks like now and in the future, and what wholesalers should be doing to ensure that the industry goes from strength to strength.
Until September 2020, Henderson was one of fewer than 500 female airline captains in the world, flying thousands of passengers all over Europe. As Covid swept the globe and grounded the aviation industry, she founded her charity. She was recognised as Businesswoman of the Year 2023 and awarded an MBE for services to charity in 2021.
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She commented: “I’m absolutely delighted to be speaking at the Scottish Wholesale Association conference this June. The focus on Kaizen resonates deeply with my aviation background – in the flight deck, we are constantly making small adjustments to stay on course and constantly adapting to small (but sometimes significant) changes throughout the day.
Kaizen, which means “change for the better”, and its five core principles will be explained in a presentation by Costa, who said: “Success in food and drink wholesale doesn’t happen from the sidelines – you have to see the reality and take action.
“Kaizen methodology can help you transform your business: from streamlining operations and cutting waste to leveraging technology and AI for greater efficiency. We’ll discuss sustainability, competitiveness, and, most importantly, how to turn continuous improvement into a powerful driver of success. The future of the industry is shaped by those who make things happen.”
A panel session will also showcase examples of how elements of Kaizen can leverage results for the wholesale sector and wider supply chain, and how to apply them in your business.
