IPG Spring Conference to tackle publishing’s cost challenges

With publishers facing rising costs and logistical issues across the supply chain, the IPG’s Spring Conference will provide expert insights and practical solutions for easing the pressures.

Guest speakers at the Conference on Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 June include business leader, peer and Confederation of British Industry President Lord Bilimoria, who will deliver a keynote on the business landscape in 2022. Lord Bilimoria has an in-depth knowledge of the challenges facing businesses at the moment, and will discuss what leaders might do to cope with inflation and disruption after Brexit, Covid-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He will also be setting out some of the opportunities as well as challenges for businesses including SMEs.

Lord Bilimoria’s keynote will be followed by a panel session on the biggest supply chain issues in publishing, including fast-rising costs in areas including paper, printing, energy, shipping and distribution. Leaders from publishing and printing will discuss some of the steps businesses can take to manage price rises and find alternatives to their current arrangements. Another panel will bring together publishers and retailers to continue industry discussions about valuing content and pricing against the inflationary backdrop.

The Spring Conference offers 20+ more sessions, including keynotes, discussions, case studies, break-outs and training workshops. Keynotes include Guardian media editor Jim Waterson on the media landscape and what technological change means for publishers; social entrepreneur and Rebel Book Club founder Ben Keene on creating, engaging and monetising communities; and Bonnier Books UK CEO Perminder Mann on agile leadership in a fast-changing publishing environment.

Sustainability will be another key theme of the Conference, with the launch of a new toolkit to help IPG members work towards carbon-neutral status. There will be sessions on global sales, rights, publicity and working styles, and strands dedicated to topical issues in specific aspects of publishing including the academic sector. The location for the Conference is the De Vere East Midlands Conference Centre near Nottingham, and one-day, two-day and remote-access tickets are available now.

IPG chief executive Bridget Shine says: “All publishers are facing intense pressures throughout the supply chain at the moment, with no sign of them easing soon. There are no easy answers, but it’s more important than ever for businesses to come together to find practical solutions to sustain them through tough periods—and our Spring Conference is a perfect place to do that.”

Book your place at the Conference here