Interview with Emmanuel Piegay, Event Manager of the Truck & Bus World Forum

Lyon will be the venue from 12 to 14 December 2007 for the first Truck & Bus World Forum (www.tnb2007.com) on the theme of “Transport for a better life”.

The objective: to offer an analysis of the current international situation and prospects of the urban transport of people and goods. This will form a prolongation of the Grenelle de l’environnement*, the environmental forum launched by the French government, and of the consultation opened by the European Commission in the framework of its green paper* on transport. Presentations, discussions and debates will feature on the programme of conferences, with a summary report on the exchanges after the forum.

“So far, we have over 62 international speakers and 200 participants have confirmed their participation in the forum”, said Emmanuel Piegay, Event Manager of the Truck & Bus World Forum

“The first Truck & Bus World Forum focus on “Transports for a better life”, while bringing together a global assembly of on-road professionals in an open international forum to exchange cutting-edge strategies and technical information, address industry issues and challenges to develop sound business solutions to keep on developing better transport solutions for a better life,” added Emmanuel Piegay. “The majority of bus and truck manufacturers: MAN (Germany), Scania (Sweden), Volvo AB (Sweden), Renault Trucks (France), Iveco (Italy), Irisbus (France), Jiang Hui Automotive (China), Karsan (Turkey), International Truck & Engine Corporation (USA), Dong Feng (China). The component manufacturers: Michelin, Siemens VDO, Bosch, Inoplast, Rhodia, Global Insight, the institutions: European Investment Bank, the European Commission, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, the International Union of Public Transport and the IRU.”

The plenary conferences will cover geopolitical issues (EU – USA – CHINA) and strategic challenges (Accessibility of Cities – Transport of Goods and People – Sustainable Development and Economic Cost-Effectiveness – The Cost of Mobility). This two-pronged approach will enable decision-makers to enrich their strategic thinking on the challenges to which they must respond in the coming years to draw up viable economic models that maintain our quality of life.

The international dimension of the Forum is reinforced by the strategic partnerships set up with the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Chinese Automotive Review and Global Insight.

The “Truck and Bus World Forum” is organised by the Rhône-Alpes region, Grand Lyon, and the French state, with the support of the Rhône-Alpes Automotive Cluster, the Lyon Urban Truck & Bus 2015 Cluster & Automotive Sweden. The forum is coordinated by ERAI (www.erai.org), the economic development agency of the Rhône-Alpes region.

Confirmed speakers (updated list on the website: www.tnb2007.com)

Jean-Jacques Queyranne, President of the Rhône-Alpes regional council Gérard Collomb, Senator, Mayor of Lyon, President of Grand Lyon and President of Eurocities Umberto Depretto, Deputy General Secretary of the International Transport Road Union Ivan Hodac, General Secretary ACEA Patrick Charbonneau, Vice-President Government Relations, International Truck and Engine Corporation Hans Rat, General Secretary UITP Martin Marmy, General Secretary, International Transport Road Union Hasse Johansson, Vice President Research & Development of Scania Dario Salvati, Marketing Director of Iveco Gary Huang, CEO of Dong Feng Motor Commercial Vehicle Jean Plenat, Chairman & CEO of Irisbus Fotis Karamitsos, CEO of DG Tren European Commission Jean-Claude Steinmetz, Vice-President Automotive Rhodia Elios Pascual, former Chairman & CEO of Mack Trucks & Irisbus Phil Gott, Global Insight, Director Richard Walles, Global Insight, Director Dominique Cesari, INRETS Bron, Deputy Director Michel Laramée, Keolis, CEO Development Wayne Xing, CBU/ Chinese Automotive Review, Editor Bernard Favre, Renault Trucks, Research Director Valéry Cervantès, Irisbus, Public Affairs and Institutional Relations Director. Henry Marty-Gauquié, European Investment Bank, Representative of the EIB in Paris. Yves Crozet, Laboratoire Economie des Transports, General Manager Patrick Coroller, ADEME, Transport Technologies Department Pascal Diaz, Inoplast, Chairman & CEO Edward Jobson, Volvo Bus, Environment Director Olivier Mossé, President ITS Congress Association Jacques Garcin, Orange Claude Arnaud, Veolia Daniel Augello, Renault Siemens, TNT, Eurocities, GIEC…