Tunisia – the UK’s nearshore partner for professional clothing manufacturing
An exclusive, free webinar by PCIAW® and OCO Global
World-renowned trade and investment firm, OCO Global partnered with the Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide (PCIAW®) to host a unique webinar to promote the Buy Tunisian Textiles project funded by the British government through North Africa Technical Assistance Facility (NATAF) implemented by Tetra Tech International Development.
The webinar took place on Wednesday 27th January 2021 (GMT).
PCIAW® invited speakers from the Tunisian government, OCO Global, Cepex Tunisia, Gerber Technology and Hunter Apparel.
PCIAW®’s Webinar Week in November 2020 discussed the lack of resilience and diversification in supply chains, heightened by the pandemic and the need to nearshore manufacturing closer to home. With 20 years of experience, OCO Global is trusted by the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) to promote Tunisia as a viable base for manufacturing high-quality workwear at reasonable prices.
Agenda
27th January 2021 at 10:00 am London Time.
This exclusive webinar was designed to educate buyers, suppliers and manufacturers in the professional clothing industry about new opportunities made available by PCIAW® and OCO Global, to work with the Buy Tunisian Textiles project. The aim was to help workwear, corporatewear and PPE suppliers find reliable nearshore partners in Tunisia, to manufacture at competitive price points, closer to home. We would like to thank our Trusted Members Gerber Technology and Hunter Apparel Solutions for their insights into this opportunity.
OCO Global is working with the British Embassy in Tunis to strengthen ties between UK professional clothing suppliers and Tunisian textile manufacturers for mutually beneficial business partnerships. This webinar informed our audience about the support network on offer, facilitated by the North Africa Technical Assistance Facility (NATAF), funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and managed by Tetra Tech International Development.
Running Order
10:00am: Yvette Ashby, CEO, PCIAW®
10:05am: Declan Osborn, Editor, PCIAW®
10:10am: Simon Hunter M.B.E, CEO, Hunter Apparel Solutions Ltd.
10:17am: Adam Mansell, CEO, UKFT
10:24am: Colin McCullagh, Director for UK & Ireland, OCO Global
10:31am: Nabil Ben Khedher, Tunisian Ambassador to Great Britain
10:34am: Edward Oakden, British Ambassador to Tunisia
10:37am: Hosni Boufaden, President, Nafaa Ennaifer, Vice President, and Mehdi Miled, Member of the Management Board, Tunisian Textile Federation
10:52am: Abdelbasset Ghanmi, General Director of Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA)
10:57am: Chiheb Ben Ahmed, CEO, CEPEX (Tunisian Export Promotion Agency)
11:04am: Tarek Ben haj Ali, CEO and Maher El Kissi, Commercial Director, Workman Group
11:10am: Richard Jessup, Sales Director – EMEA, Direct Markets, and Francisco Aguiar, Sales Director for Indirect Markets, Gerber Technology
11:15am: Colin McCullagh, Director for UK & Ireland, OCO Global
11:18pm: Q&A
12:00pm: Yvette Ashby, CEO, PCIAW®
Panellists
Yvette Ashby, CEO and Founder of PCIAW® has worked within the textile industry for over 25 years, advocating innovation and collaboration, since the inception of the director-e magazine.
Yvette steers the direction of the professional clothing industry by engaging with businesses and bringing issues such as sustainability, size and fit, plus manufacturing closer to home to the forefront of the agenda. By creating the network of PCIAW®, Yvette is able to work with governments, utilising our association as a platform to represent the professional clothing industry, giving businesses a voice that can affect policy direction for the benefit of all.
Declan Osborn is the Editor at PCIAW®, responsible for the editorial team and the delivery of engaging content for the benefit of the professional clothing industry.
Declan engages with business across the entire supply chain and champions their achievements in PCIAW®VOICE magazine. He is currently spearheading the new PCIAW®ONLINE project, which will provide a comprehensive overview of the professional clothing industry and delve into the most innovative products, fabrics and fibres that the industry has on offer.
Declan has a journalism degree from the University of Lincoln and has extensive experience in marketing, copywriting and business development.
Simon Hunter Esq, M.B.E. is the CEO of Hunter Apparel Solutions Limited (Hunter). Simon has been a Director of Hunter since 2011. He is an Accountancy with Honours Graduate of the University of Ulster, a Chartered Director and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors. He has almost 20 years of experience as a Director and enjoys the challenge of hard work.Simon is also one of the founding Board Directors of the PCIAW®, and the association and its team are hugely proud of this remarkable achievement.
Adam joined the industry 25 years ago. He has worked across a wide number of trade bodies. Having represented all aspects of the fashion and textile supply chain, Adam has links to every part of the industry from design, fabric and component suppliers, wholesalers, brands, manufacturers and retail.
Adam leads the team at UKFT and has overseen the expansion of UKFT’s activity and membership. The organisation represents over 2,000 businesses, helps over 1,000 companies with their export strategy and is the government appointed Sector Skills Body for the industry. Adam has also led on the development of the manufacturing membership of the organisation. As well as running the organisation Adam focuses particularly on government relations, regularly briefing Minsters, MPs and civil servants.
Colin McCullagh is Director for UK & Ireland for OCO Global and leads the Trade Services division. Colin has a career spanning over 20 years in international trade working for corporations including IBM and LogicaCMG as well as for Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Government’s export promotion agency.
He has supported companies to enter multiple international markets, working with both developed and developing economies. He was the Director for Enterprise Ireland based in Sao Paulo and served as de facto Ambassador of Ireland to Brazil. Colin leads some of OCO’s major trade contracts including the Tunisia Export SMEs programme; DIT Enhanced International Support Services into North America; and Atlantic Chamber’s European Market Development Programme.
Colin has a marketing degree from the University of Stirling, studied leadership at INSEAD and recently completed the Advanced Management Programme at IMD. His strengths are in strategic selling, international expansion, client management and project leadership.
Tunisian Ambassador to Great Britainn Content
British Ambassador to Tunisia
President of the Tunisian Textile Federation
Born on 15/12/1961 in Tunis.
Married. Three children.
Principal Engineer in Civil Engineering graduated in 1985 from the National Engineering School of Tunis.
Member of the elected Students Committee of the Engineering School for 2 years and member of several university and civil sports associations (particularly in Rugby).
From July 1985 to May 1990: Senior Manager in the Studies and Monitoring Department at the Economic Development Bank of Tunisia “BDET” (1st Investment Bank of the country), in charge of studies and restructuring of large industrial projects.
From June 1990 to date: Managing Director of the Chékib NOUIRA Group (TFCE Group) with a contribution to the creation, development and management of various industrial and distribution activities (about ten exporting companies specialising in women’s clothing – 850 employees).
In addition:
Member of the Board of Directors of the Arab Institute of Entrepreneurs ” IACE ” (3rd mandate) and President of the Business Intelligence and Watch Centre.
Vice President of the “Tunisian Textile and Clothing Federation” (FTTH), after having held the positions of:
- 1st Vice President of the National Textile Federation ” FENATEX ” (UTICA)
- President of the National Trade Union Chamber of the Ready-to-Wear (FENATEX / UTICA)
- Chairman of the Economic Affairs Commission and Member of the Social Affairs Commission of UTICA
Birthday : 03/081975
HEC diploma in Finance 1998
Green Belt in Lean Manufacturing
Sales Manager in VTL group from 1998 till 2008
General Manager in VTL group from 2009 till today
Member of executive board of FTTH
Member of the board of CETTEX
Head of knitwear manufacturer chamber in UTICA
Mr. GHANMl is the General Manager of the Invest in Tunisia Agency. He has more than 20 years’ experience promoting Tunisia as an attractive destination for foreign investment. He served as the Representative of FIPA Tunisia at the London and Brussels Offices for many years.
Prior to joining FIPA-TUNISIA in 1995, M. GHANMI represented the Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (API I). Over the years, he has contributed to the establishment of several international companies in Tunisia in various sectors.
Chiheb Ben Ahmed is currently the CEO of the Export Promotion Center (Cepex), since October 2020.
He was the CEO of the Tunisian National Railway Company (SNCFT)
He was Minister of Transport
He had held several positions within the Tunisair group. In 2011, he became general representative of Tunisair in Egypt, He held the position of Deputy Managing Director of Tunisair, Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tunisair Handling and Managing Director of Aisa-Tunisair.
He also held the position of Managing Director and Chairman of Tunisair Technics.
Founder and General Manager WORKMAN Group Phd Management & Strategy Consultant in organisation and strategy for many industrial companies Member of the Executif board of FTTH (Tunisian Federation of Textile) Regional President of FTTH.
Export Sales Manager WORKMAN Group
Master of Science in Management
10 years experience in Sales and Marketing
Richard Jessup is the Sales Director for the EMEA Region at Gerber Technology. He is responsible for managing the Gerber direct sales team, each of whom are challenged to empower our customers through the use of technology, helping them to be more efficient, productive and generate more revenue.Richard has over 20 years experience of both enterprise level software and technology based capital goods. Over the last 5 years he has developed knowledge and a passion for the fashion and apparel industry, understanding the challenges faced and driving change to overcome these.
Director Sales in the EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa) region, responsible for indirect markets Francisco Aguiar manages projects in a huge variety of markets with quite different demands. Vast knowledge and experience on software and hardware applications in the garment industry – may it be men’s or ladies wear, lingerie, jeans, protective apparel or uniforms – as well as in other industrial segments manufacturing all kind of end-uses from flexible materials including leather, make him a recognized expert for technological update and optimization.He joined Gerber Technology back in 1995 and getting asked about his success formula, he stresses: “Stay close to the user – always and any time. Well listen to your customer.”
The PCIAW® is pleased to share the resounding success of its very first Webinar Week in November 2020!
The PCIAW® extends its gratitude towards its esteemed speakers and guests who helped to create unique, enlightening webinars. The PCIAW® was proud to host a diverse range of manufacturers, buyers, suppliers and fabric producers. Webinar Week saw the industry’s foremost companies unite to highlight valuable insights into the future of sustainability, PPE, and manufacturing practices.
The four-part series of webinars covered:
Each webinar took place on four consecutive days to include as much information as possible.
Sustainability: Are you ready to change?
Tuesday 24th November, 2:30pm - 4:00pm
In partnership with INVISTA CORDURA® Brand
Studies have shown that the textile industry is the second largest polluter in the world, after aviation.
Sustainability should not be a buzz word or a marketing tool, it should be the centre of all our thought processes, strategies and planning tools. It is fundamental that we look to the past to see what we have done to our planet, to truly comprehend the changes we must make, for the industry to progress forward with a sustainable future.
Panellists:
Cindy McNaull, INVISTA CORDURA® Brand
Tim Cross, Project Plan B
Cyndi Rhoades, Worn Again Technologies
Sean Moore, Carrington Textiles
Alexandra Steger, Lenzing
Catherine Salvidge, WRAP
PPE: Crisis or Opportunity?
Wednesday 25th November, 2:30pm - 4:00pm
In partnership with Gerber
We have seen during this pandemic private equity companies being favoured over established manufacturers and suppliers. As an industry, how can we do better?
Panellists:
Richard Jessup, Gerber Technology
Adam Mansell, UKFT
Paul Bryce, Ansell (UK) Ltd.
Samantha Fernando, Keela International
Alan Murray, British Safety Industry Federation
Roy Wilders, British Safety Industry Federation
UKCA Marking of PPE
Thursday 26th November, 2:30pm - 4:00pm
In partnership with SATRA
Our team of panellists are here to explain what this means to the industry and discuss how it can affect UK businesses and their international trading partners. This webinar should equip listeners with the knowledge to prepare for the upcoming changes.
Panellists:
Simon Courtney, SATRA
Adam Mansell, UKFT
Manufacturing and Sourcing
Friday 27th November, 2:30pm - 4:00pm
In partnership with Gerber
Now what contingencies are being put in place to change the processes in the future?
Panellists:
Richard Jessup, Gerber Technology
Rob Sayles, Seahawk Apparel
Steve Zalkin, NAUMD
Jonathan Edberg, Cobmex Apparel UK Ltd.
