Dubai Future Labs (DFL), an initiative by Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), hosted “Frontiers of Logistics 5.0” event that provided a platform for thought leaders from industry, academia and government to share insights on the future of logistics. Organizing such event is part of DFF’s mandate to identify global trends, understand their impact on strategic sectors both locally and globally, as well as provide a platform for global dialogue that promotes knowledge sharing and understanding of best practices.
DFL organized the forum in partnership with the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Italy and with the endorsement of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Robotics and Automation Society Technical Committee on Digital Manufacturing and Human-Centered Automation (RAS-TC). Through a series of timely discussions, the event explored the socio-economic, legal and environmental impacts of technological transformation across the global supply chain in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Open to the public, Frontiers of Logistics 5.0 drew the participation of experts in the fields of logistics, robotics, automation and advanced technology.
Khalifa Al Qama, Director of DFL, and Dr Paolo Dario, Chief Scientist at DFL and Professor of Biomedical Robotics at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, delivered the opening remarks.
Al Qama said: “The DFL is hosting the Frontiers of Logistics 5.0 as part of our commitment to promoting a culture of technological innovation in the UAE by actively participating in the transfer and dissemination of relevant knowledge in partnership with the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy.”
Moderated by Dia Haykal, Head of Brand and Partnerships at Majarra and Editor in Chief of MIT Technology Review Arabia, the event comprised four sessions.
The first session, featuring Ryan Quinlan, Chief Commercial Officer – Supply Chain & Logistics at DP World, and Dr Barbara Flynn, Professor of Manufacturing Management at Indiana University (IU) in the US, focused on large operations in logistics. In the second session, Nunzio Abbate, General Manager of the System Lab at STMicroelectronics in Italy, and Dr Tamim Asfour, Head of the High Performance Humanoid Technologies Lab at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, highlighted emerging technologies for Logistics 5.0.
Amna Sultan Al Owais, Chief Registrar at the DIFC Courts, and, Mansoor Al Malik, Executive Director for Policies and Legislation at Dubai Customs headlined the third session, dedicated to economic and legal issues. In the final session, Dr Sami Mahroum, Director of Research and Strategy at DFL and Professor of Management Practice at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management in Belgium and Gopalakrishnan Mohan, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at Arizona State University in the US, examined the impact of Logistics 5.0 on society and the environment.