Senior executives from across the apparel industry and its supply chain will be heading to Hong Kong later this month for the annual Prime Source Forum.

The flagship discussion platform, now in its eighth year, takes place on 26-27 March, and will continue to look at the challenges and opportunities facing the apparel and footwear industries.

Sessions will tackle likely changes to the supply chain over the coming decade, the emergence of new fast-developing sourcing countries, and the challenges facing the next generation of family businesses.

Keynote addresses are planned by Ben Simpfendorfer, MD of Silk Road Associates, who will discuss 'Searching for the next China - China's rising prices and implications for supplier relations'.

Edwin Keh, CEO of The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and lecturer at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, will look at 'Reengineering the global supply chain for the 21st century'.

And Dr Peter Lau, chairman and chief executive, Giordano Intl Ltd, will talk about 'The power of information and the age of co-locational development'.

Other speakers lined up during the two-day event include Mark Green, executive VP, PVH; Peter Kaminsky, MD, Carter's Global Sourcing Ltd; Andrew Polins, VP and assistant MD, Dick's Sporting Goods, Global Sourcing; Colin Browne, VP, sourcing, footwear, VF Corp; Ranju Mahtani, CEO, Epic; Jenny Sim, VP, global sourcing, Foot Locker Inc; Roger Lee, CEO, TAL Group; Janice Wang-Millard, co-founder and CEO, Alvanon Inc; Marissa Maren, business development associate, Busana Apparel Group; and David Birnbaum, MD, Third Horizon Ltd.

In a change from the usual format, a special half-day conference - 'Prime Source Forum: an executive view on sustaining the environment' - is also planned the day before the main event. Taking place at the Clothing Industry Training Authority (CITA), it will look at sustainability issues facing the apparel, footwear and leather industries.

Two panel discussions here will focus on 'Managing hazardous chemicals in the textile supply chain' and 'The road to green and sustainable global value chains - lessons learned!'

Speakers include Sean Cady, VP, product stewardship and sustainability, VF Corp; Lars Doemer, environment responsible, global production, H&M; and Willy Lin, chairman of the Textile Council of Hong Kong and MD, Milo's Knitwear Intl.

For further information, click on the following links: Prime Source Forum (26-27 March at the Sheraton Hong Kong) and its Sustainability Conference (25 March at the Clothing Industry Training Authority).