Chaired by Robert Joseph, a key line-up of speakers have been brought together to tackle the key issues facing the trade.

The conference's overall theme will focus on looking to the future in terms of the consumer, retail and wine trends while highlighting opportunities in emerging markets.

Speakers include:

• John Authers The Financial Times' investment columnist - 'Red Wine to Black Swans' - Life without the Euro
• Jancis Robinson OBE MW - Global trends in wine.
• Paul MacKenzie chief executive officer, The Source - Research & Insight - Consumer trends and attitudes to buying.
• Paul Schaafsma, general manager UK & Europe, Australian Vintage Ltd - Innovation can be simple
• Spiros Malandrakis, industry analyst for Alcoholic Drinks, Euromonitor International - Emerging markets and their potential

Panel discussions are:

• How the US have created a market to sell and up-sell wine without resorting to a discounting culture'.
• Trends in Independent Retailing

There will also be a Focus on Brazil by Brazillian wine journalist, Marcelo Copello

The conference has been designed to offer delegates a mixture of practical advice, blue-sky thinking, hard facts and an insight into the future and takes place on the Monday before the LIWF opens on May 22-24, www.londonwinefair.com