Auto Rental Summit Announces 2017 Agenda, Keynote

Auto Rental Summit — the conference dedicated to “people, process, and profits” — moves to Miami for the first time with a roster of new speakers and an inaugural add-on event dedicated to smart mobility solutions for fleets.

Auto Rental Summit will take place Nov. 6-7 at Miami Hilton Downtown.

Mike Pitcher, the former CEO of LeasePlan USA and a C-suite executive at Dell and Pitney Bowes, will deliver this year’s keynote address: “The Seven eLements of Leadership for a New Breed of Leader.”

This year’s agenda also features industry consultant and analyst Neil Abrams, who will discuss the moving parts of today’s car rental market and the impacts of new transportation modes on the traditional car rental model.

Jonathan Smoke, chief economist for Cox Automotive, will review the macroeconomic factors affecting the automotive and car rental industries, while Jonathan Banks, vice president of vehicle analysis and analytics at J.D. Power, will discuss vehicle values by segment and relate them to supply, volume, and penetration statistics.

Trey Russell, former director of franchise operations for both Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. and The Hertz Corp., will reveal a blueprint for growth and profits through a refocus on long-term company objectives.

Two seminars are directed to Latin American attendees: Daniel Nunes Romero, CEO of Manheim Brazil, will outline the current state of remarketing in Latin America, while another session will give Latin American operators new tools to price against their competitors.

“Auto Rental Summit will celebrate its sixth anniversary this year, though you could call it a brand-new event,” says Chris Brown, executive editor of Auto Rental News. “More than two-thirds of this year’s speakers are new to Auto Rental Summit, and yet they collectively bring decades of experience in car rental to their presentations.”

New Conference Addresses Smart Mobility

Collocated with Auto Rental Summit, a new event, Fleet Forward Conference, convenes on Nov. 8.

Fleet Forward will outline how intelligent transportation systems, shared and connected vehicles, and changing public policies are converging on the path to autonomous vehicles. The conference is designed to facilitate the active inclusion of fleet stakeholders in the smart mobility revolution through curated networking and high-level education.

Fleet Forward’s programming includes car rental, but it also incorporates solutions for commercial, corporate, government, and municipal fleets.

Seminars with a specific focus for car rental operators include “Reimagining Airport Car Rental” and “Implementing Self-Service Car Rental — Without Reinventing the Wheel.”

All Auto Rental Summit attendees are encouraged to stay an extra day to attend Fleet Forward Conference, says Brown. The conference will commence with a cocktail networking reception on Nov. 7 and follow with a full day of programming on Nov. 8. Attendance is free for Auto Rental Summit registrants.