ICA Trade Event Report

One of the cotton community’s favourite events, the annual trade event hosted by the International Cotton Association (ICA), took place this year on 12-13 October in Singapore.
Over 700 delegates joined ICA Directors, members of the ICA Management Team and renowned industry speakers to fully explore the event theme: Discover, Engage, Celebrate.
Known as ICASG17, the event attracted interest from all over the world and all sectors of the supply chain: in total, 39 countries were represented. From ginners and growers to spinners and merchants, the event brought together the major players in the industry and we also welcomed the highest number of non-member guests since the event began.
Taking place in the beautiful Raffles City Convention Centre, the event provided the perfect platform to do business and delve into current industry issues. Delegates also gained insights at a macro level from our speakers, covering topics as diverse as the global economy and the rise of blockchain. The popularity of the seminars and the relevance of the subjects led to the highest attendance to seminars in the event’s history.
The traditional gala dinner saw the Presidency of the ICA transferred from Mr Jürg Reinhart to Mr Salman Ispahani. In a unique appointment for the ICA, Salman leads as a Spinner from Bangladesh, bringing an unprecedented level of experience and insight from that sector of the supply chain to the association.
Speaking after the event, guests described ICASG17 as:
“The best ICA event I have ever attended.”
“Participants from all major markets under one roof.”
“Presentations were excellent.”
“Speakers brought knowledge of future business, economic growth and market outlook.”
In a special announcement, next year’s destination was announced at the gala dinner: see you in Hong Kong?