This year’s forum, hosted by the Turkish Post in Istanbul, has the theme: “Postal digital dividends: A new portfolio, better performance or a redefined mission?”

"This vibrant city is a bridge between Europe and Asia. In many ways, the Forum, by bringing together so many CEOs, is itself a dynamic bridge for transferring knowledge, ideas and information,” said UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein. 

“UPU, from the start, has had a single, driving ambition for the Forum: to help CEOs build a powerful vision of the postal future, and support them in their drive to do so,” he added. 

The first panel discussions will have participants pick up the conversation from where they left off in 2017, taking into account the current global economic environment. They will then go on to examine changing customer expectations and their role as universal service providers.

Postal leaders will close the discussions by drawing some conclusions to send to the ministers responsible for the Post, who will meet this September at the Ministerial Strategy Conference held in Addis Ababa. 

The UPU World CEO Forum is an exclusive, CEOs-only event where the captains of designated postal operators come together over two days to discuss opportunities that the industry can leverage to build a strong and vibrant Post for the future. It also provides a rare opportunity for CEOs to network among their peers. 

This year marks the third anniversary of the Forum, which was launched in Paris in 2016. The 2017 event was hosted by the Russian Post in Moscow. 

Some 60 CEOs from around the globe have already confirmed their participation at this year’s event.  Next year’s UPU World CEO Forum will be held between 10-12 June at a venue to be agreed.