Executive
Summary
Mace Hartley Executive Director
The 2017 Fleet Conference & Exhibition had
a profound effect on everybody involved.
Not least because it felt like it took a long
hard journey of planning, conceptualizing,
refining and execution and then was over in a
heartbeat. More importantly, it was great to see
so many new faces on day one at the opening
keynote speech, made by Mike Antich from
Automotive Fleet magazine in the States.
The last year has been a rollercoaster of
learning not just for myself, but clearly for the
fleet management sector in general. In 2016
we touched on low emissions vehicles, and
since then, the chatter has turned into a wave
of voices, steering a large component of 2017’s
main event.
We had significant contributions from the US
and Europe to help us look beyond the day-
to-day routine of addressing problems and to
encourage us to push the envelope. It’s up
to fleet to help itself reduce emissions and
improve safety culture in the mobile workplace.
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That said, the enthusiasm I got from two days
of networking told me we’re headed in the right
direction.
To all our presenters, your contribution to the
fleet managers of Australia and New Zealand is
a great legacy that will last well into the years to
come. On that note, I want to also thank once
again Deborah Bacon from Toyota Fleet and
Glen Tomlinson from Toyota Fleet Management
– our event and platinum partners – for what
has been incredible long-term support for AFMA
and the fleet sector as a whole.
Without them, our gold sponsors Hyundai
Motor Company Australia and Mitsubishi Motors
Australia, silver sponsors Viva Energy, Nissan,
KIA and O’Brien, and podium rounders WEX
Australia and Caltex Australia, the biggest fleet
event Down Under wouldn’t happen. Special
thanks also to technology sponsor Samsung for
helping us connect with our delegates.
Also connecting with delegates this year was of
course our supplier network, which, thanks to