International expert on terrorism to be keynote speaker at CBAFF conference

Jolene Jerard, an expert in the field of global political violence and terrorism, will be keynote speaker at the 2015 Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation (CBAFF) conference.

This year’s conference will be held at the Rydges Hotel in Wellington from May 5-7. It is the only event of its kind in New Zealand to bring together those working within the sector.

Ms Jerard is an Associate Research Fellow and Manager at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

The Centre is one of the largest counter terrorism research and training centres in the world.

She has also been a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Conflict and Peace Studies in Afghanistan and conducted field research in several threat zones including Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Southern Thailand.

Her research includes interviewing leaders and members of threat groups including politico-religious and ethno-nationalist groups, often carrying out interviews in prisons.

She is a co-author of Terrorism Rehabilitation and Counter-Radicalisation: New Approaches to Counter Terrorism (2012) and a participant in the Terrorism Research Initiative (TRI) which provides a platform for sharing research in the field of terrorism, political violence and conflict studies.

Ms Jerard said her presentation to the conference will include outlining current trends in terrorism and its effects on the logistics industry.

“That will include looking at ISIS and its impact on Asia Pacific in particular and implications for the sector and at how ISIS has used social media networks as a platform for radicalisation,” she said.

Speakers will also include Lorraine Creasy, Global Logistics Manager for internationally successful natural health products company Comvita, and Liz Walker, the company’s Group Quality and Compliance Manager. They will discuss establishing secure supply chains through supply partnerships.

Speakers also include Paul Harper - Netlogix, Shane Bayley - Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management, Kevin Duxfield - Contact Energy, Helen Murray - Lion, Russell Wilkinson – Customs & International Trade, Tax Advisory Australia, Tom Street - Intent Group, and Ken Shirley - NZ Road Transport Forum.

ENDS

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