The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) members consist of thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants around the world who are together united by one essential goal – promoting the place of plants in people’s lives.
AIPH hosts several conferences, webinars and events such as the International Grower of the Year award throughout the year. Read about these along with the latest news about the association’s activities.
AIPH’s key aim is to stimulate demand for ornamental trees, plants and flowers worldwide. We are committed to supporting growers in achieving this by protecting and promoting the interests of the industry.
28 September 2022, 9:00 am - 5:30 pm CEST, Floriade Expo 2022, Almere, The Netherlands
Influencing Change in a Digital World
The second World Ornamental Horticulture Summit took place on 28th September 2022 in Almere, The Netherlands, as part of the 74th AIPH Annual Congress.
Following the success of the inaugural World Ornamental Horticulture Summit in 2019 in Beijing, the second Summit invited professionals from around the world to the AIPH-approved Expo 2022 Floriade Amsterdam Almere to discover the future of horticulture in the digital age.
With a theme of ‘Influencing change in a digital world’, the 2022 Summit brought together experts from the horticultural industry to discuss: how new media and digital marketing can be utilised to drive sales; how social media can influence the supply chain; and how the industry can prepare for a new world of consumer power.
Watch the Summit on-demand
Programme
09:00 Arrival and registration
09:30 Welcome from Conference Chair and AIPH President
09:45 – Speaker Presentations and Panels
‘Marketing in the digital era‘ – Keynote presentation from Domingo Iudice, CEO of BrainPull digital agency, Italy
Domingo will explore how digital communications and technology can be used to create value and increase profitability, finding new ways to sell B2B and new ways to influence the end consumer. This dynamic and interactive presentation will inspire the industry with a glimpse of the future.
Panel – Our Future in a Digital World
Leading industry figures will explain how they see the role of the online world in shaping the future of the industry:
Steven van Schilfgaarde, CEO of Royal FloraHolland, the Netherlands
Jan van Dam, CEO of Dutch Flower Group, the Netherlands
‘Connecting the dots between breeders, growers, retailers, and home gardeners‘ – Justin Hancock, Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Costa Farms, USA
Justin will share his experience on how the role of digital media and influencers is leading key production and sales decisions and processes in Costa Farms, one of the world’s largest ornamental plant growers, and how this will change the industry forever.
‘Why people listen to me‘ – Darryl Cheng, @HousePlantJournal, Canada
Darryl will explain how he keeps the attention of over half a million followers and why growers will benefit from working more closely with people like him.
13:10 Lunch
14:10 –Speaker Presentations and Panels
‘Connecting the industry to the consumer‘ – Michael Perry, @mr_plantgeek, UK
Michael will use his experience both inside the industry and talking with consumers, to highlight the power of social media and how this can be used to cross over to real life events.
‘Where next for online platforms‘ – Valerio Perego, Head of Sales at Meta, Italy
Meta is the company behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other social media enterprises. Valerio will lay out the future for the global platform and how the ornamental horticulture industry can grow with them.
‘Preparing the industry for the future‘ – Dr. Tosca Ferber, Research Director at Dümmen Orange, the Netherlands
Tosca will explain how breeders are responding to consumer demands and how developing techniques will enable them to meet those demands even more quickly.
Panel – The customer is King
The panel will discuss the changing consumer, their expectations and how the B2C world needs to respond. The panel will begin with a video presentation by JD Flowers, followed by a panel discussion.
Panel Chair: Marco van der Sar, Chairman of the Flower Council, Netherlands
JD Flowers of JD Group, China, is China’s largest online retailer and its biggest overall retailer, as well as the country’s biggest Internet company by revenue. The company has been officially listed on the US Nasdaq Stock Exchange since 2014. Due to COVID restrictions the company will present to the conference by video, presenting their perspective on ‘the customer is king’ and how the industry needs to change.
17:20 Conference Close
Summit Speakers and Panellists
Domingo Iudice
Domingo approached the study of Marketing intending to do creative advertising. Over time he has increased his interests in this field, orienting into strategic advisors: from analysis, planning, and audit to implementing and effectively developing solutions relating to marketing strategies, completing his formation with and Executive Course in Harvard (2022)
In 2012 Domingo co-founded Brainpull, a marketing company that today has a staff of about 80 young professionals based in Puglia, Milan and Recently also US.
Darryl Cheng
Darryl Cheng is the author of ‘The New Plant Parent’ and creator of House Plant Journal. Darryl’s passion for plants and engineering approach to plant care have turned him into one of the most trusted houseplant resources on the internet! What was initially a hobby Tumblr page has turned into an Instagram account with over half a million followers, a go-to website for anything houseplant related, his very own houseplant care book, and plant time-lapse videos that have gone viral around the world.
Michael Perry
Michael Perry goes by the moniker Mr Plant Geek in the UK. Growing plants, loving plants, and sharing his experiences with plants on television, radio, podcasts, and social media has led to him holding the crown of Influencer of the Year bestowed by the UK’s Garden Media Guild. He began as a product developer for Thompson Morgan for 18-years, after which he switched to pursuing his garden personality career. This belief in plants shows he is comfortable working with industry professionals and is authentic with followers.
Valerio Perego
Valerio Perego is Head of CPG Tech Telco at Meta Italy.
He joined Facebook’s team in October 2009, when the social network was first launched in Italy. Valerio has contributed to the growth of the community and to the success of the Italian advertising agency, today taking on a strategic consultant role on the main Italian clients in the marketing and communications areas and supporting an effective use of the platform.
Valerio’s passion for digital marketing and innovation has characterized him along his professional path, recently in Facebook taking care of the Italian launch and previously in Microsoft, following the development of the digital advertising agency. Indeed, Perego had joined Microsoft for the Italian launch of Microsoft Advertising agency in 2001 as an Account with an initial responsibility for SMEs and later for key accounts’ market.
In July 2007, he reached the role of Director for the division dedicated to the FMCG & tech Telco world, dealing with the development of this sector particularly strategic for the brand. Previously, he worked as a Consultant for mobile telecommunications in Omnitel Italy, now Vodafone Italy.
Justin Hancock
Horticulturist Justin Hancock has been in the horticulture industry for more than 25 years across different segments: He was garden editor at Better Homes and Gardens, one of the largest lifestyle publications in North America; he operated an independent garden center; and the manages brand marketing for Costa Farms. He’s passionate about plants and has helped inspire and educate millions of indoor and outdoor home gardeners across the United States and Canada via his work in print, digital, and broadcast platforms.
Tosca Ferber
Tosca studied Biology at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands). After obtaining her MSc degree, she studied the genetic patterns of the speciation process during her PhD project in the wasp genus Nasonia. The genetic patterns of natural adaptation intrigued her very much, which is why Tosca continued her career in genetic adaptation in the field of plant breeding. In 2012, she joined Hazera Seeds as a geneticist for the crops Onion and Leek, after which she took the lead over all Technology Development related to Allium and Brassica in 2014. In 2016, Tosca decided to leave the vegetable breeding industry and move to ornamental breeding by joining Dümmen Orange as Research Director in 2016. At Dümmen Orange, Tosca is in charge of all Technology Development and Technology Application for the complete Dümmen Orange portfolio.
Jan van Dam
After studying business administration, Jan van Dam (1972) started his career at Ahold and held various commercial positions at Albert Heijn. He then occupied several CEO positions at Ahold in the Netherlands, Central Europe and the United States.
In 2020, he switched to the horticulture sector, where he initially became CCO of Dutch Flower Group but moved to the position of CEO in 2021.
Marco van der Sar
Marco van der Sar is managing consultant and owner of Aislinc. Started his career after finishing university at Royal FloraHolland and was also responsible for global marketing at Dümmen Orange. Currently working for several companies in the horticulture industry on various topics (interim management, marketing, consulting). Assigned as chairman of the board of Flower Council Holland (FCH) since 2021. FCH has an important role in the promotion and marketing of flowers and plants in Europe. Moreover, consumer insights and research on various topics are important activities that FCH is working on for growers and traders. He is currently also chairman of growers cooperative Unicum Freesia and interim manager at Modiform.
Steven van Schilfgaarde
Steven van Schilfgaarde (1964) has been CEO of Royal FloraHolland since 1 January 2018. Prior to this, he was Chief Financial Officer and member of the Management Board from May 2016. Steven has been a Member of the Supervisory Board of LeasePlan Corporation since March 2016. He is also a board member of VNO-NCW (the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers).
Before joining Royal FloraHolland, he held numerous management positions within KPN, including CFO and Member of the Board of Management ad interim. Steven holds a degree in economics from the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Floriade Expo 2022
With a theme of ‘Growing Green Cities’, Floriade Expo 2022 shows how horticulture can be used to provide green solutions and offer citizens a more sustainable way of life. More than 400 national and international participants showcase their latest green innovations, solutions and applications at their pavilions.
The initiatives are divided into the Expo’s four themes: Greening the City, Feeding the City, Healthying the City, and Energising the City.
To cement the Expo’s commitment to sustainability and beneficial legacy, the Arboretum area of the site will be converted into accommodation for citizens of Almere after the Expo closes. This new city district will be named Hortus.
PERA Event is an international service agency for special events, M.I.C.E. entertainment and event counselling. Based in Istanbul, Turkey, the group offers solutions, support and services to participants in the development and implementation of International Horticultural Exhibitions.
Royal FloraHolland is a cooperative of growers and we have brought together growers and buyers for over 100 years. We strive for sustainable success for our members by working together with all parties in the floriculture industry, so that the industry continues to grow. We believe that we are smarter and better together, and can do more at less cost than if we each operate on our own. Together, we are becoming increasingly efficient and sustainable and are working towards a future-proof floriculture industry.
We are the biggest marketplace for floriculture in the world and one of the most important export sectors in the Netherlands.
We are developing our marketplace into a digital B2B platform for the floriculture industry with the broadest, deepest and most sustainable range of flowers and plants available worldwide. Ordering, payment, delivery, we ensure that everything is possible through our platform. We connect growers and buyers with all parties in the industry. We are committed to long-term sustainable development. This is how we not only become smarter, more sustainable and more efficient, but also build a future-proof sector. Come join us – Connect to grow.
Royal FloraHolland’s mission is ‘Growing opportunities together’, we connect parties in the floriculture industry and create opportunities for sustainable growth and success on the global market.
Dutch Flower Group is a unique family of over 30 specialised companies, which work together to serve the whole international floriculture supply chain. Thanks to the customers of Dutch Flower Group, an average of 75 million flowers, 10 million bouquets and 10 million plants find their way to consumers throughout the world every week.
The Dutch Flower Group companies supply fresh cut flowers, mixed bouquets, house and garden plants, and decorative ornaments to all imaginable sales channels: from major multiple retailers (supermarket chains, DIY stores, garden centres) and online stores/e-tailers to floral importing wholesalers (who supply to florists). Just like a real family, the individual companies within Dutch Flower Group use their personal character and culture to offer their customers the best possible service.
GreenTech is the global meeting place for all professionals involved in horticulture technology. GreenTech focuses on the early stages of the horticulture chain and production issues relevant to growers. GreenTech offers two yearly exhibitions.
CIOPORA is the International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Horticultural Varieties.
Breeders of such varieties account for two-thirds of all Plant Variety Right (PVR) titles in the world. For more than 50 years, CIOPORA has been representing these breeders in all matters of Intellectual Property (IP) Protection, aiming to foster an environment in which the innovation of these breeders can flourish. The main priority of CIOPORA is the constant development and enhancement of systems of Intellectual Property Protection for plant innovation. CIOPORA enjoys the observer status at the Administrative Council of CPVO and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). CIOPORA unites breeders of all asexually reproduced horticultural plants with a broad portfolio of species and varieties on the market. CIOPORA is a member-based, non-profit organisation with currently 125 members from over 20 countries on five continents.
EPIC is the world-leading industry association that promotes the sustainable development of organizations working in the field of photonics in Europe. We foster a vibrant photonics ecosystem by maintaining a strong network and acting as a catalyst and facilitator for technological and commercial advancement. EPIC publishes market and technology reports, organizes technical workshops and B2B roundtables, supports EU funding proposals, advocacy and lobbying, education and training activities, standards and roadmaps, pavilions at exhibitions.
The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) is a market-driven initiative that brings together members of the international floriculture sector. Towards 2025, FSI members will continue to build on the progress made on transparency, responsible production and trade, positive impact and improvement in the floriculture supply chain.
Florint is a non-profit interest group that represents and supports the professional florist associations of the world. We successfully improve the business life of floral entrepreneurs, and help nurture the flower industry!
FloraCulture International (FCI), your gateway to global ornamental horticulture is the only international trade magazine in the worldwide ornamental sector. FCI shares knowledge, inspires, and strengthens the special and necessary cooperation within the ornamental sector by bringing people, markets and cultures together in the themes and articles.
GABOT.de is the leading specialist information portal for gardeners and decision-makers from production, trade and service in horticulture. GABOT has been online as a horticultural search engine at www.gabot.de since December 1999 and has quickly developed into a leading Internet specialist information service for the horticultural sector thanks to a high-quality range of information. The core target group are gardening professionals with an interest in current market, specialist and service information. More than 65,000 visitors use the professional services every month.
GrowerTalks/Green Profit is the combined grower and retailer magazine produced by Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1937 by George J. Ball, GrowerTalks is one of the global horticulture industry’s longest-standing and most-respected publications, serving growers throughout North America with timely production and marketing information. Ball Publishing also produces nine e-newsletters, including the widely read Acres Online by Chris Beytes, which are available for free around the world.
Host City is the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. It connects cities, rights holders, organising committees and other stakeholders in their quest for best practice in hosting major events. As a conference, exhibition, magazine and website, Host City brings together the international community of international sports, business and cultural events.
Whether you represent a city, a rights holder, organiser or other stakeholders, Host City presents opportunities to get involved in staging upcoming major events. Speakers of the very highest level discuss hosting in the new normal, environmental and social governance, digital transformation and international collaboration. VIP keynotes, panels, Q&A, presentations and interactive workshops will run alongside structured networking and exhibition activities.
Domingo approached the study of Marketing intending to do creative advertising. Over time he has increased his interests in this field, orienting into strategic advisors: from analysis, planning, and audit to implementing and effectively developing solutions relating to marketing strategies, completing his formation with and Executive Course in Harvard (2022)
Darryl Cheng is the author of ‘The New Plant Parent’ and creator of House Plant Journal. Darryl’s passion for plants and engineering approach to plant care have turned him into one of the most trusted houseplant resources on the internet! What was initially a hobby Tumblr page has turned into an 
Valerio Perego is Head of CPG Tech Telco at Meta Italy.
Horticulturist Justin Hancock has been in the horticulture industry for more than 25 years across different segments: He was garden editor at Better Homes and Gardens, one of the largest lifestyle publications in North America; he operated an independent garden center; and the manages brand marketing for Costa Farms. He’s passionate about plants and has helped inspire and educate millions of indoor and outdoor home gardeners across the United States and Canada via his work in print, digital, and broadcast platforms.
Tosca studied Biology at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands). After obtaining her MSc degree, she studied the genetic patterns of the speciation process during her PhD project in the wasp genus Nasonia. The genetic patterns of natural adaptation intrigued her very much, which is why Tosca continued her career in genetic adaptation in the field of plant breeding. In 2012, she joined Hazera Seeds as a geneticist for the crops Onion and Leek, after which she took the lead over all Technology Development related to Allium and Brassica in 2014. In 2016, Tosca decided to leave the vegetable breeding industry and move to ornamental breeding by joining Dümmen Orange as Research Director in 2016. At Dümmen Orange, Tosca is in charge of all Technology Development and Technology Application for the complete Dümmen Orange portfolio.
Marco van der Sar is managing consultant and owner of Aislinc. Started his career after finishing university at Royal FloraHolland and was also responsible for global marketing at Dümmen Orange. Currently working for several companies in the horticulture industry on various topics (interim management, marketing, consulting). Assigned as chairman of the board of Flower Council Holland (FCH) since 2021. FCH has an important role in the promotion and marketing of flowers and plants in Europe. Moreover, consumer insights and research on various topics are important activities that FCH is working on for growers and traders. He is currently also chairman of growers cooperative Unicum Freesia and interim manager at Modiform.
