Opening Keynote: Navigating a New Era of U.S.-Canada Trade

As new tariffs and import restrictions reshape the U.S.-Canada trade relationship, businesses are confronting new questions around market access, compliance, and cross-border supply chains. In this opening keynote, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, former Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. and Canada’s Former Chief Trade Negotiator, offers a timely perspective on the changing U.S.-Canada trade landscape and what recent developments could mean for businesses operating across one of the world’s most integrated trading relationships. Her remarks will set the stage for an afternoon focused on navigating uncertainty and the forces transforming global trade.

Kirsten Hillman, Former Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. and Canada’s Former Chief Trade Negotiator

As AI and automation transform trade compliance, regulators worldwide are expanding enforcement efforts and scrutinizing emerging technologies. This joint AAEI and Global Legal Customs Association panel brings together leading trade attorneys from the U.S., EU, Latin America, and Asia to discuss evolving compliance expectations, AI-driven customs processes, and key legal considerations surrounding data governance, service provider relations, and SaaS-based trade solutions.

Speakers:

• David R. Stepp, Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP
• Bert Gevers, Partner, Loyens & Loeff (Belgium)
• Maria Chang, Senior Foreign Attorney, Tax Practice Group, SHIN & KIM LLC
• Ricardo Romero, Lead Partner, Chevez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cia, S.C.

Artificial intelligence and automation are reshaping import compliance, from tariff engineering, HTS classification and supply chain mapping to forced labor due diligence and FTA qualification. In this interactive session, attendees will participate in live polling and benchmarking exercises while industry practitioners share real-world experiences implementing these technologies.

Speakers:

• Ana Rojas, Director, GTC Strategy, Technology & Governance, AbbVie
• Angela Richard, DIrector, Import Compliance, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies
• James Swanson, Principal Consultant at Triple C Consulting Services, and former Director of Cargo Security and Controls at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
• Steven Pelcovits, Senior Manager, Global Trade Advisory, Deloitte

As export controls and sanctions continue to expand, companies are navigating a compliance environment with fewer opportunities for direct engagement with regulators and reduced regulatory guidance. This panel will examine the growing disconnect between industry and government, the impact on compliance decision-making, and how organizations can strengthen internal controls, data governance, and risk-based compliance programs to manage uncertainty in an era of heightened enforcement and evolving national security priorities. Drawing on insights from leading export control attorneys and former government officials, the discussion will explore strategies for maintaining effective compliance amid rapidly changing regulatory expectations.

Speakers:

• Micheal Ford, International Operational Trade Consultant, Tradebridge Consulting
• T. James Min II, Managing Partner, LMD Trade Law PLLC
• Tim O’Toole, Practice Lead, Economic Sanctions & Export Controls, Miller & Chevalier Chartered
• Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy, Global Trade Intelligence, Descartes