WITOC and FTA to host AI and trade compliance event in Redondo Beach

Women in International Trade Orange County and the Foreign Trade Association will host an evening event on July 16 in Redondo Beach focused on how AI is shaping foreign direct investment, trade compliance, and U.S. market entry. The program features keynote speaker Hema Dey, plus sessions on customs compliance and Southern California’s role as a launchpad for international companies.

Why it matters: - Foreign direct investment and trade compliance are becoming more complex as international companies expand into the U.S. - The event is aimed at trade professionals, economic development leaders, business owners, and M&A advisors across Southern California. - The discussion centers on how AI can help companies connect operations, comply with shifting rules, and enter the U.S. market faster.

What happened: - Women in International Trade Orange County and the Foreign Trade Association will host "The AI Translator Effect: Driving Foreign Direct Investment Through AI and Trade Compliance" on Thursday, July 16, 2026. - The event runs from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM PT at Roberts and Kehagiaras LLP, 210 Yacht Club Way, Redondo Beach, California. - Registration is complimentary through the public event page on Eventbrite. - The evening includes a continuing education session, a keynote, a book signing, and a hosted networking reception.

The details: - The first session, "AI in Customs Compliance: Navigating CBP HQ H350722," will be led by Destinee Broussard, LCB, CCS, who is WITOC president and CEO of The Trade Pros. - That session will focus on the regulatory boundaries of AI use in import and export compliance. - The second session, "The AI Translator Effect: FDI, Trade and the Future of Southern California," will open with remarks from James McNamee, FTA president and branch manager at LOGISTEED America, Inc., and Simona Filip Racek, CGBP, WITOC chair and CEO of Simaris Trade and Just Down The Street. - Hema Dey, CEO of Iffel International and author of "The AI Translator," will deliver the keynote and sign books. - Hema Dey is described as a Forbes Top 5 AI Leader and an Amazon number one bestselling author. - Dey’s book reached No. 1 on Amazon in Global Marketing, Web Marketing, and E-Commerce after its June 2026 launch. - Dey’s message frames AI as a connective layer between human teams and machine intelligence, using the philosophy "Team Human x Team AI." - Dey said an intelligence layer that connects existing systems can lower overhead, provide multilingual support around the clock, and expand nationwide reach. - Iffel International’s One Brain platform is described as an agentic AI command center that connects existing systems into a single intelligence layer across operations, sales, and client experience. - The event will also include brief remarks from consular and economic development guests on bilateral trade and foreign direct investment opportunities.

Between the lines: - The program reflects a broader push to link AI adoption with practical business problems, not just technology trend-spotting. - California is being positioned as the place where international firms can launch U.S. operations and scale across states. - Trade compliance is emerging as a stress point, with compliance teams facing fast-changing rules and rising workload. - The event also underscores the overlap between trade policy, economic development, and market-entry strategy.

What's next: - WITOC and FTA will bring together trade, legal, logistics, and business leaders on July 16 for discussion and networking. - The event may surface more guidance on how AI can be used in customs compliance and cross-border operations. - The broader conversation is likely to continue around foreign investment, export growth, and how companies build U.S. footprints from Southern California.

The bottom line: - The Redondo Beach event aims to make one point clear: companies entering the U.S. need more than a physical presence, and AI may be the layer that helps them operate, comply, and compete.