Disclaimer: Programme is subject to changes without notice
Tuesday 10th October
| 19:00 | All invited guests to gather in the hotel lobby for a coach transfer to dinner restaurant
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| 19:30 | ITFA Board and Sponsors’ Dinner, Cafe Del Mar, Yas Island
By invitation only |
Wednesday 11th October
Day 1
| 09:00-09:30 | Welcome Address
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| 09:30-10:25 | Moving beyond “Big Oil” – The Opportunities in MENA’s Economic Diversification
The Gulf is leading the wider Middle East region to pivot from dependence on oil towards economic diversification and sustainability. What opportunities does this trend bring for regional businesses and banks? What will the “Great Pivot” look like in terms of infrastructure, trade, smart technologies, and commercial outreach to other regions, such as Africa? And how will diversification be financed? Speaker:
Robert Besseling, Founder and CEO, Pangea-Risk
Robert BesselingFounder and CEO, Pangea-Risk Robert founded Pangea-Risk in 2015 after pursuing a career in political risk forecasting at industry-leading firms in the UK and US. At Pangea-Risk, Robert leads a team of partners, researchers, and contributing analysts to produce commercially relevant and actionable analysis and forecasts on political, security, and economic risk in Africa and the Middle East. Robert also retains the lead on many consulting projects for blue chip corporations in a wide variety of sectors. Robert is regularly invited to speak at major international conferences on topics such as metals and mining, trade and export finance, and global security matters. He frequently moderates ministerial panels and has interviewed multiple African heads of state and government during his career. Robert makes frequent appearances on televised media, as well as contributions to international print media. He has travelled extensively on the continent and calls Africa his ‘home’. |
| 10:25-10:55 | Coffee Break
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| 10:55-11:50 | Scaling UAE non-oil trade through tailored export credit insurance
In synergy, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI) and Abu Dhabi Export Office (ADEX) contribute significantly to the UAE’s economic development by encouraging trade, export diversification and the expansion of local businesses on the global stage. These initiatives strengthen the UAE’s position as a dynamic hub for international trade and commerce. How are the 2 UAE based export agencies working together on the country’s advancement? At the conference, we will hear directly from the ECI and the ADEX about trade, export and growth. Speakers:
Raja Al MazroueiCEO, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI) A multi-award-winning digital transformation leader with over 20 years of experience driving the next generation of digital innovation across various industries. Renowned for her technical vision and empathetic leadership, Raja has a proven track record of cross-functional management and successfully transforming and bolstering businesses, contributing significantly to the UAE’s thriving economy. Serving as the current CEO of Etihad Credit Insurance, Raja plays an instrumental role in actualising ECI’s vision and mission, driving the strategy to support UAE exporters, fortify national economic growth, and further position the UAE as a global trading powerhouse. During her tenure in DIFC as the Executive Vice President, Raja played a pivotal role in advancing the UAE’s national innovation agenda by establishing The FinTech Hive, one of the region’s most successful FinTech hubs and ecosystems. Raja’s proactive collaboration with diverse stakeholders has contributed to the UAE’s thriving digital economy, fostering the growth of over 500 financial technology startups, and earning the FinTech Hive recognition as one of the world’s top financial innovation labs by Global Finance Magazine. Over the years, Raja has further expanded her credentials by completing executive education programs at Harvard Business School, London Business School, University of California at Berkeley, and Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance. Recently, she completed the Singularity Executive Program, a leadership transformation program focused on the potential of exponential technologies for building a better world. Beyond her core responsibilities, Raja serves on various boards, including the Harvard Business School MENA Advisory Board, Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, Zand Digital Bank, Al Masraf Arab Bank, Al Ansari Financial Services, and Ittihad International Investment. Raja‘s leadership is defined by her unwavering commitment to leveraging technology and innovation for a positive impact in various sectors. She is driven by a deep commitment to shaping the future of trade and the economy, constantly seeking opportunities to elevate community life and prosperity. By nurturing innovative mindsets and executing scalable strategies, Raja strives to contribute to the UAE’s position as a global hub for innovation and trade, reflecting her profound dedication to inspiring change and progress. Khalil Al MansooriActing Director General, Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX) Khalil Fadhel Al Mansoori is the Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi Exports Office, the export-financing arm of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). He is responsible for managing ADEX’s business development activities, including evaluation of loan requests, nurturing key stakeholder relationships, offering senior management informed loan recommendations and overseeing ADEX’s overall operations. All these responsibilities are undertaken with the aim of facilitating the organization’s continuous growth. Before taking on this role in 2022, Khalil managed the disbursement section of the Finance Department of ADFD starting in 2018. The role involved credit and grant administration for both local and international projects. Additionally, he executed various investment opportunities. Khalil began his journey at ADFD in 2013 as an engineer, rising to the position of Senior Engineer in 2017. During this tenure, he played an active role in conducting project feasibility studies and managing the financing of international projects. Proficient in Arabic and English, Khalil served on various committees and boards of entities including the Arabian Gulf Program for Development, UAE-Bangladesh Investment Company, Al Ain Farm for Livestock Production, Al Dhabi Development Company and Abu Dhabi Tourism Investment Company. Khalil holds a B. Sc., in Civil Engineering from Ohio State University in the United States. |
| 11:50-12:45 | ITFA’s Big Role: As seen by our Multilateral Advisory Panel
ITFA’s Multilateral Advisory Panel is a group of distinguished development bankers who have passed their microscope over ITFA. What can any trade association do to make things better and how can we all help? Moderator:
Shannon Manders, Editorial Director, GTR
Shannon MandersEditorial Director, GTR Shannon Manders is the Editorial Director of London-headquartered international trade and trade finance publication GTR (Global Trade Review), which she joined in 2009 as a staff reporter. Shannon is also a freelance financial journalist, editor and editorial consultant, leading projects and writing for industry bodies, such as the World Trade Board, the International Trade & Forfaiting Association and the British Exporters Association, as well as an array of financial institutions and fintech companies. She is a partner at Tellus ESG Counsel LLP, a business advisory firm aimed at driving the success of innovative start-ups in the environmental, social and governance space. Shannon is regularly invited to lead onstage debates, roundtable discussions and webinars, both at GTR’s own conferences and at a range of other top industry events hosted by the likes of the ICC Banking Commission, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, SWIFT (Sibos) and the Commonwealth Business Forum. Panelists:
Bleming NekatiChief Trade Finance Officer, African Development Bank (ADB) Chief Trade Finance Officer, African Development Bank (ADB) Bleming Nekati currently holds the position of Chief Trade Finance Officer at the African Development Bank (AfDB). His primary responsibilities cover the Bank’s trade finance origination and financial sector operations in Eastern, Western & Southern Africa, a region spanning over thirty countries. Prior to joining the AfDB, he held a series of senior positions including at board level, across a number of sectors such as Corporate & Investment Banking, Financial Advisory Services, Agri-Business, ICT Services, and Structured Trade/Commodity Finance in several countries that include Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Bleming holds both under-graduate and post-graduate qualifications in Economics & Business Management from a number of universities in South Africa, USA, and Zimbabwe. He is an Associate of the Institute of Bankers in South Africa and has attended the Executive Development Programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Sloan Business School). Clarine StenfertGlobal Trade Finance Head, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Clarine is an expert in structured finance in Emerging Markets with 30 years of experience across all continents including Africa, Latin America and Asia. She has extensive experience in corporate and investment banking advising and arranging project and structured financings. Clarine has worked for various international financial institutions (Citibank, ING, CA-CIB and JP Morgan). Clarine is leading Global Trade at MIGA (part of the Worldbank) based in Washington, DC. Before joining MIGA, initially as a consultant in 2020, Clarine was a Managing Director at JP Morgan and Global ECA Head for Infrastructure where she led a team based out of London, New York and Singapore. She has worked on numerous high profile landmark transactions and won several awards. Clarine has advised and arranged billions of dollars of financing in Emerging Markets. Clarine holds a Master’s degree in International Finance from Columbia University, NY, USA and a BA from European Business School in Germany. Clarine speaks fluent English, French, Dutch and German. Gwen MwabaDirector & Global Head - Trade Finance, African Export-Import Bank Gwen Mwaba joined Afreximbank in May 2015. In her role as Director & Global Head, Trade Finance, she heads the Trade Finance business for Afreximbank and leads a team executing transactions in all Afreximbank member states across Africa. Her expertise cuts across Receivables Financing, Pre-export and Pre-payment financing, Structured Trade and Commodity Financing and lending to Financial Institutions and Sovereigns. Gwen has 25 years of banking experience in Oil & Gas, Telecoms, Hospitality, Mining, Health and agri-business. Gwen is also a member of the Board Advisory Panel of the International Trade & Forfaiting Association (ITFA). Before joining Afreximbank, she worked for Standard Bank Plc in London. Rudolf PutzHead Trade Facilitation Programme, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Rudolf Putz is Head of EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme and has more than 30 years of experience in financing trade with Eastern Europe, the CIS and the southern and eastern Mediterranean. He started his professional career in 1983 as Deputy Head of Commodity Trade Finance at Centro Internationale Handelsbank AG Vienna, a subsidiary of Raiffeisen Bank International. In 1993 Rudolf Putz joined HELM AG Hamburg as Head of Structured Trade Finance and from 1996 to 1997 he was Deputy Head of Structured Trade Finance at Bank Austria International Trade Services Vienna, a subsidiary of Unicredit. In 1997 he became Director Trade Finance at Deutsche Handelsbank AG Berlin, a subsidiary of Credit Agricole, and since 2000 he has been developing EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP). Rudolf Putz holds a Doctor’s Degree from the Vienna University of Economics & Business Administration. Makiko ToyodaGlobal Head, GTFP & GSCF - Trade and Supply Chain, international Finance Corporation (IFC) Makiko Toyoda is Global Head of Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP) & Global Supply Chain Finance Program (GSCF) at International Finance Corporation (IFC) (World Bank Group). GTFP is IFC’s largest trade finance program established in 2004 which currently covers 74 countries and GSCF is a newly established program to provide supplier financing in emerging markets. Makiko has 30 years of trade & supply chain finance and banking experiences, having worked in Washington DC, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, London, Frankfurt, and Tokyo. She joined IFC in 2003 and was the Sub-Saharan Africa Head based in Johannesburg before assuming the current role in Washington DC in 2017. She is a member of WTO’s Trade Finance Expert Working Group. Prior to joining IFC, she worked for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) where she worked on trade and commodity finance programs, and for the Industrial Bank of Japan (IBJ) where she was the Deputy General Manager. She also worked for Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau (KfW) under the Staff Exchange Program. Makiko holds a BA degree in Economics from Keio University and a Master’s degree from SAIS, Johns Hopkins University. |
| 12:45-13:45 | Lunch
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| 13:45-14:40 | From geopolitics to geoeconomics – managing the reality of perpetual risk
Great Power Conflict is very much back on the agenda. The Russia-Ukraine crisis and heightened tensions super-power tensions are re-defining risk in a world where conflicts are fought through sanctions, export controls, ESG, access to finance and technology in undeclared “wars” which no-one “wins” as nations fight for economic primacy.It is difficult to understate the consequences for trade finance.This session will take a pragmatic view of how such risk can be managed. Moderator:
Rebecca Harding, Director, Rebeccanomics
Rebecca HardingDirector, Rebeccanomics Dr. Rebecca Harding is a Senior Fellow of the British Foreign Policy Group and an independent trade economist, public speaker and sustainable trade and supply chain specialist. In 2022 she was awarded the “Net Zero Entrepreneur of the Year” at the annual Scale Up Group’s Enterprise Awards event. She has held senior positions at Deloitte, London Business School, the Work Foundation, and UK Finance, where she was Chief Economist. She acted as Specialist Adviser to the Treasury Select Committee and advised the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Entrepreneurship. She has acted as a trade finance and supply chains expert witness, is a member of the World Trade Board, the ITFA’s ESG Committee and the ICC’s sustainable trade finance technology sub-committee. Between 2004 and 2018 she was a Director and Trustee of the German-British Forum. She co-authored “The Weaponization of Trade: the Great Unbalancing of Policy and Economics” and “Gaming Trade: Win-Win Strategies for the Digital Era.” She has authored 8 other books on the German economy, global innovation policy and SME financing. Her high media profile includes frequent appearances on BBC Television and Radio, Sky, CNBC, and Times Radio, as well as citations in the broadsheet media. Panelists:
Andrew van den BornManaging Director, Global Head of CPRI for FinanciaI Institutions, WTW Based in their London headquarters, Andrew has 30 years industry experience and specialises in the structuring and placement of complex credit and political risk insurance programmes for all types of international projects and trade, working closely with lenders, private equity funds, exporters, ECAs/DFIs, traders and investors. He started his career as a credit reinsurance broker and has spent time at various brokerage houses prior to joining WTW in 2010. Andrew is a regular contributor to trade magazines and has spoken at various international structured trade and commodity finance conferences. After reading law at London University, Andrew obtained a Masters’ Degree in International Trade Law from the London School of Economics. Founded in 1829 and listed on the Nasdaq, WTW is one of the world’s largest insurance and reinsurance brokers with more than 45,000 associates located in over 400 offices in 140 countries. Through its subsidiaries, WTW develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Sheleena GovindSenior Transactor, Debt and Trade Solutions, Institutional Client Group, Rand Merchant Bank Sheleena is a Senior Transactor in the RMB’s Institutional Client Group, responsible for the origination and structuring of debt, liquidity and trade solutions for financial institutions. Sheleena has extensive experience in corporate and investment banking in regional banks and is skilled on both the institutional and corporate sector across various industries. Main focus areas include lending, loan syndications and distribution, structured trade finance and working capital solutions across Africa and international jurisdictions. Russell BrownGlobal Head Trade Finance - Financial Institutions, Deutsche Bank Russell Brown is Global Head of Trade Finance – Financial Institutions, in the Corporate Bank Division of Deutsche Bank, based in London. Russell is a veteran of Trade Finance with over 30 years experience. His experience has predominantly been on the corporate side and he has been responsible for the full Trade Finance flow product suite to UK, Irish & Nordic corporates and Multinational corporates domiciled in the UK, Ireland, Nordics, Sub Saharan Africa, Israel and selected Eastern European countries. He headed up Deutsche Bank UK, Ireland and Nordics from 2005 until August 2019. Alongside his position now as Head of Trade Finance & Lending for UK & Ireland Russell has assumed the role of Global Head of Trade Finance – Financial Institutions since August 2019. As a leading global Trade Finance bank Deutsche Bank’s Russell has a team of over 50 people sitting globally serving its correspondent banks to facilitate international Trade in over 145 countries. |
| 14:40-15:35 | C-Suite panel
We propose, they dispose. What’s really going on In the C-suite and how do they see the world? Find out here! Moderator:
Harsha Mehta, EMEA Trade Risk Distribution, Citi
Harsha MehtaEMEA Trade Risk Distribution, Citi Harsha currently works as an EMEA Trade Risk Distribution specialist in Citibank based in London where she looks after FI secondary market participations for the EMEA and LatAM region. She is also responsible to manage Trade Finance Fund which is an investment fund that Citi uses to diversify their portfolio of investors. Harsha was recently shortlisted for the ITFA Emerging Trade Financier 2022 Award for writing a paper on ‘The importance of 2 E’s in Trade Finance’ following which she became part of the FEX (Future of Export finance) working group. Before joining Citibank, she was part of the Risk distribution team in Barclays and also looked after their short term ECA business. Harsha has an MBA in Finance and Marketing and finds her passion in contemporary western forms of dance. Panelists:
Natasha CondonPayments - Global Head of Trade Sales and EMEA Trade Region Head, JPMorgan Natasha is the Global Head of Trade Sales and EMEA Trade Region Head within Payments at JPMorgan Chase. She has 18 years of experience across trade finance and working capital solutions for both corporate and financial institutions. Her global team provide strategic working capital advisory, risk mitigation, sales growth, and digital efficiencies for the top multinationals in the world. She was recognized for her ESG advisory work in trade finance by Innovate Finance in the Women in Fintech Powerlist 2021 and was awarded the 2022 Social Impact award by Women in Payments. She is also the Co-Chair of the Bi+ Council, a global JPM-wide employee organization, and is active in JPM’s business resource groups for women and for underrepresented minorities. Prior to her current role Natasha was the Global Head of Core Trade for JP Morgan, in which capacity she ran all documentary trade products for the business. She joined the firm from Citi, where she was Global Trade Sales Head and a member of the Global Trade Management Committee. Natasha holds a Master of Arts from Oxford University where she studied Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE). Damian AustinManaging Director - Chief Banking Officer, BACB As Chief Banking Officer, Damian is responsible for leading BACB’s businesses, incorporating Trade Finance, Real Estate, and Banking & Payment Services. Additionally, he oversees the corporate and financial institution coverage, working with BACB’s team of Relationship Managers and Transaction Client Services Team. Damian has over 25 years’ Banking experience and a proven track record in originating, structuring, and syndicating transactions across a variety of specialist markets; having served as Interim European Head of Wholesale Banking & European Head of Global Transaction Banking at Bank ABC, and previously holding senior positions at HSBC and Barclays, where he built and led the Global Trade Syndications team. In his role at BACB Damian oversees the Bank’s key business development activities, delivering sustainable profitable growth for the organisation. Using his extensive industry experience, Damian is leading the implementation of the Bank’s strategy to provide tailored solutions to clients operating, and trading, in specialist markets. Diego BarronHead of Private Debt Mobilization Europe, Banco Santander Diego is the European Head of the Private Debt Mobilization (PDM). Based in London, he is responsible for all the distribution of assets in Europe, both primary and secondary. His group manages all the underwriting and warehousing risk in Europe for all asset classes. He joined Santander in 2017 and holds 20 years’ experience in different banking roles mainly in the capital markets arena. Previously, he worked at Banco Popular from 2009 to 2017 where he managed the Institutional and Markets business and was also Head of Investor Relations. Prior to this, he also worked as an equity research analyst mainly at BNP. Sinan OzcanSenior Executive Officer, DP World Trade Finance Sinan has 21 years of experience working in executive roles across various industries, focusing on several areas of banking, financial services & logistics i.e. trade & structured finance solutions, supply chain finance, new ventures and business development. Sinan joined DP World in April 2021, set up “DP World Financial Services Limited” where he continues to serve as Senior Executive Officer and Board Director, and globally leads DP World’s “Trade Finance” business, DP World’s global trade finance initiative. In March 2017, he set up Maersk Trade Finance business in UAE, obtained regulatory license, rapidly grew business, and served as Senior Executive Officer, Board Director and Regional Trade Finance Head for Indian Subcontinent, Middle East & Africa region until 2021. Previously, Sinan was Regional Director of UK Export Finance (a British Government Department and the official Export Credit Agency of the UK) for Europe, MENA and Central Asia region, established UKEF’s overseas presence and originated trade & project finance deals. Prior to UKEF, he headed Trade Finance/Financial Services unit of CNH Industrial for Africa-Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions. Before CNH, Sinan held the position as Auditor at VakifBank and covered many areas of banking & financial services. Sinan holds MBA degree from Philadelphia University and Master’s Degree in Banking & Entrepreneurship from the joint program of Venice & Udine Universities in Italy. Sinan speaks English, Italian, Turkish, French and German and lived & worked in Turkey, USA, Italy, Singapore, Thailand and UAE. |
| 15:35-16:05 | Coffee Break
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| 16:05-17:00 | What next for ESG in 2023 and beyond?
What role do ESG considerations play in 2023 and beyond given the expected economic downturn, pressures on energy security, and global supply chains paired with an ever changing regulatory framework? What role do emerging markets play in the debate, and are the voices of emerging markets heard? Moderator:
Jo Wissing, Director, Deputy Head Trade Finance Syndication, Credit Suisse Schweiz AG and ITFA Board Member, Head of ESG
Jo WissingDirector, Deputy Head Trade Finance Syndication, Credit Suisse Schweiz AG and ITFA Board Member, Head of ESG Jo is an experienced banking professional with an established record of accomplishment in relationship management, trade finance origination, syndication, and distribution across numerous geographies and sectors. She has proven her leadership in deal structuring, risk mitigation, pricing, capital management, credit analysis, and legal documentation. Jo joint the ITFA Board in January 2021 which led to the creation of a dedicated ESG function at board level. Next to advancing ESG in trade Jo is very passionate about innovation, and has been one of the founding members of the fintech committee during her time setting up and co-founding the European presence of a major US headquartered fintech start-up. Having spent most of her career to date in London with Barclays, LiquidX and Lloyds Jo spent nearly two years in Singapore looking after FI & NBFI trade for Asia Pacific for Lloyds Bank. Following that she took the exciting opportunity to join the trade syndication team at Credit Suisse Schweiz AG two years ago and is since based in Zurich. Jo holds an MSc in Management from Warwick Business School and a BA in Political Science from Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen. A native of Germany she has to date lived in seven different countries and is always curious exploring new places. Panelists:
Yousra El SayedDirector - Sustainable Finance, Investment Banking, Mashreq Yousra joined Mashreq Investment Banking Sustainable Finance in 2023. Prior to that she has spent 10 years at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development leading origination and business development efforts focusing on GCC based investors. Before joining the EBRD, Yousra worked for the Arab African International Bank, as an investment banker. Over the years, she designed and implemented several investment projects and various technical, advisory and policy work, across a number of sectors in the Middle East and North Africa regions. She holds a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo and an Msc in Finance from King’s Business School Jonny CarruthersDirector, BPL Global Jonny Carruthers has eighteen years of experience in the insurance market. He joined BPL Global in 2015 and was made Director in 2019. As Director, Jonny’s role focuses on managing a team dedicated to Excess of Loss (XoL) trade credit insurance, supporting a client base that spans the banking, commodity, agricultural and oil & gas sectors. In 2018, the XoL team led by Jonny was launched to structure and place bespoke credit insurance programmes for large multinational corporates, banks and captives in response to increased demand from BPL Global’s clients for portfolio credit insurance. The six-strong team has enabled BPL Global to broaden its use of the product within the insurance market and strengthen clients’ credit risk management. The team has also worked to deliver further product efficiencies to enhance portfolio growth for both new and existing clients, helping banks to obtain regulatory capital relief, eliminate operational risks and improve their advance rate through having their own insurance policy. Before joining BPL Global, Jonny held the position of Executive Director at Willis from 2009 to 2015, with a focus on top-tier banking clients and multinational corporates. He also helped to develop new products and unique policy structures. Prior to this, he spent four years at Marsh as a Client Executive in the London trade credit insurance team. Jonny holds a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics from the University of Bath. He is ACII qualified and holds a FINMA broking licence in Switzerland. Joel BensoorHead of Portfolio Management, British International Investment Joel is the Head of Financial Services Portfolio Management at British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor. Joel oversees a global portfolio, with the aim of investing to create more sustainable and inclusive economies across Africa and Asia. Prior to joining BII, Joel held senior positions at Mediobanca where he was Head of Loan & CLO Trading, in an African investment fund and at Deutsche Bank, where he focussed on emerging markets credit trading. Joel has more than 15 years’ experience in trading, portfolio management and structuring. He holds master’s degrees in engineering from University College London and is a CFA charter holder. Massimo FalcioniChief Competitiveness Officer, Abu Dhabi Investment Office Massimo Falcioni is a highly accomplished CEO, board member, and expert in the financial services industry. With over 30 years of experience, he has consistently delivered outstanding results for government and multinational organizations across Europe and the Middle East. His dynamic leadership, strategic vision, and attention to innovation have earned him a prominent position as a trusted and influential figure in the business world. He is ranked as one of the Top 100 CEOs in the Middle East by Forbes in 2022 and 2019 and has received numerous accolades for his contributions to leadership, global trade and his commitment towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiatives. Massimo has demonstrated a deep understanding of economic cycles and import/export trade flows throughout his career, resulting in sustained revenue and EBITDA growth. His recent success as the founder CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ national export credit agency Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI) from 2018 to February 2023 further showcases his ability to drive economic diversification, trade, and project financing, and overall investments aligned with the UAE’s ambitious 2031 agenda. Prior to his role at ECI, Massimo held executive roles at Coface, where he served as the CEO for Middle East Countries, and Allianz Trade (Euler Hermes), where he was the CEO for Gulf Countries. He has also held senior leadership roles at multinational companies such as Volkswagen Financial Services, Philip Morris International, and Exxon Mobil. Currently serving as the Chief Competitiveness Officer at Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the central government hub supporting investment in Abu Dhabi, aimed at growing the emirate’s private sector and diversifying its economy. He is also the elected Secretary-General and Vice President of the Italian Business Council Dubai and Northern Emirates since 2017, Non-Executive Board Member at Conares, Massimo’s expertise lies in financial services, credit insurance, project and trade finance, commercial and political risk management, strategy, lecturing, and speaking engagements. His exceptional leadership capabilities have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy from the President of the Italian Republic in 2017. |
| 17:00-18:00 | ITFA Emerging Leaders Trade Financier Award
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| 19:30 | Welcome dinner at The Ritz Carlton, Abu Dhabi Grand Canal Hotel
Dress Code: Beach Party |
Thursday 12th October
Day 2
| 09:00-09:55 | Bank to Bank (and alternative investors!) Distribution: the state of the art
The need for banks to distribute their trade assets has never been stronger in what many had considered to be a restricted club relying on decade old techniques. Innovations in documentation and digitalisation as well as new investors are changing the landscape.This panel will examine what is changing and how we can all benefit. Moderator:
Clarissa Dann, Editorial Director - Marketing, Deutsche Bank
Clarissa DannEditorial Director - Marketing, Deutsche Bank Clarissa Dann is Editorial Director of Marketing at Deutsche Bank Corporate Bank where she leads the bank’s content strategy across its Trade Finance, Cash Management, Securities Services, Trust and Agency Services businesses (together with our ESG content via the db.com/flow portal and app). She presents Trade Finance TV, a broadcast channel launched in 2019 supported by Deutsche Bank’s flow, and has moderated financial services panels for SWIFT and the International Trade & Forfaiting Association. Before joining Deutsche Bank in 2017 Clarissa was Editor-in-Chief at the former Trade & Forfaiting Review, a role she took up after a career in legal and regulatory publishing at Thomson Reuters and LexisNexis. Clarissa holds an MBA from Cass Business School in London. Panelists:
Dominic CapolongoChief Revenue Officer, LiquidX Dominic Capolongo brings over 25 years of broad experience building sustainable revenue production and defining, managing, and leading teams. Previously, Dominic served as Global Head of Funding at PrimeRevenue and held positions at leading financial services companies including FBR, RBC Capital Markets, Jefferies, and Credit Suis Nishit KumarHead of Loan Syndication, Sales & Distribution, Investment Banking, Mashreq Nishit has around 22 years of experience in banking and financial services across MENA, India, North America, Europe & Africa, with a primary focus on loan syndication, structured & acquisition finance and trade assets distribution. Nishit has worked in multiple markets including India, Middle East & USA. Prior to joining Mashreq in 2015, he has handled senior level roles in Standard Chartered and ICICI Bank. He has closed numerous transactions for clients, raising over USD 100bn in the public and private markets, across multiple sectors, including Sovereigns, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Shipping, Trading, GREs amongst others Nishit is a mechanical engineer from IIT Kharagpur, India, and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, India. Izabela CzepirskaProduct Manager, Komgo Izabela has 10 years of experience in Financial Services across traditional banking, FinTech and academia. Since mid 2020, Izabela has been part of Komgo, where she manages the digital Trade Finance products allowing banks and corporates to connect and transact securely. In her role, she focuses on receivables discounting, documentary credit, secondary market and electronic documents. She started at Citi on a graduate programme across Transaction Banking, Cash Management, Credit Risk and Trade Finance where she stayed for a further 5 years, taking roles on the Risk Distribution & Syndication desk and in Supply Chain Finance. Alongside working at Citi, Izabela commenced a full-time PhD programme at Warsaw School of Economics. Her dissertation on microfinance around financial inclusion and use of technology came to fruition in June 2019 when she was awarded a PhD cum laude in finance. Soon after she joined Crowdz in London, a blockchain trade finance software platform tied to Ethereum headquartered in Silicon Valley. Given her experience in different parts of Trade Finance and strong academic background, Izabela joined ITFA Emerging Leaders Committee where she is the Deputy Chairperson to support the initiatives put together in the areas of ITFA EL events, webinars, academic panels and individual mentoring sessions as well as the Market Practice Committee to support the standardisation across the industry. Khilola TuraevaHead of Trade Risk Distribution and SCF Program Management, EMEA, Bank of America Khilola is EMEA Head of Trade Risk Distribution and SCF Program Management at Bank of America based in London. She started her journey in Asaka Bank in 1997, a local large bank in Uzbekistan, where she held different managerial roles in Trade Finance and Transaction Banking. In 2006 she moved to London to join The Trade Asset Management team for RBS (formerly ABN AMRO Bank N.V.) to work alongside the Fl relationship teams to originate trade transactions from financial institutions in Russia & CIS countries as well as distribute the entire range of trade products to Fl investors. The years spent in ABN and RBS gave a huge amount of insight and exposure which led to the incredible opportunity to join Bank of America back in 2011 and set up the EMEA Trade Risk Distribution desk for BofA, which is now an important market player in the global secondary market. In her current capacity at Bank of America she is managing the distribution of trade Corporate and FI assets and driving growth of the regional SCF portfolio through active buyer and supplier engagement and marketing. Pankaj MundraCo-Founder and Chairman, 360TF Mr. Pankaj Mundra is a renowned Chartered Accountant with a Post Graduate in Management. With the experience of over 20 years in 20+ years of Banking experience in the fields of Strategy, Fund Raising, Trade Finance, Debt Syndication, Re-structuring, Investment Advisory & Risk Consulting in the Middle East and Asia region. Pankaj Mundra has exposure of working with financial institutions like ICICI Bank, Standard Chartered Bank ABN AMRO Bank & Mashreq Bank. Owing to his exemplary skills of sensing the opportune time, he co-founded a boutique trade finance advisory firm Nimai Management Consultants just after Global Financial Crisis of 2009. He recently co-founded 360tf which is the culmination of Nimai’s decade-long Trade Finance advisory experience and years of ideation on the technology side. The core aim of the platform is to connect Exporters and Importers with Banks across the globe to make the Best Trade Finance Deals happen. Mr. Mundra has been the finalist for the Regus Business Leader of the Year in 2013. He has also been awarded as the Champion Consultant at the SME World Summit in 2014. Furthermore, Pankaj Mundra has served the ICAI Dubai Chapter in capacity of Chairman in 2016-2017. Finally, he also served as the Deputy Chairperson of the ITFA MENA Committee for 2017-2018. |
| 09:55-10:50 | Preparing for Basel 4: how to manage your balance sheet and still use credit insurance
We are inching towards greater clarity on the new capital rules for trade but what is left to decide? And where we have clarity, how significant are the implications for trade finance? Credit Risk Insurance has also been an important force multiplier for our industry. How do the new rules impact this vital partner to trade finance? Two experts will give the audience the benefit of their knowledge. Speakers:
Volker HandrichSwiss Re Corporate Solutions Volker Handrich, a German citizen born 21st November 1964, has a law degree from the University of Konstanz, Germany. He joined the reinsurance industry in 1991 with Aachen Re which was acquired in 1995 by GE Insurance Solutions which since 2006 is part of Swiss Re Group. He had various underwriting roles in P&C reinsurance before he moved in 2005 to the Bank Trade Finance Team of GE Insurance Solutions (founded in 1998) and today is Geo Lead EMEA and Head FI Risks within the Trade Finance team of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. Carol SearleGroup Board Director and General Counsel, The Texel Group Carol is a Group Board Director and General Counsel at The Texel Group – an award-winning specialist credit and political risk insurance broker. With access to Lloyd’s of London and public and private insurers around the world, Texel develops innovative insurance solutions for financial and development finance institutions, corporations and commodity traders. With over 30 years’ experience, in both London and South Africa, Carol joined The Texel Group in 2015 having previously been a Partner at a London based law firm where she was responsible for the political risk and trade credit insurance group. She handled claims from multiple jurisdictions under a variety of political risk and credit policies and regularly advised on coverage issues and policy wordings. |
| 10:50-11:20 | Coffee Break
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| 11:20-12:15 | The changing face of Supply Chain Finance : new corridors and new techniques
Is SCF becoming more accessible and how are new markets, techniques and technologies making this possible? Is SCF finally making its way down to SMEs and how are technqiues like deepr-tier financing helping? Is resilience an issue? What are the new trade corridors and how are they being served? Moderator:
Baihas Baghdadi, CEO & Founder, Trade & Working Capital, S.A.
Baihas BaghdadiCEO & Founder, Trade & Working Capital, S.A. Mr. Baghdadi has thirty years of international corporate banking experience, developing global banking businesses across numerous industry sectors and in different corporate banking areas and geographies, he spent 25 years supporting Multinational Corporates and Financial Institution clients to develop their business overseas working for international banks (Arab Bank, Fortis “now part of BNP” & Barclays) with large international networks in different parts of the world. After leaving Barclays where he was the MD and Global Head of Trade & Working Capital, he launched in 2019 “Trade & Working Capital” (TWC), an NBFI Spain based fully dedicated to supporting the southern European SMEs working capital. TWC today is a market leader in Spain with more than 400 million euros of invoices financed, supported by top institutional investors funding of 150 million euros. Panelists:
Viacheslav OganezovCEO and Co-founder, Finverity Viacheslav, a graduate of the London School of Economics, gained insight into the challenges faced by banks and other nonbank financial institutions during his time at PwC. There, he advised banks on developing and implementing digital strategies. Recognizing the inability of large financial institutions to effectively implement these strategies, the scarcity of capital available to businesses in emerging markets, and the abundance of capital seeking sustainable yields in developed markets, he and his co-founder Alex Fenechiu established Finverity, a supply chain finance platform designed to address these issues. Viacheslav is responsible for the company’s strategic direction, managing execution by setting clear objectives, ensuring team alignment, and instilling effective processes. He believes that Finverity’s long-term success is secured due to the quality of the product and the strength of its people and culture. Viacheslav attributes his consistently positive attitude, clarity of vision, and the power of his intention to the daily practices he follows, such as yoga and meditation, as well as his overall simple lifestyle. Marina NarganesHead of Distribution & Sales Strategy, Triterras Marina has nearly 20 years of sales experience and deep industry knowledge covering B2B working capital, trade finance, lending, corporate retirement benefits, investments and advisory services. With proven success in generating new deal flows and her finesse in helping businesses invest, Marina is responsible for providing leadership to assist institutional investors deploy capital in support of cross-border trade opportunities, and to reinforce Triterras’ capabilities to bring cross-border lending to scale. Prior to joining Triterras, Marina was the Director of Origination with Demica, where she was responsible for origination and distribution in North America. Before that, she had also worked at LSQ, MassMutual and John Hancock Life Insurance Companies. Marina holds a bachelor degree in International Business from the Fairfield University. Olivier den TexUnit Manager Supply Chain Finance Marketing, Credit Europe Bank N.V. Olivier den Tex is Unit Manager Supply Chain Finance at Credit Europe Bank in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In this role, he is responsible for all products that have to do with buyer-led and supplier-led transactions. Olivier and Credit Europe Bank specialize in payables and receivables finance and work closely with partners: financial institutions, fintechs, insurers and commercial brokers. The mandate that he has includes transactions with a European link either with the buyer or supplier. Olivier has over two decades of experience in banking, working for ABN AMRO, Rabobank and ING in various positions within corporate banking and specialized in receivables and supply chain finance. He holds a degree in International Marketing Management from HES Rotterdam. Angel G. BlancoManaging Director, Head of Platform Solutions, Demica Angel G. joined Demica in 2016, when it was still in start-up phase. He came with a strong conviction that technology can be a key enabler to Trade Finance, given the particular characteristics of this asset class, but that significant development was required. He has been proven correct, and the company has grown hugely since then, with Angel currently a Managing Director and Head of the Platform Solutions Team. The Team provides technology solutions in the Trade Finance and Working Capital space to some of the largest multi-national financial institutions and corporates in the world. In this role, Angel has successfully bridged the gap from a background in Finance, to influential Technologist in this area. He previously worked at Banco Santander across different countries and business segments, including over 10 years in Corporate and Investment banking, performing different management roles in Structured Trade Finance and Working Capital Solutions. Angel is a busy father of three young boys, still a dedicated footballer and a wildlife enthusiast. |
| 12:15-13:10 | Digital negotiable instruments and digital assets defining the future of trade finance
New laws around negotiable instruments are embracing advanced technologies. What’s in it for established trade originators? Will new forms of payment obligations help us harmonise the use of IPUs and expand supply chain finance to the deeper tiers? Which new technologies help us extend open banking practices and mitigate risks? Moderator:
Geoffrey Wynne, Partner, Sullivan & Worcester
Geoffrey WynnePartner, Sullivan & Worcester Geoffrey Wynne is head of Sullivan & Worcester’s London office and leads its award-winning Trade & Export Finance Group. One of the leading trade finance lawyers, Geoff has extensive experience in many aspects of banking and finance, specifically trade, structured trade and commodity finance as well as related legal and compliance issues. Geoff has recently been involved in several initiatives for trade finance in the digital world including ITFA’s White Paper on electronic Payment Undertakings (ePUs), and the ICC Uniform Rules for Digital Trade Transactions (URDTT) where he was co-chair of the Drafting Committee. He has been involved in the drafting of BAFT’s Master Participation Agreements including the use of LIBOR in the BAFT MPAs. He is currently working with ITFA on Uniform Rules for Transferable Electronic Payment Obligations (URTEPO). Geoff sits on the editorial boards of a number of publications and is a regular contributor and speaker at conferences. A member of ITFA’s Market Practices Committee (MPC), Geoff has been assisting with numerous key legal issues relating to trade and export finance. He is also the general editor and contributor to ‘A Guide to Receivables Finance’ (3rd Edition) and ‘A Practitioners Guide to Trade and Commodity Finance’ (2nd Edition). In May 2023, Geoff was named ‘Industry Ambassador of the Year’ at the Receivables Finance International (RFIx) Awards 2023. In Chambers UK, 2023, he is ranked a Tier 1 lawyer for Commodities: Trade Finance and is included in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for Trade Finance by The Legal 500 UK, 2023. Panelists:
Merlin DowseTrade Digital Solutions, Payments, JPMorgan Merlin Dowse is an Executive Director and a Global Product Manager within the Core Trade Product team. In this capacity, Merlin leads a global team responsible for the management of digital solutions and innovation available to the clients of J.P. Morgan across the globe. Alongside his role at J.P. Morgan, Merlin is a Vice Chair on the ICC Banking Commission where he both sponsors and chairs the Commercialisation Working Group. Merlin is also an active contributor to the ICC Digital Standards Initiative, BAFT and ITFA industry associations. Whilst at J.P. Morgan, Merlin previously held the position of Global Product Manager for the Portfolio Management Group within Global Trade at J.P. Morgan. In this role he led the digitization efforts of both the internal and external processes supporting the distribution of all trade finance assets. Prior to this, while based in London, he was managing the EMEA Trade product set for the Corporate client segment, where he worked alongside industry peers on various initiatives such as the Bank Payment Obligation, SWIFT for Corporates whilst also helping expand J.P. Morgan’s global footprint. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Merlin worked in various capacities in the Trade Services department at Rabobank in the Netherlands. Sean BoweyHead of Product GTRF, SAB Sean is a Trade Finance specialist with 22 years’ banking experience, 18 with HSBC and 4, in Riyadh, with HSBC associate SAB. He has held leadership positions in Trade Finance in New York, Latin America and Hong Kong and has a particular passion for innovation and digitalization, leading SAB’s digital projects in Trade Finance, including Saudi Arabia’s first ever blockchain based Trade Finance transaction. Sean is involved with Trade Finance industry initiatives including the International Trade & Forfaiting Association’s Middle East Trade Technology adoption group and is committed to using technological developments to reduce friction in Trade Finance, to decrease the Trade Finance gap and to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision initiatives of becoming a global trade hub and digital banking centre with a growing SME sector. Iain MacLennanVice President (General Manager): Trade & Supply Chain Finance, Finastra As Vice President and General Manager for Trade & Supply Chain Finance, Iain is responsible for the strategic roadmap and delivery of these products for Finastra, he has responsibility for both the Product and Engineering groups. In addition, Iain leads Finastra’s engagement with the International Chamber of Commerce on ICC TradeComm, a financial marketplace that is being launched in early 2023 in Latin America, and then globally. Iain joined Finastra in January 2019, from Lloyds Banking Group where he spent 6 years in several leadership roles in Technology and Group Transformation supporting the Commercial Bank. He was most recently the Engineering Lead within the Commercial Servicing Lab delivering Agile change (Digital, Process and Fulfilment) improving the overall Customer and Colleague Experience across all sectors. Prior to Lloyds Iain held Change and Technology roles with Barclays, Deutsche Bank, ING Barings and Swiss Bank Corporation, primarily in Global Transaction Banking. He has over 25 years’ experience in delivering technology enabled change within the Financial Services industry. Iain holds a Ph.D. and a B.Eng from the University of Glasgow, plus a MBA from Henley Business School. |
| 13:10-14:15 | Lunch
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| 14:15-15:10 | The Gender Gap in Trade Finance
How do we future-proof and build an inclusive, equitable trade finance industry? Is the ony one glass ceiling and have they all been broken or do we still have a long way to go? Moderator:
Deepesh Patel, Editorial Director, Trade Finance Global (TFG)
Deepesh PatelEditorial Director, Trade Finance Global (TFG) Deepesh Patel is Editorial Director at Trade Finance Global (TFG). In this role, Deepesh leads efforts in developing TFG’s brand, relationships and strategic direction in key markets, including the UK, US, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong. Deepesh regularly chairs and speaks at international industry events with the WTO, BCR, Excred, The Economist and Reuters, as well as industry associations including ICC, FCI, ITFA, ICISA and BAFT. Deepesh is the host of the ‘Trade Finance Talks’ podcast and ‘Trade Finance Talks TV’. He is co-author of ‘Blockchain for Trade: A Reality Check’ with the ICC and the WTO, alongside other industry research. In addition to his work at TFG, Deepesh is a Strategic Advisor for WOA, and works closely with ITFA. He also sits on the Fintech Working Group of the Standardised Trust. Prior to TFG, Deepesh worked at Travelex where he was responsible for the cards business and the Travelex Money app in Europe, NAM, UK and Brazil. Deepesh is Chair of Governors and co-opted LA Governor of the Wyvern Federation, which has responsibility for 5 primary schools in South London. Panelists:
Vivian NwachukwuProduct Manager (CDCS, CSDG) - Product Development, Bank of China (UK) Limited Vivian has over 15 years banking experience covering Retail and Private Banking, Payments and Trade Finance at various banks.
She joined Bank of China, UK as Product Manager covering the Guarantees and Standby Letters of Credit (SBLC) products and is responsible for the Management, Marketing and Development of the Guarantees/SBLC product as well as product innovation. As subject matter expert, she also provides technical support with the reviewing and drafting of Guarantees/SBLC wordings/contracts for the bank’s Corporate and Financial Institution clients.
Prior to her current position, Vivian was the Operations Manager of the Guarantees Team at Bank of America, where she managed a team responsible for processing Guarantees/SBLCs across their EMEA branches and in this role, she received the Achievement of Performance Excellence (APEX) Award in recognition of extraordinary results achieved.
Vivian holds an MBA from Aston University. She also holds CDCS and CSDG certifications from the London Institute of Banking & Finance. Niamh Dennehy-MaherCounsel - Allen & Overy LLP Niamh is a counsel in the banking and finance team in Allen & Overy’s London office. She acts for a variety of clients on a broad range of finance matters and has particular experience in managing major complex cross-border financings in the trade and commodities sector, including new money structured commodities financings and trade and commodities-related restructurings. Niamh is committed to advancing DE&I in trade and supporting the empowerment of women and has recently contributed to the Women in Trade campaign by Trade Finance Global (TFG), a global initiative to highlight the achievements and challenges of women, sharing her insights and experiences as a female leader in the sector. Naura HussainDirector, Trade Asset Sales & Syndications, AME – Standard Chartered Bank Naura Hussain is Director, Trade Asset Sales & Syndications for Africa & Middle East at Standard Chartered Bank, responsible for distribution and syndication of trade assets for AME. She has a strong track record in the industry, specializing in FI Trade Sales, Correspondent Banking and Distribution. She has 18 years of banking experience in the region and was previously with UBL, Noor Bank and Citibank in the UAE. She is actively involved within the regional trade finance community and currently a Member of the International Trade & Forfaiting Association (ITFA) Middle East Regional Committee since 2018 with a 2-year term as Chairperson ending in 2022. |
| 15:10-16:10 | Networking session
Find delegates with similar interests and share knowledge during the ITFA networking session! Book meetings with other delegates by accessing the portal in the app. |
| 16:10-16:30 | Coffee break
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| 16:30-18:00 | Networking session (continued)
Find delegates with similar interests and share knowledge during the ITFA networking session! Book meetings with other delegates by accessing the portal in the app. |
| 19:00 | Gather in hotel lobby for coach transfer to Gala dinner
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| 19:30 | Gala Dinner at Saadiyat Beach Club
Dress code: Beach party |
