8th Annual Middle East Trade & Export Finance Conference

Event Review

The world's leading figures in trade, export and commodity financing gathered in Dubai to discuss the huge opportunities available within the Middle East region at Exporta's 8th Annual Trade & Export Finance Conference, which took place at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel on February 21-22, 2011.

2011's event was opened by Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade for the Government of the United Arab Emirates, who delivered a keynote address focusing on the emergence of the UAE at the world's leading trade hub, assessing future trade growth prospects, the role of exports in fuelling development and the strategic importance of the wider region.

Enjoying tremendous support from an unrivalled line-up of sponsors, including HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Trade Bank of Iraq, RBS, ABN Amro, BNY Mellon, ICIEC, Coface, SNR Denton, Sovereign, RFIB, China Systems, Pinnacle Solutions, MIT and Rockall Tech, the conference combined informed content with engaged discussion and debate, with special emphasis placed on the importance of high level networking, within a beautiful and informal setting.

Leading companies also in attendance included the likes of ArcelorMittal, Awal Group, Ericsson, ETA Group, Landmark Group, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Hitachi, Huawei, Macsteel, Nissan, Petrochem, Platinum Corporation, Sharp, Siemens, Sony, Unilever and Western Auto, to name but a few, with the dynamic enjoyed between banking institutions and corporate finance directors and treasurers deemed crucial to the success of the two days.

Description

Now Exporta's longest running event, the 8th Annual Middle East Trade & Export Finance Conference will once again be taking place in Dubai, on February 21-22. Building on its reputation as the only event of its kind for the region, the conference will welcome an unrivalled line-up of senior trade, export and commodity finance leaders, keen to participate in high level discussion and informal business networking.

Among the leading issues to be discussed will be:

• Comparing the growth of trade business to other parts of the world
• Tracking growth in specific country markets across the GCC
• Considering improved trading relationships with other markets such as China, India and Africa
• Balancing consumer demand against trade capital availability
• Corporate perspectives on protecting receivables and avoiding potential credit risk
• The role of sovereign wealth funds in increasing trade and export volumes
• Diversification away from the oil and gas sectors as primary sources of export income
• Back to basics: focusing on traditional trade financing methods to mitigate risk
• Developing transparency and improving access to business information
• Tracking the impressive growth of shariah-compliant trade finance

Who should attend?

• Local and international banks
• Financiers
• Exporters/Importers
• Commodity traders
• Solution providers
• Insurers
• Lawyers
• Consultants
• Export credit agencies
• Multilaterals

A special evening reception will take place at the close of Day One. The GTR MENA Awards will be presented on Day Two. We look forward to welcoming you in Dubai.

Event Photos

Brochure

Programme

Day One

08.00 Registration and refreshments

09.00 Sponsor's welcome
Marcus Hurry, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, UAE, HSBC Bank Middle East

09.10 Keynote: Looking to the future: The UAE’s emergence as the world’s leading trade hub
HE Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade
• Assessing future trade growth prospects and the speed of development across the UAE and beyond
• The importance of trade and exports and continued diversification into non-oil sectors
• Considering the region’s role as a strategic gateway to other markets such as Africa and AsiaTrade

Chairman
Nicholas Levitt, Head of Commercial Banking UAE, HSBC Bank Middle East

09.30 Panel discussion: Returning to normal? Corporate perspectives on the state of the local market
Moderator: Kersi Patel, Regional Head of Trade & Supply Chain, Mena, HSBC
V.P. Nagarajan, Executive Director, ETA Group
K. Krishna Kumar, General Manager, Finance, Awal Gulf
Ratnakar Sinha, General Manager, Finance, Arcelor Mittal
V.S. Santosh Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, Landmark Group
•    How have corporates adapted their strategies to cope with the unpredictable nature of regional growth?
•    Highlighting opportunities and benefits provided by diversification away from the oil and gas sectors
•    Outlining geographical advantages for accessing other emerging markets such as India and China
•    Reemphasising the importance of relationships when considering your trade finance instruments
•    How important are financial indexes in assessing market confidence and do they provide a true reflection?

10.30 Has supply chain finance (SCF) found its place in the world of trade finance?
Anil Walia, Executive Director, Head of Supply Chain Advisory Emea, RBS
• SCF and the ‘just-in-time’ concept
• Risk mitigation within SCF
• Balance sheet management and liquidity management
• SCF structures: Looking to the futureNetworking break

11.00 Networking break

11.30 A key link in the global supply chain: Commodity finance within the Gulf
Moderator: Jeremy Shaw, Managing Director, Emea Trade Executive, J.P. Morgan
Christophe Mariot, Regional Head of Energy, Commodities & Export Project, Middle East, BNP Paribas
Nam Hariharan Sahasra, Managing Director, Falcon Trade Corporation
Malcolm Wall Morris, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)
Suresh Vaidhyanathan, Group Finance Director, Platinum Corporation
•    What role has the region played in sustaining international commodity trade during this difficult time?
•    Economic diversification: Tracking increases in trade of metals such as gold, silver and platinum
•    Soft commodities: Overcoming the impact of declining production in key import regions such as Africa
•    Adding value within the soft commodities market through services such as processing and packaging
•    The benefits of facilities such as SEZs in encouraging traders to set up base in the Middle East

12.30 Country focus: Is Qatar set to become the new Dubai?
Jan Randolph, Head Of Sovereign Risk Group, IHS Global Insight
•    Tracking the fast-paced growth of key sectors such as energy and subsequent impact on GDP forecasts
•    Challenges faced by local companies in restoring balance sheets to become credit-worthy
•    The importance of state-financed large scale infrastructure projects in showcasing trade potential
•    Assessing the impact of commitment to the hydrocarbons sector on plans to develop other sectors
•    Looking further afield: Assessing Qatari project investment in other emerging markets such as Asia

13.00 Lunch

14.00 Chairman’s afternoon remarks
Farrukh Z Siddiqui, Executive Director, Head of Trade, Mena, J.P. Morgan

14.05 Panel discussion: Has confidence in the region been fully regained by trade banking heads?
Moderator: Amr El Haddad, Executive Director, Head of Product, Mena, J.P.Morgan
Kersi Patel, Regional Head of Trade & Supply Chain, Mena, HSBC
Manya Biemans, Director, Transactional Banking, Standard Chartered Bank
Neil Armitage, Assistant Vice President, Trade Sales, Corporate, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)
Shelton Peiris, Senior Assistant General Manager & Head of Transaction Banking, Commercial Bank of Qatar
•    Is the trade outlook for the Mena region now more optimistic following a (relative) return to liquidity?
•    Offering first-hand accounts of the commitment shown by banks willing to lend through the crisis
•    Does the secure short-term nature of trade finance products provide a competitive advantage in the current climate?
•    Addressing concerns over foreign currency lending to local banks, availability of funds and premiums available
•    How are companies (small and large) coping with the shortfall in services offered by banks and what does the future hold?
•    Assessing the strong steps taken by governments in guaranteeing bank deposits and offering financial facilities to banks

14.55 The lawyer’s perspective: A new role?
Simon Cook, Partner, SNR Denton
•    Challenges faced in guiding trade finance bankers through a complex legal environment
•    How has the return to traditional trade finance impacted on quantity of documentation required for deals?
•    Is the focus now primarily on restructuring and refinancing as opposed to new deal flows?
•    Reflections on the current state of the syndication market and impact on deal turnover
•    Considering the increasing role of multilateral programmes and sovereign wealth funds on the lawyer’s role

15.20 Debating Iraq’s continuing growth and investment potential
Zaid Mahdi, Vice President, Business Development, Trade Bank of Iraq
•    Providing on-the-ground insight for conducting business operations throughout the country
•    Tracking the impressive levels of investment in core industrial sectors such as energy and utilities
•    Monitoring developments in the information technology sector in providing communications infrastructure

15.45 Networking break

16.15 Mena-Asia trade flows: The new dynamic
Meguerditch Bouldoukian, Head of Financial Institutions, MENA, Banque Libano-Française
•    Growth in trade flows from Asian markets to the Mena region
•    Addressing the role of international correspondent banking in financing trade
•    The role of export credit agencies in promoting the growth of trade flows
•    Alternative financing options, such as the AMENA trade finance programme

16.40 Panel discussion: A new liquidity source: How market conditions have accelerated the growth of Islamic trade finance
Moderator: K. Nizardeen, Head of Trade Services, Al Hilal Bank
Ehsaan Ahmed, Head of Global Transaction Services, Noor Islamic Bank
Yakub Bobat, Global Head of Commercial Banking, HSBC Amanah
Paul Jarvis, Partner, SNR Denton
•    Making shariah-compliant instruments more mainstream and acceptable to conventional banks
•    How well does Islamic trade finance integrate with traditional trade finance and do they share an intrinsic similarity?
•    Outlining the benefits provided by Islamic finance for corporates as well as for the banking sector
•    Benefits gained through the perception of Islamic finance as safer, ethical and more secure
•    Expanding the presence of Islamic finance into non-Islamic countries and what this means for industry growth

17.30 Close of Day One followed by evening reception


Day Two

08.15 Coffee and networking

09.00 Chairman’s morning remarks
Ian M Rogers, Regional Manager Business Development, TSC Middle East and North Africa, HSBC

09.10 A changing landscape post-crisis
Nila Davda, Senior Executive Officer,, Sovereign Risk Insurance
Abdel Rahman Eltayeb Taha, Chief Executive Officer, Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investments & Export Credits (ICIEC)
•    Mitigating sovereign risks through political risk insurance: No longer an after-thought
•    Market challenges: New markets, new clients and new structures
•    The response of the market to the unprecedented number of claims
•    What are the main trends moving forwards?
•    Establishing a presence on the ground
•    Providing case studies on successful default avoidance

10.00 Panel discussion: Assessing the latest trends in risk coverage across the Gulf
Moderator: David Venediger, Managing Director, Coface Emirates Services
Khemais El-Gazzah, Operations Director, Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investments & Export Credits (ICIEC)
Nasir Issa Al-Ismaily, General Manager, Export Credit Guarantee Agency Oman (ECGA)
Schuyler D’Souza, Chief Commercial Officer, Export Credit Insurance Company of the Emirates (ECIE)
Karim Nasrallah, General Manager, The Lebanese Credit Insurer (LCI)
Jim Williams, Director, Insurance & Re-insurance, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (Opic)
Shehzad Sharjeel, Regional Head, Middle East & North Africa, IFC Global Trade Finance Program
•    Reflecting on recent challenges provided by payment delays and project cancellations/postponements
•    Overcoming liquidity gaps due to refinancing difficulties, falling real estate prices and reduced demand
•    Assessing potential impact on trade risk coverage: A Basel III perspective
•    Comparing and contrasting coverage policies for countries in the region across different providers
•    The growth of additional value-added services such as credit ratings and their impact
•    Changing perceptions: Has the severity of the problems faced reduced the appeal of the GCC?

10.55 Networking break

11.25 Case study: How Saudi Arabia is reaping the benefits of sound fundamentals
Tristan Attenborough, Managing Director, Head of Treasury and Securities Services, Saudi Arabia, J.P. Morgan
•    The importance of prudent fiscal policies in insulating the banking system from the worst of the crisis
•    How accelerated investment in key infrastructure project has increased market demand
•    Reflecting on the importance of other emerging markets such as Asia in filling the import market void
•    Considering increased trader confidence and the ability of Saudi banks to meet liquidity needs of customers

11.50 Bridging the physical and financial supply chains
Digby Bennett, Regional Director, Middle East, Africa & Australia, China Systems
•    Technology and its importance in the visibility of the supply chain
•    Service-oriented architecture (SOA) and integration
•    Providing a case study of a supply chain finance (SCF) deployment

12.10 Electronic presentation: Delivering the eUCP vision
Claire Buchanan, Senior Vice President, Global Field Operations, Bolero
•    The concept of electronic presentation of documents: Restrictions and pre-requisites
•    Dealing with real world issues: Manual and electronic processes
•    Pre-checking and compliance checking
•    Fully eUCP compliant presentation: The importance of legal certainty

12.30 Panel discussion: Has the global crisis progressed the dialogue on supply chain innovation?
Moderator: Farrukh Z Siddiqui, Executive Director, Head of Trade, Mena, J.P. Morgan
Dominic Broom, Managing Director & Head of Market Development, Treasury Services EMEA, BNY Mellon
Anil Walia, Executive Director, Head of Supply Chain Advisory Emea, RBS
Digby Bennett, Regional Director, Middle East, Africa & Australia, China Systems
Mahmood Hadi, Head of Trade Solutions, Misys
Arthur Vonchek, Chief Executive Officer, Bolero
Jean-Luc Spinardi, Sales Manager, MIT
•    Considering how supply chain models have been impacted by the return to ‘traditional trade finance’
•    Finding your niche: Strategic approaches by third party providers in complementing bank services
•    Assessing how new technologies can enhance operational efficiency and increase transparency
•    How can both banks and corporates be encouraged towards faster adoption of new technologies?
•    Considering the change in dynamic between corporates, banks and providers following the crisis

13.25 Close of conference followed by GTR Awards Lunch
 

Venue

Accommodation

Delegates are responsible for the arrangement and payment of their own travel and accommodation. 

Upon registering to attend this event. Exporta will inform you of how to book accommodation at the venue. 

Sponsors

Sponsorship opportunities including exhibition stands are available for this event.

To become a sponsor, please contact Tom Whitehead, Head of Sponsorship Sales at twhitehead@exportagroup.com.

Exporta's events have a global reputation, renowned for superb networking opportunities and educational presentations by high-profile speakers.

Time after time our events attract the leading companies in our market as sponsors.

See below for a full list of our Event Sponsors, Institutional Partners and Media Partners and click on the logo to visit their web site. 

Delegate Packs