6th Annual Emerging Markets Trade & Political Risk Conference

Event Review

The 6th Annual Emerging Markets Trade & Political Risk Conference, held at the Willis Building in London on May19, was very well attended – by a good mixture from the insurance market, banking, legal and trading professions.

As ever, the event allowed for real debate and questioning of the risk mitigation and political risk and trade credit insurance market. Delegates were afforded the opportunity to hear, and contribute to, expert roundtable discussions and individual speakers, who brought to the fore the latest market trends and issues. The event has become the leading annual event in the risk manager's and insurer's calendar.

Speakers included: Aspen Insurance, Miller Insurance Services, Deutsche Bank, GML Capital, Stemcor, Texel, Atradius, Sovereign Risk Insurance, Coface, Zurich, JLT Risk Solutions, Miga, Berne Union, International Financial Consulting, BAE Systems, ANZ, BPL Global, Beazley, ICIEC, Ince & Co, JLT, Ace Global Markets, FirstCity Partnership, Willis Re, Munich Re, Aspen Re, Guy Carpenter, EFIC, Oxford Analytica.

Sponsors: Willis, ICIEC, Ince & Co, Texel

Description

Exporta’s 6th Emerging Markets Trade & Political Risk conference will be held in London on May 19, at the Willis Building in Lime Street. The event will be especially relevant this year, given the ongoing shrinkage of export and trade finance liquidity for emerging markets, and will offer a window to decision-makers to ascertain the strength and depth of the credit and political risk insurance now available to companies operating internationally.

Underwriters from a span of continents and disciplines will make presentations at the event, signalling the risks that preoccupy their attention, while brokers will offer their own views of how well the credit and political risk markets are functioning under the current pressures. This conference looks at the opportunities that the current climate is creating both for the insurers and their existing and potential clients, and the challenges that are discouraging some risk-takers.

The event offers unrivalled networking opportunities for delegates, who will be attending from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

Topical issues which will be discussed during the conference:

• Reviewing the risk climate globally – and pinpointing the key credit and political risk issues in 2009
• Region by region dissection of the key risks affecting trade and investment flows: focusing on Africa, Asia, CIS, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East
• The impact of the global recession and credit crunch on cover for commodity flows in and from emerging markets
• The evolving role played by export credit agencies (ECAs) and other official insurers in mitigating investment and trade risk
• Private insurance markets - providing an unparalleled level of insurance cover, even in today’s squeezed markets
• Overview of the stability of the reinsurance that sits behind trade and investment insurance markets
• Payments and claims: how quickly can insurance clients expect resolution of their disputes
• Spotlight on other emerging markets risks, including supply chain disruption, resource nationalism and political violence

Who should attend?

• Exporters
• Importers
• Traders
• International financiers
• Policy advisors
• Brokers
• Local and regional bankers
• Multilateral agencies
• Insurers
• Lawyers

Event Photos

Brochure

Programme

08.30 Registration

09.00 Chairman’s opening remarks
David Neckar, Product Development Director, Political & Credit Risks, Willis

09.15 Insurance for emerging markets – key risk issues in 2009
Bernie De Haldevang, Head of Financial & Political Risks, Aspen Insurance

• Impact of the global downturn and credit crunch going forward
• Where and what are the risks?
• Political and credit risk demand and outlook for private insurers

09.40 Panel: Commodity flows in volatile markets
Moderator: Andy Lennard, Director, Texel
Thomas Holmes, Associate Director, Miller Insurance Services
Adrian Lewers, Underwriter, Political & Credit Risks, Beazley Group
Kris Van Broekhoven, Director, Structured Commodity & Trade Finance, Deutsche Bank
Suresh Advani, Portfolio Manager, Structured Trade & Export Finance, GML Capital LLP
Colin Heritage, Managing Director, Stemcor

• Pricing and availability of commodity finance during the liquidity squeeze
• Effects of fluctuating commodity prices on trade and insurance markets
• Can insurance markets provide sufficient cover capacity?
• Reducing risk in high-risk, high-demand markets
• Steel industry patterns

10.35 Insuring emerging markets risk: what can regional multilateral ECAs contribute?
Abdel Rahman Taha, General Manager, Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investments and Export Credits

•  Multilateral ECAs: are they a solution in the credit crunch?
• ICIEC’s unique market positioning
• Advantages of sharia-compliant insurance 

11.00 Networking break

11.40 Panel: The world map – key regional risks
Moderator: Ian Henderson, Director, Texel Capital
Sven Tellefsen, Senior Manager, Eastern European Underwriting, Atradius
Price Lowenstein, President & CEO, Sovereign Risk Insurance
Xavier Denecker, Managing Director, Coface UK & Ireland
Paul Sanders, Vice-President and Regional Manager, Zurich
Steve Capon, Head of Country & Credit Risk Management, ACE Global Markets

• Risk guidelines for Emerging Europe
• Latin American risk hotspots and outlook
• Asian underwriting overview
• Credit and political risk in Africa
• Middle East flashpoints
• Claims and payout experiences

12.35 Political and trade credit risk insurance claims
Tony George, senior partner, Ince & Co

• Claims notification and presentation
• The investigation and review process
• The parties’ rights and duties in a claims situation and their best practice
• Issues and dispute resolution

1.00 Lunch

14.10 Panel: Official agencies – meeting the challenges of 2009
Moderator: Nick Robson, Head of Credit & Political Risk, JLT Solutions
Edith Quintrell, Director of Operations, Miga
Kimberley Wiehl, Secretary-General, The Berne Union
Diana Smallridge, President, International Financial Consulting
Topi Vesteri, Executive Vice-President, Finnvera
Jon Coleman, Assistant Treasurer, Export & Structured Finance, BAE Systems

• How ECAs’ role as insurer of last resort has been amplified in 2008-09
• Hurdles for delivering risk capital efficiently during the credit crisis
• Competition and the roles of ECAs and multilaterals and the private market
• Differences between ECA/official guarantee and an insurance policy
• Case studies of innovative ECA support
• Does ECA activity reflect additional government support during the crisis?
• Are claims on the horizon?

15.05 Private market virtues: strength and capacity post sub-prime
Charles Berry, chairman, BPL Global  

• Effect of the financial crisis on credit and political risk insurers
• Capacity level across the private market
• PRI market prospects
•  Pure political risks: political violence and investment insurance
•  Non-payment insurance: emerging market credit risk
• The PRI market in 2012

15.30 Networking break

16.00 Panel: Reinsurance – is political and credit risk still good business?
Moderator: Mark Jenkins, Executive Director, Willis Re
Elmar Scheider, Head of Credit Department, Munich Re
Winfried Knust, Head of Credit, Bond & Political Risk Reinsurance, Aspen Re
John Orchard, Managing Director, Credit, Bond & Political Risk, Guy Carpenter
Price Lowenstein, President & CEO, Sovereign Risk Insurance
Mike Holley, Head of Special Products, Atradius

Comments on the 2009 renewals

• Is this a normal market cycle?
• How to manage and secure reinsurance capacity over the cycle
• Does "Partnership" between reinsurers and primary clients still exist
• Quota Share or Excess of Loss - does the market have a preference?

16.50 Panel: Risk snapshots in mid 2009  
Moderator: Nick Robson, Head of Credit and Political Risk, JLT Solutions
Jan Fuchter, Director, Structured Trade & Project Finance, EFIC
Sam Wilkin, Senior Consultant, Oxford Analytica
Peter Sargent, Head of Trade Finance, ANZ Europe & Americas
Mike Holley, Head of Special Products, Atradius

• Resource nationalism: effect on trade and investment
• Supply chain disruption: which countries pose the biggest threat?
• Trade risk view from Asia’s key trading hub
• Secondary debt trading patterns
• Existing and potential global default volumes

17.30 Chairman’s closing comments

17.40 Close of conference

Venue

Accommodation

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

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