7th Annual Middle East Trade & Export Finance Conference

Event Review

With recent developments in the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia all casting a shadow, the international trade community gathered in Dubai to discuss the outlook for the world's fastest growing region.

Exporta's 7th Annual Middle East Trade & Export Finance Conference, its flagship conference and now undeniably the leading trade finance event for the region, brought together an unrivalled line-up of leaders in the trade, commodity, export, Islamic and supply chain finance sectors.

The two-day format, which incorporated informed case studies, lively panel discussions and informal networking sessions, provided ample opportunities to cover the challenges and opportunities faced when doing business in what is still a hugely thriving market.

Opened by Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan, Chairman of Bin Zayed Group, sessions covered global trade flows from the region, the availability of trade finance, supply chain solutions, the growth of Islamic finance, risk assessment strategies and corporate perspectives, as well as case studies on countries such as Iraq, Lebanon and Syria.

The conference also featured a Day One evening reception at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, while Day Two saw the presentation of the GTR Middle East Trade Finance Awards for 2009.

Exporta will reconvene in the Middle East for its inaugural Saudi Arabia Trade & Export Finance Conference in Riyadh on April 19th.

Description

Exporta's 7th Annual Middle East Trade & Export Finance Conference has established itself as the leading trade finance event for the Middle East region, addressing the latest developments, applications and solutions in trade finance within the region and providing an unrivalled forum for financiers and business leaders to network, share knowledge and discuss latest trends in supply chain financing, risk management, Islamic trade finance structures, structured commodity and export finance and the role of exports in maintaining growth in uncertain economic times.

 Leading topics that will be discussed include:

• Economic outlooks for the region
• Ensuring trade flows in the current climate
• Strategies for maintaining liquidity
• Identifying and mitigating against potential risk
• Assessing the appetite for structured commodity finance
• Underwriting trade and investment to the region
• Legal and regulatory developments
• Focus on specific countries
• Corporate case studies

These issues and many more will be covered during this unrivalled two-day event in Dubai, during which delegates will be able to hear from industry leaders, engage in fruitful debate through various discussion panels, gain crucial insight from a number of highly relevant case studies, and exchange views and network with fellow delegates and speakers alike. These opportunities for engagement will extend beyond the two days of the conference, with an evening reception also provided for all guests.

Who should attend?

• Importers/exporters
• Trade, export and commodity financiers
• Corporates and traders
• Export credit agencies
• Multilateral institutions
• Credit and political risk insurers
• Lawyers
• Brokers
• Advisors and consultants

Event Photos

Brochure

Programme

Day One

08.15 Registration and coffee

08.50 Chairman’s opening remarks
Asif Raza, Managing Director, Head of Treasury & Securities Services, MENA, J.P. Morgan

09.00 Keynote opening address
Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan, Chairman, Bin Zayed Group
• What lessons can be learned from the global economic crisis?
• The importance of trade in revitalising both the global and regional economy
• Assessing the UAE's role in leading the overall growth of the region
• Leveraging geopoltical stregths to rebuild the world's economic landscape

09.30 Economic outlook for the Middle East region: an economist’s viewpoint
Jan Randolph, Director of Sovereign Risk, IHS Global Insight
• Current trends, patterns and challenges
• How has the region withstood the global economic crisis?
• New opportunities and where they are likely to come from

10.00 Panel discussion: Middle East trade flows
Moderator: Asif Raza, Managing Director, Head of Treasury & Securities Services, MENA, J.P. Morgan
Margrith Lütschg-Emmenegger, President, FIMBank
Louis Robinson, Manager, Trade Finance Europe, National Bank of Abu Dhabi
Farooq Siddiqi, Managing Director, MENA Transaction Banking Head, Standard Chartered
• Success enjoyed so far in forging new trade links and supply routes
• Where is the market going with this?
• Investment in overseas infrastructure and developing overseas environments conducive to trade
• Regulatory challenges encountered when working cross-continent and cross-culture

10.45 Networking break hosted by Trade Bank of Iraq

11.15 Country focus: trade and investment opportunities in Iraq
Zaid Mahdi, Vice President, Business Development, Trade Bank of Iraq
• Tracking the progress of Iraq's business sector
• Encouraging international investment into Iraq
• Providing case studies of successes within the Iraqi market
• Considering the process of reform and deregulation in the country
 
11.45 Assessing the business landscape in Lebanon and Syria
Abdel Salam Chebaro, Central Manager, Trade Finance, Banque Audi
• How have banks weathered the storm in these countries?
• Using trade finance as a catalyst for economic growth
• Considering the economic outlook (short, medium and long-term)
• Obstacles provided by the political risk environment

12.15 Panel discussion: corporate perspectives
Moderator: Kersi Patel, Regional Head of Trade & Supply Chain, HSBC Bank Middle East
VS Santoshkumar, Chief Operating Officer, Landmark Group, Dubai
Satish M, Financial Controller, Petrochem Middle East
VP Nagarajan, Executive Director, ETA ESCON
Vinod Tellis, Group Commercial Manager, Petroleum Middle East
• How are corporates gearing up for growth in the region following the credit crisis?
• Are trade transactions being financed differently from traditional lending mechanisms in place prior?
• What new mechanisms are banks offering to assist corporates to better manage their liquidity and cash flows and mitigate risk?
• Are the costs of these structures sustainable given the lack of availability of other options in the market?

13.15 Lunch hosted by Commercial Bank of Dubai

Chairman: Jason Barrass, Managing Director, Head of EMEA Trade Sales, J.P. Morgan

14.15 Panel discussion: availability of trade finance and impact on the supply chain
Moderator: Ady Yatim, Head of Trade Finance & Cash Management Corporates, Deutsche Bank
Lloyd Caughey, Vice President, Head of Trade Finance Division, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)
Venkatesan Thiagarajan, Head of Trade, Emerging Markets, Barclays
Pradeep Taneja, Head of Trade Finance, Transactional Banking, BBK, Bahrain
Shaheryar Ali, Vice President & Relationship Manager, Treasury Services, Gulf & Pakistan, BNY Mellon
Jeremy Shaw, EMEA Global Trade Services Head, J.P. Morgan
• Assessing how the last 12 months have affected trade finance availability
• Progress of recovery within the trade finance market (recent G20 announcement)
• How do local and international banks compare in the services they provide?
• Considering the impact on supply chain management
• Comparing regional variations on the trade financing model
• How are specialist providers faring in the current market compared to banks?

15.15 The role of multilateral organisations in expanding trade
Shehzad Sharjeel, Trade Finance Specialist, Middle East & North Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Vincent O'Brien, Member, ICC Banking Commission
• Providing an outlook for multilateral involvement within the next year
• Case studies of key programmes and initiatives to assist trade
• Working with the private sector in supporting trade flows (south-south, intra and inter-regional)

15.45 Networking break hosted by Trade Bank of Iraq

16.15 Panel discussion: optimising working capital and maintaining liquidity
Moderator: Dominic Broom, Head of Treasury Services Market Development, EMEA, BNY Mellon
Lakshmanan Sankaran, Assistant General Manager & Head of Trade Finance, Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD)
Jason Barrass, Managing Director, Head of EMEA Trade Sales, J.P. Morgan
Farooq Siddiqi, Managing Director, MENA Transaction Banking Head, Standard Chartered
• Generating funds and raising working capital in turbulent times
• The need for finding alternative financing options in the current climate
• Maintaining transparency and efficiency in liquidity processes
• The impact of Basel II on trade financing in the Middle East region

17.00 Panel discussion: innovations and solutions
Moderator: Urs Kern, Senior Manager - Europe, Middle East & Africa, Swift
Digby Bennett, Regional Sales Director, ME, Africa & Australia, China Systems
Marina Comninos, General Council, Electronic Shipping Solutions
Olivier Berthier, Solutions Director, Transaction Banking, Misys
Jacob Katsman, CEO, Global Trade Corporation (GTC)
• Sharing experiences of new trends and innovations within trade finance solutions
• The application and maintenance of industry standards
• Maximising revenue and efficiency in account processing
• Insourcing and outsourcing of trade operations and technology

17.45 Close of Day One followed by evening reception hosted by Standard Chartered Bank

Day Two

09.00 Chairman’s opening remarks
Kersi Patel, Regional Head of Trade & Supply Chain, HSBC Bank Middle East

09.15 Financial supply chain management (FSCM): The way forward
Syed-Kamran Zaidi, Vice President, Trade Finance & Cash Management Corporates MENA, Deutsche Bank
• Considering the innovation needed beyond traditional financing
• Using FSCM as a catalyst for increased trade flows
• Encouraging corporates to explore FSCM opportunities
• Leveraging the structures
• Using the economic crisis as an opportunity to re-think business strategy

09.45 Panel discussion: the continuing growth of Islamic finance in the GCC region
Moderator: Abdel Rahman El-Tayeb Taha, Chief Executive, Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investments and Export Credits (ICIEC)
Hani Salem Sonbol, Deputy CEO, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)
Mohammed Shaheed Khan, Senior Vice President, Islamic Finance Company
Naveed Ali, Chief of Corporate Banking, Dubai Islamic Bank
Muddassir Siddiqui, Partner, Denton Wilde Sapte
• Leading factors in the growth of Islamic finance in the GCC
• Assessing the competitive advantage of Islamic trade finance models
• Speed of growth and examples of success
• Working with non-Islamic actors: what does the future hold?

10.45 Networking break hosted by Trade Bank of Iraq

11.15 Structured commodity finance panel: a safer financing model?
Moderator: Ashok Das, Executive Director, Commodities, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)
Christophe Mariot, Regional Head of Energy, Commodities & Export Project, Middle East, BNP Paribas
Nam Hariharan Sahasra, Managing Director, Falcon Trade Corporation
• Using performance capability as a greater indicator of risk
• Benefits provided for businesses trading in high risk markets/industries
• Identifying those regions most threatened by rising inflation
• Current issues faced by the banks

12.00 Challenges within the oil and gas sector
Paul Wood, Manager, Business Development, Energy, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)
• How has the region’s oil and gas sector weathered the storm of the 2008 commodities crash?
• Slowing down projects, scrapping inessential initiatives and tightening financing terms
• The role of price inflation in increasing the pool of suppliers

12.30 Lunch and GTR Middle East Trade Finance Awards 2009

14.00 Panel discussion: supporting exports to and from the Middle East
Moderator: David Venediger, Managing Director, Coface Emirates Services
Alaa Gouda, General Manager, Export Credit Guarantee Company of Egypt (ECGE)
Schuyler D’Souza, Chief Commercial Officer, Export Credit Insurance Company of the Emirates (ECIE)
Stefan Karlsson, Deputy Director, Business Area Large Corporates, EKN
Khemais El-Gazzah, Operations Director, Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investments & Export Credits (ICIEC)
Shehzad Sharjeel, Trade Finance Specialist, Middle East & North Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
• Maintaining regional trade volumes in a risk-averse market
• Supporting national interests and prioritising certain sectors/markets
• Challenges faced in the application of credit limits
• The emergence of ECAs in supporting large-scale finance projects

15.00 Basel II and trade finance
Ashutosh Kumar, Managing Director, Global Head of Trade Product Management, Standard Chartered Bank
• Basel II: A quick recap
• How do I leverage Basel II to create capital capacity?
• How securitisation helps to create capital and credit capacity

15.30 Networking break hosted by Trade Bank of Iraq

16.00 Country focus: the political risk landscape in the region
Marie Bos, Analyst, Middle East, Control Risks
• Iran and Yemen posing as regional sources of political and security uncertainty  
• Potential impact of their international developments on business and trade in the region

16.30 Panel discussion: private credit insurance and assessment of risk
Toby Heppel, Partner, Trade & Political Risks, First City
Nila Davda, Senior Executive Officer, Sovereign Risk Insurance
Karim Nasrallah, General Manager, The Lebanese Credit Insurer (LCI)
Anil Berry, Regional Manager, GCC, Euler Hermes
• How readily available is credit insurance one year on?
• What are the major risk factors for the GCC and surrounding countries?
• How does the assessment criterion for risk vary from other regions?

17.15 Chairman’s concluding remarks and close of conference

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 Jumeirah Beach Hotel.  If you require this information in advance of making your booking please contact events@exportagroup.com

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. 

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