Levant Region Trade & Investment Conference

Event Review

Exporta continued its series of events in the Middle East & North Africa region with its first Levant Region Trade & Investment Conference, which took place at the Intercontinental Phoenicia in Beirut on June 1st.

Combining strong traditional values with a keen sense of innovation, Lebanon and its Levant neighbours of Jordan, Syria and Iraq have become hugely attractive options for the international banking sector, with regional economic powers such as Dubai, Egypt and Turkey all keen to benefit from dynamic and progressive economies and strong quality of assets.

This inaugural gathering of leading regional figures brought together various actors to discuss how best to maximise the opportunities provided by the Levant, whose long standing adherence to core banking principles has insulated against the harsher effects of global recession, with special emphasis on trade finance and the need to mitigate against risk.

The first such event to focus on the importance of trade and trade finance within the region, the conference covered a range of issues, from market performance to overseas expansion, corporate financing priorities, risk assessment, investment climate, alternative financing methods and individual country profiles.

Expert opinion and insight was provided by both local and international banks, the corporate market, insurers, multilaterals, lawyers, consultants and other leading players.

The conference was hugely well supported, with sponsors including Blom Bank, BNY Mellon, FIMBank, The Lebanese Credit Insurer (LCI), Levant Factors and Trade Bank of Iraq, while a number of local and international companies were in attendance, including the likes of Gemayel Freres, Solicar, Solidere, Indevco, Allchem, Obegi Chemicals, Joud Steel Company, Hikma Phamaceuticals and Cisco.

Following the conclusion of the conference, a special evening reception took place for delegates to network informally and discuss the day’s agenda, sponsored by LCI and Levant Factors.

Description

Combining strong traditional values with a keen sense of innovation, Lebanon and its Levant neighbours of Jordan, Syria and Iraq have become a hugely attractive option for the international banking sector, benefitting from dynamic and progressive economies and strong quality of assets.

Long standing adherence to core banking principles has left this market relatively unexposed to the harsher effects of the global recession, with strong emphasis on traditional banking practices such as trade finance and transaction banking and focus on the need to mitigate risk, crucial within the current economic climate.

Topical issues discussed during the conference will include:

• Tracking GDP growth compared to other markets and examining the region’s resilience to the financial crisis: why has this been the case?
• Increasing private sector access to long-term finance, particularly within the SME market
• Expanding the Levant presence throughout the wider Middle East & North Africa region
• Utilising relative lack of recession exposure to generate investor interest in the stock exchange
• How have exports fared year-on-year since 2008 and what are the key growth sectors?
• The growth of depository receipts as a way of encouraging foreign investment into the market
• Political risk: outlining the benefits of improved foreign political relations in building bilateral investment platforms
• Regulatory issues: tracking the pace of various economic reform processes throughout the region
• The growth of Islamic finance and the benefits provided by Shariah-compliant financing instruments
• Iraq: Tracking the growth of emerging market investment into non-oil sectors and subsequent impact on trade and export markets

Who should attend?

• Trade & export finance heads
• Corporate finance directors, CFOs and treasurers
• Treasury and cash management leaders
• Trade financiers and investment officers
• Brokers and traders
• Venture capitalists
• Insurers and underwriters
• Export credit agencies
• Multilaterals
• Solution providers
• Lawyers and consultants
• Market analysts and policy advisors

Delegates will have the opportunity to continue discussions and network informally at a special evening reception taking place upon the conclusion of the conference.

Event Photos

Brochure

Programme

08.00 Registration and refreshments

09.00 Chairman’s opening remarks
Mark Fenner, Managing Director, Treasury Services MEA, BNY Mellon

09.05 Panel discussion: Assessing the banking landscape within Lebanon
Moderator: Philippe Arbadji, Vice-President, Treasury Services, Levant Region, BNY Mellon
Abdel Salam Chebaro, Central Manager, Trade Finance, Bank Audi
Massoud Kantar, Deputy Head of Trade Finance,  Blom Bank
Margrith Lütschg-Emmenegger, President, FIMBank
François-Pascal de Maricourt, CEO, HSBC Lebanon

• Evaluating the market performance of the trade banking sector and examining the main growth factors
• How does adherence to strong core banking principles balance against the desire for new electronic cash and supply chain-based models?
• What opportunities are provided for international banks within the local marketplace and what has been their impact on regional growth?
• As a service-based economy how dependent is Lebanon on imports and how does this affect the import-export balance?
• Is the appeal of the Lebanese market too concentrated in terms of sectors and location (Beirut)?

09.55 Changing trade flows and increased expansion overseas
Meguerditch Bouldoukian, Head of Financial Institutions, Mena, Banque Libano-Française
Ian Rogers, Regional Manager Business Development, TSC Middle East and North Africa, HSBC

• Developing strategic alliances and collaborative partnerships between financial institutions inside and outside the region
• The importance of building relationships with other emerging market institutions as local corporate clients expand internationally
• Challenges posed and the role of alternative financing options in helping to compete with international players in their domestic markets
• The role of other actors such as multilaterals and ECAs in helping facilitate new trade flows

10.35 Syrian trade: An untapped wealth of opportunity
Bashir Yakzan, Assistant General Manager, Bank of Syria & Overseas

• Tracking the pace of the economic reform process within the burgeoning Syrian market
• What were the effects of the recession on GDP compared to other similar markets?
• How have exports fared year-on-year since 2008? What are the key growth sectors?
• Bestowing the virtues of a well regulated and conservatively run banking sector
• Future opportunities: Forecasted growth in project financing as corporate lending rules are relaxed

11.00 Networking break

11.30 Defying the doubters: Iraq takes centre stage
Zaid Mahdi, Vice-President, Business Development, Trade Bank of Iraq

• Tracking Iraq's impressive progress as one of the region's fastest growing economies
• The role of improved stability in increasing LC volumes within the country
• Widening the range of financial services provided for Iraqi businesses to trade internationally
• Examining the dynamic between Iraq and regional re-export markets
• Building new relationships and the role of products such as political risk insurance (PRI)

11.55 Alternative methods for improving access to finance
Margrith Lütschg-Emmenegger, President, FIMBank

• The role of factoring joint ventures and collaborations in providing additional liquidity options
• Outlining the unique benefits provided for SME financing by the factoring product
• New ways of evaluating credit standards and how they compare with traditional banks
• Assessing the competition in services provided between banks and specialist factoring providers

12.20 Panel discussion: Corporate priorities within the Levant marketplace
Moderator: Karim Nasrallah, General Manager, The Lebanese Credit Insurer (LCI)
Fady Gemayel, Chairman and General Manager, Gemayel Frères sal & Société Libanaise de Carton Solicar
Roger Tanios, Legal Department Manager, Industrial Development Company INDEVCO
Hadia Minkara, General Manager, Allchem
Vicken Sarkissian, Finance Director, Obegi Chemicals Group

• Increasing access to trade finance for businesses in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria
• Promoting further expansion of economic activity into the wider Mena region and beyond
• Swimming with the tide: Understanding prevailing trends and considering new options
• New approaches and innovations for obtaining SME financing 

13.15 Lunch

14.15 Expanding the Lebanese investment environment
Peter Gotke, Vice President, Depositary Receipts, BNY Mellon

• Considering the growth of depository receipts as an alternative investment source
• How such initiatives are increasing interest from local and foreign investors in the stock exchange
• The role of government initiatives such as the privatisation programme and draft law on capital markets
• Promoting transparency and increased efficiency to encourage investors

14.45 The role of multilateral partnerships in increasing trade finance availability
Shehzad Sharjeel, Regional Head, Middle East & North Africa, IFC Global Trade Finance Program
Elie Tabet, Head of International Banking Relations, BLC Bank

• Expanding relationships with correspondent banks across the world and helping serve the growing trade finance needs of clients
• How banks are using such facilities to increase TF offerings and expand transaction volumes to support SMEs and create jobs
• The role of multilaterals such as IFC in providing partial or full guarantees against underlying trade instruments and covering the payment risk of participating issuing banks to confirming banks
• How such initiatives allow local issuing banks to expand their transaction network across a wider range of countries

15.25 Networking break 

15.55 New innovations in business intelligence processing
Fady Fiani, Country Manager for Lebanon, Misys
Antoine Wakim, Chief Financial Officer, First National Bank

• The role of intelligence solutions in aiding the decision making process
• Advantages provided for monitoring performance against established targets
• Compliance with national directives and ensuring close synergy with the Central Bank
• Outlining benefits provided for banks and corporates through more efficient deployment of business structures

16.35 Panel discussion: How hungry is the appetite for risk within the Lebanese/Levant market?
Moderator: David Venediger, Managing Director, Coface Emirates Services
Karim Nasrallah, General Manager, The Lebanese Credit Insurer (LCI)
Ahmed Hanaa, Trade Finance Officer, Middle East & North Africa, IFC Global Trade Finance Program
Michael McPhilimey, Consultant, Trade & Investment Risk Consultancy

• How has prudent fiscal policy within Lebanon and the wider Levant impacted on risk assessment?
• Assessing the importance of government stability in the trade and investment appeal of the region
• Considering the impact of Basel III on the trade risk appeal of the marketplace
• Comparing respective market share between ECAs and private credit insurance providers
• Is the success of the private sector likely to help or undermine any new administrations?

17.30 Closing remarks followed by evening reception

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.

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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