9th Annual Europe Trade & Supply Chain Finance Conference

Event Review

Amsterdam provided the setting for the latest instalment of Exporta’s long running flagship European conference, held in the elegant surroundings of the Sofitel Legend, The Grand hotel.

The 9th Annual Europe Trade & Supply Chain Finance Conference once again proved extremely popular amongst the continent’s leading actors with a diverse delegation of around 170 practitioners from across the industry spectrum, including premier financial institutions, senior representatives from the insurance sector, and the full cross section of third party solution providers. Strong attendance was balanced with a healthy contingent of corporate players, with high level executives from the likes of DHL, Akzo Sassenheim, Heineken, Kuehne + Nagel, Nike Europe and Heinz in the audience, as well as speaking contributions from AkzoNobel, Inchcape Shipping, CEVA Logistics, Philips, Whirlpool Europe, and Volvo.

The packed two day agenda addressed a wide variety of key topics, including primary issues for trade and supply chain finance professionals in the current climate, pitfalls when implementing payables supply chain finance, priorities for the corporate treasurer, differing approaches to receivables financing, the role of insurance in protecting the supply chain, comparing the benefits of ownership and secured financing, and the capabilities and solutions offered by Global Trade Services (GTS).

Dual streams on the afternoon of day one offered delegates the choice between plenary sessions on the opportunities offered by emerging markets trade, or detailed insights into contemporary industry innovation and regulation. Presentations from Swift on Bank Payment Obligation (BPO) drew lively discussion from a packed audience, while the challenges faced by corporates when adopting supply chain finance schemes and coordinating their implementation across internal departments proved a popular talking point over the two days.

The event once again enjoyed excellent support with sponsorship from the likes of ING, Deutsche Bank, Rabobank, BNY Mellon, Codix, ASYX International, Demica, Pinnacle Solutions, Prime Revenue and Syncada. Day one concluded with a networking drinks reception, affording attendees the opportunity to continue discussions late into the evening.

Exporta will return to the Continent with the 10th anniversary of this series in May 2012, with Berlin confirmed as the destination for next years meeting.

Description

Following on from the hugely successful event held last year in London, Exporta travels to Amsterdam for the latest edition of this well established series.
 
With continuing unrest on the continent and the onset of tightening liquidity taking hold, the ability to streamline operations and maximise supply chain efficiency has never been more crucial. Building on strong success and impressive commercial support, the event is now widely recognised as Exporta’s flagship European gathering, and has rightly gained a reputation as the most comprehensive meeting for those doing business on the continent.
 
Topics will include Europe's realignment within the changing global trade landscape, primary challenges in terms of risk and pricing, regulatory hurdles, supplier finance programmes, increased emphasis on the importance of south-south trade flows and changing attitudes to country risk, working capital case studies and corporate liquidity priorities, as well as logistical challenges faced along the global supply chain.
 
As with all Exporta events, you can expect insight and commentary from a range of the industry’s thought leaders, joined by a delegation consisting of bankers, corporates, technology providers and other industry insiders. The 2011 event attracted sponsorship from a raft of top tier global companies, with 2012’s event set to continue this theme.
 
We look forward to welcoming you in June for two days unrivalled in content, delegate calibre, and networking opportunities with the continent's leading players.

Event Photos

Brochure

Day 1


08.00 Registration and refreshments


09.00 Chairman’s opening remarks
Dominic Broom, Head of Sales & Relationship Management, Treasury Services EMEA, BNY Mellon

09.05 Keynote: Roads to survival and growth: A macroeconomic perspective
Teunis Brosens, Senior Economist, ING Commercial Banking
• Considering how current financial constraints are reducing trade finance availability for banks
• Addressing the lack of US dollar liquidity across European institutions and its impact on flows
• What regulatory reforms are in the pipeline at present and how are they likely to ease the burden?
• Basel III regulations: Have we seen the full impact yet or is the worst yet to come?
• Is the mooted two-speed financial system viable or is decoupling fundamentally unfeasible?

09.30 Panel discussion: What are the primary concerns for trade and SCF practitioners in the current climate?
Moderator: Rebecca Spong, Editor, Global Trade Review (GTR)
Alexander Mutter, Head of Trade & Cash Solutions (TCS) Advisory Team, Deutsche Bank
Nicole Bjugger, Director, Supplier Financial Solutions, Volvo
Joaquin Jimenez Krijgsman, Global Head, Supply Chain Finance, Working Capital Solutions, ING
Martin Scott, Executive Director, EMEA Trade Solutions Delivery Head, J.P. Morgan
Roel Elshout, Chief Executive Officer, Asyx International
• Tracking corporate interest in supply chain finance and how this translates into increased business volumes for some banks
• Addressing concerns over pricing transparency as more banks use their own internal cost of funds over the Libor benchmark
• Gaining perspectives on the true impact of Basel III in terms of business model and potential margin increases
• Growing awareness of supply chain risks as a result of increased ‘south-south’ trade flows
• Considering the available means for improving processing times on trade transactions
• Where is the next major financial markets problem likely to come from and how are companies working with their banks in preparation?

10.20 Pitfalls when implementing payables supply chain finance
Michael Hyltoft, Independent SCF Advisor, European Corporates
• Sharing experiences from working with some of the biggest corporates in Europe
• Moving from the idea stage to successful programme implementation
• Covering the pitfalls faced, from getting the business case wrong to forgetting longer term support
• Looking at the measures in place to safeguard programmes and mitigate risk

 

10.45 Networking Break


11.25 Finding the hidden costs in a supply chain
Jesper Steenbuch, Executive Vice President, Logistics & Supply Chain Solutions, Inchcape Shipping Services
• The risks in not being compliant with the new UK Bribery Act
• Highlighting potential risks as a result of not vetting vendors
• Outlining the costs of multiple vendors and single year agreements
• Highlighting the costs of not having a financial savvy commercial organisation

11.50 What are the primary issues for the corporate treasurer at present?
Moderator: Robert O’ Donoghue, Global Head of Working Capital Solutions, ING Commercial Banking, Transaction Services
Peter van Rood, Corporate Director, Treasury, AkzoNobel
Peter Davidsson, European Treasury Director, Whirlpool
Ernst de Kuiper, Executive Vice President Finance, CEVA Logistics

• Comparing approaches to customer and receivables financing across the corporate spectrum
• Striking the balance between service requirements and banking capabilities in terms of risk
• Balancing corporate growth against the need for maintaining liquidity and manage cash flow
• How supplier and customer financing programmes have impacted on market competition
• Implementing new technologies, improving process efficiencies and achieving integration
• What are the main concerns for the corporate treasurer when looking to select the right bank partner?

12.40 Supply chain finance: What part of the chain are we talking about? What's the whole chain?
Laurent Tabouelle, Managing Director, Codix
• Increasing use of reverse factoring as a way of helping suppliers finance their receivables
• Inventory financing and its role in enabling suppliers to better manage working capital
• Using purchase order financing in assisting SMEs with their cash flow
• Increasing processing speeds from inventory to invoice
• Leveraging pre-shipment financing to ease post-shipment financing

13.05 Lunch

Stream A – Global trade recovery: Do emerging markets provide the answer?

Chair: Juultje van der Wijk, Global Head of Trade Finance Services, ING

14.15 Receiving the right information when working in emerging markets
Nigel Greenhill, Director of Corporate Advisory Services, Eurasia Group
• Examining the widening of awareness of political and supply chain risk across non-traditional industry sectors
• Assisting in the development of more robust strategies for assessing and mitigating risk exposure
• Tracking demand for increased intelligence-led forecasting as opposed to analysis and commentary
• Just how prepared are banks and corporates for the impact of political, social and security risk on their business?

14.45 Increased cooperation measures in African export finance
Thomas Kolberg, Head of Department Economic Research, Euler Hermes Kreditversicherungs
Sissi Gerstenkorn, Head of Africa Unit, Euler Hermes Kreditversicherungs
• Focusing on strategic measures in place to increase trade links between the two regions
• Highlighting commercial benefits such as sharing of risk on joint transactions
• Informing informational transparency through shared books on buyer credit information
• How increased cooperation across major institutions forms part of a broader strategy of cooperation
• The importance of improving infrastructure and its role in maximising Africa's commodity resources

15.25 Networking break

15.55 The role of offshore currency settlement in global trade
Mark Emmerson, Head of Trade & Receivables Finance, Continental Europe, HSBC
• An ongoing trend: Increasing settlement in RMB and other emerging market currencies
• How such trends are likely to benefit European corporates looking to move into new markets
• Assessing the importance of government initiatives in aiding offshore currency clearance
• Considering the mechanisms in place to reduce transaction costs and mitigate foreign risk

16.25 Panel discussion: New opportunities in the context of European stagnation
Moderator: Juultje van der Wijk, Global Head of Trade Finance Services, ING
Michael Marnell, Senior Director, Head of Trade Finance Solutions EMEA, Mizuho
Pieterbas Kist, Senior Business Finance Manager EMEA, Corporate Treasury, Philips
Rupert Cutler, Managing Director, Financial & Political Risk, Newman Martin & Buchan
Bart Ras, Managing Director, EMEA Head, Supply Chain Finance, Citi
• Considering whether emerging markets still provide the solution to falling trade volumes
• Looking outside your comfort zone: Are banks and corporates prepared to change course?
• Assessing the impact of regulatory changes and pricing on emerging market appeal
• The role of multilateral institutions in providing risk coverage when entering new territories
• Has the perception of what is an emerging market changed post-crisis?

Stream B – Innovation and regulation in the supply chain

Chair: Dominic Broom, Head of Sales & Relationship Management, Treasury Services EMEA, BNY Mellon

14.15 The BPO: Achieving market standardisation in the supply chain
Andre Casterman, Head of Trade & Supply Chain, Swift
Jana Kies, Senior Product Manager, Financial Supply Chain, Deutsche Bank 
• Providing alternative means for settlement in international trade
• Instigating take-up of the BPO through uniform ICC solution adoption
• Achieving industry alignment on enhancing rules and tools to support trading parties
• Development of rules as foundations for banks to provide risk and financing solutions

14.50 Defining success in the next phase of supply chain finance
Oliver Belin, Business Development Executive, PrimeRevenue
Pim van Bokhoven, Senior Business Controller, KPN Royal Dutch Telecom
• The start of implementing a supply chain finance programme: Setting the stage
• Defining all the processes for success: Goals for buyers versus suppliers
• Ability to adapt becomes critical: Avoiding bottlenecks through multi-banking approach
• Looking beyond small and regional programs: Flexibility as the way forward
• Ongoing optimisation of supply chain finance programmes: Adopting a total roadmap

15.25 Networking break

15.55 ePresentation: A game changer in trade finance
Arthur Voncheck, Chief Executive Officer, Bolero
• Assessing the current landscape and future opportunities
• Ensuring value delivery to all parties
• Outlining the fundamentals of ePresentation
• Cross industry initiatives: Integration with carrier networks
• Corporate case study: BHP Billiton

16.25 Panel discussion: Highlighting methods for working capital optimisation
Moderator: Markus Wohlgeschaffen, Head of Global Trade Finance & Services, UniCredit
Joaquin Jimenez Krijgsman, Global Head, Supply Chain Finance, Working Capital Solutions, ING
Michiel Radder, Vice President, Relationship Management & Sales, BeNeLux and France, BNY Mellon Treasury Services
Cedric Bru, Global Head of Sales, Marketing and Business Development, Syncada from Visa
• Examining alternative corporate financing options as banking capacity diminishes
• Considering the role of automated processes in reducing costs and removing operational risk
• Looking beyond the present: Corporate growth challenges and ways in which to assist
• Helping to align the procurement and treasury functions within the modern corporate
• How are banks restructuring themselves to improve offerings for their clients?

17.20 Close of Day One followed by evening networking reception

Day Two

09.00 Chairman’s morning remarks
Thomas de With, Managing Director, Head of Global Transaction Banking, Netherlands, Deutsche Bank


09.05 Ownership-based financing: An innovative alternative?
Peter Zonneveld, Global Head of Structured Inventory Products, Rabobank International
• Comparing ownership against traditional secured financing
• Outlining the benefits provided by adopting such an approach
• Highlighting some of the challenges faced when using alternative methods
• Explaining the various structures employed in ownership-based financing

09.30 Global trade services: Servicing international clients in a changing banking environment
Moderator: Gerlach Jacobs, Global Head of Transaction Services, ING Commercial Banking
Louis Robinson, Managing Director, EMEA Trade and Network Origination Head, RBS United Kingdom
Markus Wohlgeschaffen, Head of Global Trade Finance & Services, UniCredit
Thomas de With, Managing Director, Head of Global Transaction Banking, Netherlands, Deutsche Bank
Martin Knott, Managing Director, Head of Trade & Supply Chain Finance, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• How effective are present monitors of client exposure and risk?
• Considering the change in approach from institutions to a 'solutions-based' approach
• Selecting the right banking partners both in terms of funding and other relevant services
• Striking the balance between client service requirements and banking capabilities

10.20 Exploring the reality and meaning of supply chain finance
Michiel Steeman, Supply Chain Finance Community Director, Nyenrode Business University  
• Exploring the scope of supply chain finance
• What is the true role of dominant multinationals?
• How can they leverage their purchase power and creditworthiness to optimize supply chains?
• Can we expect the banking sector to benefit? Or will it result in loss of revenue?



10.45 Networking break

11.15 Differing approaches to receivables financing across the spectrum
Cengiz Ucbasaran, Adviser to the Board, Garanti Factoring
• How have providers had to adapt their products and methods in line with the current market?
• Comparing approaches from bank providers to independent service providers
• The role of export receivables financing in easing cash flows and growing overseas exports
• Striking the balance in terms of pricing transparency and contract clarity
• How is the customer and product mix evolving in terms of the balance between SMEs and large corporates?
• Examining the importance of industry standards and impact of regulation on the factoring market

11.40 Bank Payment Obligation: A corporate perspective on supply chain finance
Marie-Christine Diaz, Senior Solutions Manager, Supply Chain, Banking Markets, Swift
• Considering the current challenges faced in trade settlement
• Offering a detailed view on key pain points and drawbacks of classical trade finance instruments
• Outlining the benefits of the Bank Payment Obligation from a seller and buyer’s perspective
• Measuring process efficiency and risk mitigation improvements
• Highlighting the advantages of adopting a global multi-bank approach

12.05 Panel discussion: The role of insurance in protecting the supply chain
Moderator: Rupert Cutler, Managing Director, Financial & Political Risk, Newman Martin & Buchan
Louis Habib Deloncle, CEO, Garant Insurance & Chairman, Single Risk Committee, ICISA
Matthew Solley, Divisional Director, Credit & Political Risks, Gallagher London
Matthieu Delorme, Executive Vice President, Commercial, and Chief Operating Officer, Cotecna
• How insurers are coping with the increased complexity of modern trade flows
• Changing trends in insurance offered against business disruption rather than loss of assets
• The increasing importance of cargo/supply chain insurance once credit lines have been agreed
• Examining measures in place for monitoring the financial stability of suppliers
• At which point is risk transferred between the insurer and the client?
• Does pricing reflect the amount of risk involved in the current climate?

12.55 Close of conference followed by networking 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. 

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