Katharine Morton
Head of Trade, Treasury and Risk
Katharine is a relative newbie to TXF, but not to many of our audience as she’s ludicrously well connected in the trade, treasury and risk sectors. Katharine joined TXF in January 2018 and is now responsible for developing TXF’s new Financing International Trade (FIT) Zone. Katharine works very closely both with TXF editorial and events teams to lend her experience to developing serious, but fun, content.
What’s your role in TXF?
I’m head of trade, treasury and risk at TXF on the editorial side. I’m also leading the TXF Financing International Trade (FIT) Zone that showcases best practice in trade, treasury and risk.
Breathe in: FIT focuses on short term trade finance, cross-border treasury and cash management, supply chain finance, trade credit insurance and risk management, the development of new technologies, trade as an asset class and best practice all around. And breathe out.
The whole ecosystem of trade finance is in transition and I’m sitting right in the middle of where supply chain finance, treasury, risk management, regulation, technology and trade meet. I’m talking to the market, asking lots of annoying questions and (sometimes) getting answers that FIT Zone members will be able to see or hear.
I also chair our trade and treasury events, and you will see me speaking and moderating at industry events, writing articles, hosting podcasts, webinars, you name it.
Why should a client get in touch with you?
For a good natter about the market, suggestions about what we should be featuring online, article ideas, webinars, any horrid new regulations that are keeping you up at night, or expert briefings you would like to see (or host). Although it’s called the FIT Zone I’m often amenable to some nosh and a leisurely chat!
And if you want to discuss any themes raised in my articles, explore trade, treasury and risk topics or suggest sessions and speakers for events, I’m your woman. Don’t worry, if you don’t bump into me, I’ll probably bump into you somewhere around the world.
Trade is a fascinating area which focuses on real stuff and real markets. Treasury helps keep the money and goods and services moving. And risk is with us all, pricing it is always a challenge. I’m keen to keep learning and am looking forward to FIT Zone members’ contributions to keeping world trade financed and flowing.
What are the two/ three things you are most proud of in your career?
I’ve certainly had a fun career in media, events, business TV and online, consulting on finance and risk and managing a lot of very interesting and talented people. Most proud of? First was launching an environment business magazine in the early nineties, way before its time, in retrospect (or too late, as doomsayers would say). Then being launch editor of an Asian finance magazine in Hong Kong – crazy times.
Outside of my career, I was pretty proud of getting Arts Council funding for a comedy crime caper I wrote, and of putting on art exhibitions of my paintings in London. And I can teach anyone how to effectively network a room based on C Northcote Parkinson’s [the author of Parkinson’s Law] cocktail party techniques.
Tell us one thing no one at TXF knows about you?
Well, I’ve already been outed as being able to robotic dance. I can hoot like an owl and neigh like a horse, but they are skills that aren’t called for very often, but who knows with TXF!