The Berne Union has appointed Kai Preugschat as its new secretary general, filling a gap at the head of the secretariat following Peter Jones’s retirement in November 2013.
Hesham Zakai analyses the results of the inaugural ICC export finance benchmarking survey.
Hesham Zakai assesses the impact of the Russia-Ukraine political problems on trade.
Deutsche Bank has appointed Jens Ruebbert as chief country officer (CCO) and head of global transaction banking (GTB), Deutsche Bank, Vietnam.
JP Morgan has appointed Pravin Advani as its new global head of sales for global trade and loan products, effective May 1. He replaces David Conroy in the role, who left the bank to take up a position with a not-for-profit organisation in the US.
Pan-African Ecobank has signed a $200 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to help bolster African trade flows.
Equinox Global, the Lloyd’s cover holder specialising in trade credit insurance, has appointed Vicki Harrison as finance director and Duncan Davies as portfolio account manager. Both will be based in the London office.
Commerzbank has claimed the prize for the most active confirming banking in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) for 2013.
Singapore-headquartered Sahara Energy International, the trading arm of Sahara Group, has appointed former Trafigura head of finance Alexander Peters as its new chief financial officer.
Mars UK is changing its business payment terms, doubling the length of time it can take to pay suppliers to 120 days from 60 days.
Western banks continue to make inroads in the provision of cash management structures and solutions for their clients operating in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ).
Citigroup has sacked 12 members of staff in relation to the suspected fraud at its Mexican banking unit that led the group to revise its 2013 income down by $235 million.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has launched renminbi (RMB) cross-border cash pooling for multinational companies (MNCs) registered in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ). The move will enable these companies to integrate their China onshore RMB cash flow with their regional and/or global cash pools.
the role of head of financial institutions (FI) regional unit London. Her responsibilities will be to, drive the FI portfolio and work with new and existing clients. Her
Malta-headquartered FIMBank has appointed Maarten van Alkemade as head of its trade finance department. A Dutch national, van Alkemade joins FIMBank from Coalogic, where he worked as a consultant for banks
ABN AMRO has promoted Jacqueline Chang to the newly created role regional head of commodities Asia, as part of an expansion of the bank’s global commodities activities within its energy, commodities and transportation (ECT) business.
Equinox Global, the Lloyd’s coverholder specialising in trade credit insurance, has moved into a new office in New York and has been approved as Lloyd’s coverholder in the US. The office is headed by Antje Seiffert-Murphy who has been with Equinox in the US since 2011.
The German development bank, Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG) is providing a loan of €3 million ($4.1 million) to the German horticulture company Selecta Klemm for the modernisation of its greenhouses in Kenya.
Scobie Mackay has been promoted to the position of head, commodity traders and agribusiness, trade finance at Standard Chartered (StanChart)in Singapore.
Trade documentation software specialist Bolero International has appointed Ian Kerr as its new chief operating officer (CEO).
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed an unfunded $50 million risk participation agreement (RPA) with the Union de Banques Arabes et Françaises (UBAF), to support trade origination capacities of African issuing banks.
AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, a US-based provider of funding and financial services to agricultural credit associations, has selected SunGard’s Ambit Commercial Lender to help modernise its lending operations.
Specialist insurer, Markel International, has appointed Simon Philpin as underwriter and senior risk analyst in its trade credit division.
Accounts receivables securitisation specialist Finacity has closed two loan facilities for US-based affiliates of international corporate clients. Both the facilities are asset-based loans (ABLs) and amount to $20 million in total.
This is a particularly big year for the Berne Union, which has now been supporting exporters, borrowers, investors and the overall export financing sector for the past 80 years. It is also a celebratory year, as few organisations have such an excellent and consistent track-record of performance in global trade. In the case of the Berne Union
Jonathan Bell, editor-in-chief at TXF, talks with Dan Riordan, president of the Berne Union, about taking the organisation forward in its 80th year.
The Berne Union has 49 member companies from around the world. The membership is diverse – member organisations may be private or state linked, small or large. They represent all aspects of the export credit and investment insurance industry worldwide.
The Prague Club is an information exchange network for new and maturing insurers of export credit and investment. The first official meeting was held in Prague, and carrying on the tradition the Berne Union began 50 years earlier, the group was named after the city of the inaugural meeting. In 2013 the Prague Club once again held its Spring Meeting in Prague to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the association.
Global trade and foreign direct investments have seen dramatic changes in the 80 years since the Berne Union was founded. Not surprisingly, the Berne Union itself has changed in tandem with these. But the world of the Berne Union is more complex than this simple picture.
"It’s different this time.” A simple phrase, but a potent one. Its reappearances all feel novel, and more’s the pity
Capacity in short-term credit insurance has been steadily returning since the 2008 global financial crisis (GFC) and premiums have recovered. According to Berne Union’s data, commitment of its short-term members has come back to the pre-GFC level
Export credit is a tool which has been used for decades to support exports in a world where the main driver of economic growth has been international trade. The need for export finance has been questioned for 40 years, but today after several years of crisis, most people recognise the importance of this tool to support the economy.
Export-oriented economies benefit from new jobs, more innovation, reduced welfare costs and economic stability. Creating growth through trade is an elemental part of the policy approach of many industrialised economies.
An arguably common theme in medium- and long-term (MLT) export finance circles today is that full implementation of Basel III will elicit the end of commercial banks as the funding source for long-term financing – with long term export finance1 as one of many segments affected
Export credit agencies (ECAs) and development finance institutions (DFIs) have very different purposes, mandates and in the case of multilateral institutions, ownership structures. However, there are many important areas of overlap where the pursuit of different mandates and different policy
When I first worked for Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (Nexi) during 2003 to 2006, seconded from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan as the head of planning and administration department, Nexi was a very busy organisation
Although the operations of Berne Union members are diversified across various products, geographies, governance models, and regulatory systems, the growing role of ECAs in facilitating large medium- to long- term (MLT) export transactions has been clear for all to see in the years since the Lehman Brothers collapse almost toppled the world’s financial systems.
State-backed export credit agencies (ECAs), members of Berne Union’s medium- and long-term committee, are quick in responding to changing market needs. Over the past 15 years, there are a number of good examples of ECAs
The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), the insurance arm of the AAA rated Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB) based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has completed this year its 20 years of services in supporting trade and investment
Africa 80 years ago was a much different place. In fact, when the Berne Union was launched, Africa was largely under colonial rule. A few decades later, with independence firmly seized, most struggled to control severe poverty rates and warring factions. An institution such as the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) was not even on the radar of African governments.
The role of international trade and its impact on the global economy has been revisited anew since the global economic crisis. This article examines the impact of international trade in recent years and the specific role that export credit agencies (ECAs) have played.
At the US Ex-Im conference in Washington DC, Team TXF got delegates to pen their song choices on the TXF Wall of Sound. Here are the results...
Berne Union: Medium/Long Term Export Credit Insurance and Lending
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed an unfunded €40 million ($54.8 million) risk participation agreement (RPA) with BNP Paribas (BNPP) to support the trade finance activities of African issuing banks.
The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has recruited James Burdett as its group’s new chief financial officer (CFO). Burdett joins the Emirates bank from Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), where he held roles as CFO for international & institution banking and, before that, CFO for the bank’s Asia, Pacific, Europe and Americas operations.
Five leading business associations have joined forces with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Banking Commission to undertake a major project to standardise and harmonise market terminology for global supply chain finance products and services.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States US Ex-Im has appointed the 11 members to its 2014 sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee.
TXF PRI: Trade, Commodity & Export Finance is taking place this February. Delve into the local market and make high-level contacts that might just lead to your next deal...
This virtual event will address those challenges head-on. We want to create an atmosphere that is inspiring and ideas led, that demonstrates the art of the possible for the export finance community.
Uniting the key players and deal makers across the Americas. This is your chance to stay connected and ahead of the curve!
Join us while we are looking into the commodity finance sector for the Asia Pacific region. Connect with key players and hear about current and future deals.
The destination for African export & project finance. Come together with deal makers across the region for virtual networking opportunities second to none .
TXF is introducing the 'Financing the Energy Transition' event, focusing on the latest updates and future plan of the energy transition.
We're proud to be bringing back TXF Global Commodity Finance, a must-attend event for the commodity finance community.
TXF invites you to join a dynamic group of export finance professionals to plot your ideas on where we're heading and how to get there
Fasten your seatbelt for the second leg of the ultimate export finance world tour, with stop-offs at Asia, Mena, Europe, Africa, and the Americas
This year's global trade virtual event will look into the impact of covid-19 to the market and explore new opportunities
Calling all changemakers in export finance! Join us to plot your ideas about diversity, sustainability and inclusion in the industry. If you are here to make a difference you are in the right place!
Your largest export, agency & project finance event returns to Madrid for 2021 after a 2020 virtual extravaganza! Industry renowned as the go-to for global export finance. Let the deal-making begin!
We are delighted to bring back this senior-level virtual event dedicated to the MENA region! Examine the regions' key trends and future opportunities whilst networking in a safe space.
A key event in the export, agency & project finance event calendar for senior and influential professionals working across the Asia-Pacific region. Networking and deal opportunities abound!