The ongoing impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted many businesses. Alongside the downfall of the oil industry and many others, we discuss the impact on a common commodity in everyone's household - sugar.

TFG is very delighted to hear from Tanya and Stephen of Czarnikow discussing in detail the impact of Covid-19 on sugar supply chains. Czarnikow buys, sells, and moves sugar, food ingredients, packaging, and ethanol around the world.

Full transcript and article here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e41-bitter-sweet-global-trade-disruption-and-its-impact-on-sugar-flows/

It is estimated that some EUR600bn of support to real economy businesses is provided by the credit risk insurance market, according to a recent survey by ITFA. 

 

Credit insurance is crucial in facilitating bank lending and in supporting trade flows. Trade credit insurance cover is largely used to provide capital relief - i.e., non-payment credit risk insurance, surety and risk participations.

COVID-19 has certainly changed the behaviour of underwriters, and we wanted to find out where the CPRI market might be headed in a post-pandemic world. 

TFG are proud media partners of TXF Commodities Virtual 2020, a two-part virtual and physical event in May and November 2020, where we will be joined by experts from across the commodity finance sector, which is currently facing unprecedented challenges.

Structured data and standard formats for exchanging information around bank guarantees and letters of credit are key for the digitisation of trade finance. Interbank and bank-to-corporate messaging remains a challenge, and whilst the industry welcomes moves towards structured data and SWIFT’s new messaging types, there are still challenges. TFG heard from Olli Jääsaari, Standardised Trust expert and Nordea’s Trade Finance & WCM Product Manager.

Full interview here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/letters-of-credit/swift-messaging-types/

Today's podcast is all about Asian trade flows and their expected growth, which is predicted to be between 4-9%, according to the ICC. A leader on the world stage, Asia produces, trades and consumes over two-thirds of major commodities. The region is on track to top half of global GDP and 40% of the world’s consumption by 2040. $900 billion of the $1.5 trillion USD trade finance gap stems from underfinanced businesses in Asia, yet promising developments around regional free trade agreements and the delivery of innovative technology born out of the APAC region is undeniable.

Money fuels serious crime, including drugs trafficking, human slavery and terrorism. Managing financial crime risk while keeping up with the speed at which trade finance and payments technologies are emerging presents a huge challenge for banks around the world. TFG heard from Standard Chartered’s Group Head of Financial Crime Compliance, David Howes.

The impact of COVID-19 on trade finance is hard to gauge at this current point in time, as the situation changes day by day. But the requirements for multinationals and development banks has never been more important in keeping supply chains running. TFG heard from Steven Beck, Head of Trade & Supply Chain at Asian Development Bank, joining from Manila.

Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e36-development-banks-step-up-in-the-fight-against-covid-19-adb-steven-beck/

Today we're delighted to be joined by Simon Ring at Pole Star and Nick Barnes at TradeIX and the Marco Polo Network. This podcast is really about the intersection between freight forwarding, trade and regulatory technology.

Trade underpins the evolution of mankind, and with trade comes trust, and with trust comes third parties. Moving forward from IOUs and promises written on clay tablets thousands of years ago, to today’s interconnected world of trade, I want to question how far the industry has really gotten to, in terms of innovation and true digitalisation. Buzz words aside, TFG was joined by a world-renowned expert in trade and trade finance; BCG’s Sukand Ramachandran. Sukand is a leading expert in technological trends, as well as the complexities and nuances of cross border trade, trade finance and payments.

TXF Political Risk & Trade Credit Insurance is a uniquely interactive forum where banks, corporates and traders meet the CPRI market to forge new and deeper partnerships for distribution, capital relief and risk mitigation. 

TFG are delighted to be Media Partners of the TXF Political Risk & Insurance conference in London on the 4th December, and to ensure you’re up to speed with this ever-changing environment, we caught up with leading experts in CPRI ahead of the conference.

We are joined by Sean Edwards, Chairman, ITFA & Head of Legal at SMBC, Peter Sargent, Head of Transaction Banking at DNB Bank, Rudolf Putz, Head of the Trade Facilitation Programme at the EBRD and France-Anne at Tinubu Square.