With global trade already back at pre-pandemic levels, it is tempting to say that the global economy has recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the worst of its upheavals are now behind us. However, there are also signs that the rebound from the low baseline of the pandemic is losing momentum, as major economies battle the shared headwinds of persistently high inflation, supply chain disruption, labour shortages, and new COVID-19 restrictions. To ponder what effect these dynamics have had - and will continue to have - on trade finance in emerging markets, there are few better observers to call on than Rudolf Putz. 

Trade Finance Talks

EBRD’s Rudolf Putz on delivering trade finance to emerging markets during COVID-19, and looking to a greener future

In the commodities super cycle that has emerged out of the COVID-19 pandemic, few resources have seen as much volatility as liquified natural gas (LNG). From record lows to record highs in less than 18 months, LNG’s ups and downs are perhaps rivalled only by crude oil, whose 300% plunge to -$40 a barrel in April 2020 is one for the history books, and one for future economics students to ponder. But unlike oil’s flash crash, LNG’s roller coaster has been a much more sustained affair, taking it from a pandemic low of $1.85 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) in May 2020, to almost $36 mmBtu today - an increase of more than 1,700%. Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/video-grappling-with-oversupply-decarbonisation-record-price-volatility-what-does-future-hold-for-lng/

What does the future hold for LNG?

Like many products within trade finance, trade credit insurance has endured serious volatility during the last 12-18 months, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. But while some products have struggled to bounce back - as evidenced by the growing trade finance gap - trade credit insurance has ultimately emerged from the pandemic stronger than before.  And perhaps one of the best witnesses to that recovery is Richard Wulff, executive director of the International Credit Insurance & Surety Association (ICISA).  Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e75-u-shaped-recovery-icisas-richard-wulff-on-trade-credit-insurance-its-bounce-back-from-the-pandemic/(opens in a new tab)

U-shaped recovery - ICISA’s Richard Wulff on trade credit insurance and its bounce back from the pandemic

As the trade finance industry shifts towards more digitalised ways of doing business, new niches are opening up within the market.   One such niche can be found in digitalised trade credit insurance and surety markets, of which one of the largest players is Tinubu Square.   Tinubu Square considers itself the leading B2B software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider for trade-related speciality insurance, namely credit insurance with short-term, medium-term, and political risk, bonds and surety, working with 60 insurers, 218 brokers and over 1000 obligees based around the world.   Full transcript here:  https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep74-getting-saas-into-surety-and-credit-insurance-tinubus-co-founder-talks-insurtech/

Getting SaaS into surety and credit insurance - Tinubu’s co-founder talks insurtech

On the eve of COP26 - the biggest climate summit of the year - the world is more focused than ever on reducing carbon emissions, and on the role that individual companies can play in tackling climate change. Starting this Sunday, COP26 will be the first UN climate conference since the publication of its landmark Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in August this year. Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep73-pole-star-carbonchain-partnership-delivers-single-service-sustainability-compliance-solution/

Pole Star, CarbonChain partnership delivers single-service sustainability, compliance solution

We have just finished the marathon, that is SIBOS Virtual, a festival of trade, treasury and payments. So what better way to celebrate, than to be joined by the CEO of the Banks Association for Financing Trade (or BAFT), Tod Burwell. Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep72-sibos-special-bafts-tod-burwell-on-last-century-of-trade-transaction-banking/

Sibos special: BAFT’s Tod Burwell, on the last century of trade and transaction banking

Today we’re talking about messaging. I’m sure we all have messaged before, humans might use whatsapp or messenger. Computers might use application programming interfaces, or APIs. Dogs bark at each other, dolphins message through using soundwaves. But what about banks? How do banks message one another? Often banks need to talk to each other, confirming beneficiaries, recipients, payment amounts, and details of goods and services of their clients and transactions. SWIFT is the  financial industry’s neutral and trusted infrastructure provider, and is still moving towards the creation of frictionless instant payments in an ever-changing and complex environment. Today, we’re talking about the evolution of SWIFT.  How has SWIFT changed, what challenges have they faced and how will they continue reinventing themselves in the highly competitive global payments market?  To help me answer these questions, I’m delighted to be joined by Marcus Hughes, Head of Strategic Business Development at Bottomline.  Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep71-evolution-of-swift/

The evolution of SWIFT

The current banking landscape is going through a makeover. PSD2 and open banking has it’s advantages, but there are also many opportunities to continue to level the playing field, share risks and revisit the rules. The Pandemic has driven the acceleration of open banking, from automatic IBAN and Identifier checking, to increased partnerships via APIs.  Today, discussing, the importance of open banking ecosystems and the need for global digital transformation, I’m joined by Industry expert Liliana Fratini Passi, Managing Director at CBI and Vice Chair of UN/CEFACT. Read the full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep70-italy-perspective-future-of-open-banking-automatic-iban-psd2-apis/

Italy perspective - The future of open banking: automatic IBAN, PSD2 and APIs

World trade is central to economic growth and as we emerge from the pandemic, trade is paramount in enabling the global economy to recover.  We’ve discussed trade digitisation and its many facets for some time now, but the pandemic has now rendered this critical, potentially a tipping point for scalable progress in digitisation. But it’s not easy. Digitising a complex ecosystem involving myriad actors, rules and regulations, sprawled across both physical and financial supply chains in multiple countries and industries is a challenge.  Today, discussing, legal harmonisation, Richer data and standards and interoperability, I’m joined by Industry leader and one of TFG’s Women in Trade, Louise Taylor Digby, Head of Trade Strategy at SWIFT. Full transcript: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep69-digitising-trade-the-time-is-now/ 

Digitising trade: the time is now

Global supply chains have been and continue to be deeply impacted by the changes that have taken place in the last 12 months. From the Suez canal debacle which showed just how interconnected global supply chains truly are, to the current shortage of HGV drivers in the UK which poses a serious threat to supply lines to schools and hospitals, it is fair to say that the industry is, currently, facing significant challenges.  Is the industry at a breaking point? And what can we learn from these challenges? To help me explore these questions I have Sam Greenhalgh, UK Sales Director at Zencargo! Full transcript: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep68-freight-crisis-hgv-driver-shortage-shipping-blockages-and-the-digital-future-of-freight/

The freight crisis: HGV driver shortage, shipping blockages and the digital future of freight

Open account business - buy now, pay later - drives economic activity worldwide. And during times of volatility, uncertainty and of course, the pandemic, the need for solutions when it comes to receivables finance has never been more pronounced. With more market participants, the rise of non-bank lenders, a drive towards digitalising the open account ecosystem, there’s a lot going on.  So today, I’m joined by the two co-founders of WOA, Erik Timmermans and John Brehcist. Full transcript: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e67-woa-insights-receivables-rebounding-role-open-account-finance-post-covid-19/

WOA Insights: Receivables rebounding and the role of open account finance post COVID-19

Today we’re talking about some of the changes in trade in goods volumes, over the past 12 months. A lot has changed. We’ve had a commodity supercycle, with prices surging despite low volumes and amidst the pandemic, trade tensions continue all around the world.  World trade of goods has declined some 12% in the last year, representing a loss of $22 trillion USD of trade. Is it all doom and gloom for trade, or will we see a resurgence? Data also lies at the heart of this problem, with siloed or even duplicated trade data flows. Today I’m catching up with Trade Data Monitor’s Chief Economic Analyst, John Miller. Full transcript: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e66-chief-economist-insights-are-iron-ore-prices-propping-up-global-trade/

Chief Economist insights: are iron ore prices propping up global trade?

The ICC Banking Commission is one of the leading global rule-making bodies for the banking industry, producing universally accepted rules and guidelines which are vital in facilitating trade-led growth and development. From the Uniform Customs and Practice rules for documentary credits to rules on collections, demand guarantees and electronic rules, ICC’s rules underpin trillions of dollars worth of trade going through banks each year. TFG’s editor, Deepesh Patel spoke with Lynn Ng, ICC’s new Banking Commission chair to discuss ICC’s new governance strategy moving forward and some of the key priorities for the Banking Commission. Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e65-icc-banking-commissions-lynn-ng-on-need-to-simplify-trade/

ICC Banking Commission’s Lynn Ng on the need to simplify trade

If sustainability and blockchain aren’t the biggest buzzwords in trade finance right now, it’s MLETR - the model law on electronic transferable records. In this episode, we discussed the realities of implementing the United Nations Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records into local markets, an incredibly important advancement in accepting electronic signatures, with Sarah Green, Law Commissioner, English Law Commission. Full Transcript Here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e64-electronic-documents-and-english-law-the-roadmap-to-digital-trade-documents/

Electronic Documents and English Law: the roadmap to digital trade documents

Reporting Export Incidents, whether on a voluntary or involuntary basis, as well as investigating non-compliance in relation to trade finance operations, is of huge importance to multinationals, banks and policy makers. With that in mind, Spencer Chilvers, Head of Export Control Policy, Rolls-Royce to discuss export controls, the current sanctions environment, and the future, on Trade Finance Talks!   Full Transcript Here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-e63-sanctions-rolls-royce-tactical-complexities-voluntary-reporting/

Sanctions: Rolls Royce, on the tactical complexities of voluntary reporting

Welcome to Trade Finance Talks a podcast from Trade Finance Global. During this series, we’ll be hearing from global experts, as well as learning about the latest trends, technology and insights in the world of international trade and receivables finance.

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Trade Finance Talks

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