Authors Page - Trade Finance Global

James A. Fok is a veteran financial and strategic advisor to corporations and governments, who served as a senior executive at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) during a decade of rapid internationalisation in China’s capital markets. He is the author of the recently published book, Financial Cold War: A View of Sino-US Relations from the Financial Markets.

Alastair Hughes is the Head of Division at the Bank of England’s Markets Directorate, responsible for work on risk-free rate transition. Prior to this, he spent most of his career as a supervisor of globally systemically important banks (GSIBs), most recently as a Head of Division in the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) covering the London operations of North American firms such as JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Bank of America. He spent several years as a member of the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) Senior Supervisor Group, a forum for senior representatives of supervisory authorities to engage in dialogue on risk management practices, governance, and other issues concerning complex, globally-active financial institutions.

Irene Gambelli is an International Relations Advisor at SACE, the Italian Export Credit Agency. She looks after SACE’s relationship with foreign ECAs, MDBs, and other international institutions, and represents Italy’s position within the OECD and EU, including in negotiations and working groups on policy-related issues that steer export credit business. She has been with SACE since 2006, where she has previously spent three years in the underwriting area and four years coordinating the business strategy and origination activities of SACE’s overseas network. From 2019 to 2021, she served as Vice Chair of the ECA Committee of the Berne Union, the International Association of Credit and Investment Insurers. From 2014 to 2019, she was an active member of Berne Union’s focus group on SMEs, and is currently involved in ongoing initiatives on data and digitalisation. Before joining SACE she worked for six years at a business law firm in Rome, Italy, where she is currently based.

Lin Hui is the Regional Director for North East Asia at FCI. Lin has over 20 years’ experience in the Chinese factoring and trade finance market. He had launched two leading bank factoring divisions with Bank of Communication and China Minsheng Bank, and one commercial factoring enterprise located in mainland China and Hong Kong. He arrived at FCI with broad professional network experience across Greater China’s banking and financial services industry, including working closely with credit insurers, commercial factors, government regulators, industrial associations, and corporate customers in various export industries.

Ed Arghand has 10 years’ experience in credit and political risk, before which he was in academia with a focus on international politics. He relocated from London to Singapore with Brit Insurance in 2017 to set up the Credit and Political Risk book, focusing on Asian clients. He then joined Zurich Singapore in 2018 as a Senior Underwriter, becoming Country Manager for Credit and Political Risk in 2019 covering Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and China. He was voted in as Vice President of the Credit & Political Risk Working Group of the General Insurance Association of Singapore. He left Singapore in 2020 to join HDI Global Speciality in London, where he currently works.

Christina Onyuta is a Policy Analyst at Trade Finance Global.

John is the director of Liverpool City Region Freeport and the UK representative of the World Free Zones Organisation. With over 30 years in international transport and trade, he was a key representative for the international haulage industry during Brexit preparations. John is leading the Liverpool Freeport Zone project, which leverages the port’s role as the UK gateway to transatlantic trade and supports the largest regional regeneration in decades, focusing on zero-carbon energy and transport. Previously, John served as director of one of the UK’s first and largest Freeports and led International Transport & Customs at the Road Haulage Association and Logistics UK. He played a crucial role in securing £25m for Freeport infrastructure, driving regeneration and innovation. Through JL International, he offers strategic consultancy for expanding transport and logistics businesses into new markets.

Todd Faulk is a former political and economic analyst from a prominent U.S. government agency. He is a seasoned writer on international topics, and has written and briefed senior U.S. policymakers on global developments. His love for international travel has only added depth to his understanding of the world. He has lived in six countries and visited over 70 worldwide. He is a huge fan of movies, maps, hiking, and fine wine. He lives in Denver, Colorado.

John Omoti has up to 23 years’ experience in all aspects of trade finance operations, implementation and product management and origination working mainly within transaction banking for various banks. He is a Certificated Professional Banker (CCBI) with the Chartered Bankers Institute and is a Certified Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS), PRINCE2 with an MBA in Finance. He is a seasoned banking professional with extensive expertise in Trade and Supply Chain Finance. As the Vice President of Trade & Supply Chain Finance at Bank of China Limited in London, he oversees strategic initiatives and operations related to international trade financing and supply chain solutions. With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, John has built a reputation for driving innovation and fostering collaborations within the financial sector. He possesses a deep understanding of global trade dynamics, enabling him to provide valuable insights to clients and stakeholders. John is renowned for his ability to develop bespoke financial solutions tailored to the unique needs of multinational corporations, SMEs, and trading partners. Throughout his career, John has been instrumental in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to streamline trade processes and enhance supply chain efficiency. He is known for his proactive approach in identifying emerging market trends and translating them into actionable strategies, positioning Bank of China as a leader in the competitive landscape of international trade and supply chain finance. With a proven track record of successful partnerships and innovative financial solutions, John Omoti continues to be a driving force in shaping the future of international trade and supply chain finance at Bank of China Limited, London. He has previously worked in Trade Finance dept. in MUFG Bank (UK) Ltd, Bank of America, GTBank UK Limited, Zenith Bank UK Limited & Sumitomo Mitui Banking Corporation.

Ed Lam is the Chief Executive Officer of LFX. An offshoot of Li & Fung, LFX is an investor, incubator, and operator of various digital ventures, with the goal of creating an end-to-end digital supply chain platform for the consumer goods industry. Ed is also a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Li & Fung, providing senior oversight on the Company’s direction, strategic transactions, capital structure, key banking relationships and ecosystem partnerships.

Kamyar Naficy is the Founder and Principal of KNECTCOMMS, a marketing and  communications consultancy to the finance, technology and fintech sectors. He previously worked in senior marketing and communications roles at JP Morgan,  London Stock Exchange Group and UniCredit. He holds a BA from the London  School of Economics and an MPhil (Masters) in Management Studies from  Cambridge University. 

Swati writes about the cryptocurrency market, blockchain, and particular tokens. Swati Goyal is a Bachelor of Arts degree with more than 10 years of experience in finance and cryptocurrencies. Swati has been specializing in cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology since 2013 when she first came across with Bitcoin and the crypto market.

Arman Mohammad is an Analyst and Marketing Assistant at Trade Finance Global (TFG).

Lewis Evans is a Research Analyst at Trade Finance Global (TFG). He holds a BSc in Economics from Cardiff University and an MSc in Development Economics from the University of Birmingham, with an interest in International Trade Theory, Macroeconomics and Econometrics with Development Applications. His MSc dissertation focused on Military Expenditure and Economic Growth: A Case of Colombia.

Elcyn Domingo is responsible for the TFG Weekly Trade Briefings at Trade Finance Global. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information and Technology and is passionate about how SMEs can use new technologies to overcome challenges for business growth, with regard to both digital and sustainable models for trade.

Susana Domínguez is a Product Owner and Senior Consultant & Business Analyst at Mercury TFS. Since 2013 she has worked in the trade finance and banking sectors in Europe and Latin America, as both a senior consultant and as a business analyst. From 2010 to 2013, she worked in the Trade Finance Corporate Department at Banco Santander Mexico.

Lisa Mendes works as a Copy Editor and writer for Trade Finance Global (TFG). She has previously worked as a fact-checker for a well-known UK newspaper group, news & current affairs researcher for a major broadcaster and a technical writer-editor for various companies, including Elsevier Scientific and BPP Learning Media. Lisa holds a journalism degree from Rhodes University (South Africa) and an MA from the University of Kent and is a big fan of blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Albert Chris Puja is currently a teaching assistant and doctoral candidate at the University of the Western Cape. His doctoral research investigates the implications that the institutional structure of financial regulation has for FinTech regulation. Puja has over 6 years of law practice experience and has worked as an associate in two leading commercial law firms in Nigeria (George Etomi & Partners;  and Jackson, Etti & Edu). Over the course of his law practice career, Puja has been involved in advising both local and international clients on a wide range of legal inquiries, including on corporate finance, technology transfer, data protection, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, tax, and the power sector. Puja’s research interest cuts across SME financing, trade finance, FinTech and financial regulation.