Authors Page - Trade Finance Global

Lori is a final year BSc Economics student, with a particular interest in economic development research and econometrics.

Mara Balasa is PhD Fellow at the Center for Statecraft and Strategic Communication at Stockholm School of Economics.

Robert Besseling founded specialist intelligence company EXX Africa in 2015, after pursuing a decade-long career in political risk forecasting at industry-leading firms in the UK and US. In late 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, EXX Africa was rebranded as Pangea-Risk to cover 68 African and Middle East countries. At Pangea-Risk, Robert leads a team of partners, researchers, and contributing analysts to produce commercially relevant and actionable analysis on political, security, and economic risk in Africa and the Middle East. Robert also retains the lead on many consulting projects for blue chip corporations in a wide variety of sectors. Robert is regularly invited to speak at major international conferences on topics such as metals and mining, trade and export finance, and global security matters. He frequently moderates ministerial panels and has interviewed multiple African heads of state and government during his career. Robert makes frequent appearances on televised media, as well as contributions to international print media. He has travelled extensively on the continent and calls Africa his ‘home’.

Paul Redmond works as Corporate Marketing Manager for Smart Currency Business. He writes about economic and political events, particularly those that have a bearing on the currency markets.

Strategy Analyst at Ebury. Providing expert currency analysis so small and mid-sized businesses can effectively navigate international markets.

John Marley is a Business Analyst at Smart Currency Business.

Hariesh Manaadiar is the author of this educational blog about Shipping and Freight Resource. Hariesh has been in the dynamic shipping and freight industry for over a quarter of a century and worked in several sectors of the industry like clearing & forwarding, vessel operations, stowage planning, equipment control, sales and marketing and management, in various countries.

Aurélie Grossemy is Director of International Business Development at Velotrade, the Hong-konguese platform specialised in trade finance. She has a solid transactional experience in receivable finance for the French and international market. She started her career in origination for General Electric Factoring in France where she has developed a compelling technical competence at structuring operations. Then she worked for the trade credit insurer Euler Hermes in the Structured Finance team. She provided strategic solutions on de-risking, capital optimisation and derecognition to banks and corporates on a variety of French or International programs of securitization, Supply Chain Finance and factoring. After spending most of her career in Europe, she entered Fintech world at Velotrade in Hong Kong. Aurélie has a Master’s degree in Business Management from SKEMA Business School

Nick’s experience and expertise includes commodity trading disputes, especially under GAFTA and FOSFA terms and oil trading contracts, cargo claims, disputes under charterparties, bills of lading, general average, MOAs and shipbuilding contracts.

Marilyn is the Global Head of Trade Finance at Swiss Re, Corporate Solutions and the EMEA lead for Level Up, Swiss Re’s gender-equality network. Marilyn is also a Vice Chair of the ICC Banking Commission, a member of the ITFA insurance & insurtech committees, the ITFA Trade Finance Investment Ecosystem working group and on the advisory board of Tradeteq.  Previously, Marilyn was the Global Head of Trade Finance at global insurer American International Group (AIG) having joined in 2015 to build AIG’s trade finance team and products. Marilyn previously worked as a lawyer in the international banking and finance practice for global law firm Hogan Lovells in London and New York. Marilyn was seconded in-house to Citibank’s trade transaction services EMEA team including commodity trade finance, supply chain finance and risk optimisation divisions. Prior to that, Marilyn worked in international consulting.

Charles is recognised internationally as an authority in the field of receivables securitisation and working capital finance. He has over 30 years’ professional experience across a range of business sectors. He was engaged with Finacity Corporation since its inception in 2001 when he was appointed to Finacity’s Supervisory Board to represent the interests of Euler Hermes, an investor and strategic partner. Charles then headed Finacity’s European activity, leading its business development efforts. While at Euler Hermes in Paris, Charles successfully led the post-merger integration of the French Euler Group and German Hermes Group. Prior to joining Euler Hermes, Charles worked for Ford Motor Company, Union Bank of Switzerland and British Airways. Charles is a regular speaker at international trade finance and receivables securitisation conferences. He holds an MBA from the London Business School and a Master degree in Operational Research.

Dominik Langdale is a contributor at TFG.

Yüce Uyanik is a former factoring executive. Now, part time instructor at two universities in Istanbul on Foreign Trade, Finance, Accounting, Logistics and Sales Management subjects. An owner of a training consultancy company on Selling, Management and soft skills, Uyanik is also author of two books on Foreign Trade Transactions (2005) and Financing, International Factoring Rules (2002) and several scientific articles on private Law. Uyanik has been a member of the Legal committee of FCI since 2003.

Matt Reed has transactional due diligence experience with both private and public companies reporting under domestic and international accounting standards across various sectors including: consumer and industrial products, healthcare, professional services, and specialty finance. Since joining RedRidge Diligence Services, Matt has performed M&A and lender due diligence for strategic partners operating in the middle market throughout North America as well as Australia and Europe with deal sizes ranging from $1 million to $250 million.

James Esdaile is Managing Director at BPL Global. James has worked at BPL Global for 20 years, building a wealth of experience in numerous industry sectors. He was appointed to the Limited Board in 2004, and to the Group Board in 2006. As Joint Managing Director, James works alongside Sian Aspinall to set the company’s strategic course and ensure the highest levels of service for clients across the entire insurance placing process. Having joined BPL Global in 1997, James was appointed as Managing Director in 2015, charged with consolidating the broker’s position as the leading independent specialist in the CPRI market – by maintaining its reputation for high technical standards, overseeing its geographic and product growth, and developing its corporate structure.

Zane Piranditta is Commercial Partnerships Specialist at Currencies Direct

Brian Canup is a former Editorial & Research Assistant at Trade Finance Global (TFG). Brian holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MA in International Political Economy from King’s College London.

Manu is a London based consultant with 35 years of experience in Finance, Dispute Resolution and Insurance. He worked for 15 years in Investment Banking, Capital Markets and derivatives at Lazard and SBC after completing his MBA in 1984.  His 12 years’ experience of dispute resolution includes Arbitration and HM Courts and Tribunals where he has decided or advised parties on a variety of cases.  His insurance work has focused on representing policyholders on complex claims against insurers. More recently, he founded a technology start-up which provides compliance and credit data and insurance as well as invoice funding to companies from one dashboard, eliminating the need for multiple departments at smaller firms. Manu sits on the Charity Tribunal as a fee paid Member and is a Magistrate in central London.  He is a Member of the Finance Committee of JUSTICE, a UK based all-party law reform and human rights charity and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators. He studied Physics (Imperial College) and holds an MBA (LBS), an LLB and LLM in International Business Law (UCL).