The year 2020 has been unlike any other. The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world, causing massive supply chain disruptions and threatening the lives of millions of people around the world, with a particularly devastating impact on small businesses. Major cases of fraud in the commodities sector have highlighted the vulnerability of opaque and paper-based supply chains.

How can we strengthen trade resilience? Can DLT help address the risks and inefficiencies in global supply chains? How can we accelerate trade digitalization to build back better? The event will review latest DLT developments in trade and trade finance and discuss how blockchain is being used to enhance transparency and efficiency of supply chains and trade transactions. It will explore the importance of digital identities to facilitate trade. Finally, it will provide an opportunity to discuss how trade digitalization can be accelerated to the benefit of all and the role that governments and international organizations can play to support the development of a regulatory and policy framework conducive to the deployment of this technology while mitigating the risks that may arise.

ICC, TFG and WTO will also be launching their latest research publication: Accelerating trade digitalization to support MSME financing

Where: Online

When: 30th March, 2021

Schedule

Programme

10H00-10H30

Introductory remarks

• Xiaozhun Yi, Deputy Director-General, WTO

Keynotes

• Lew Chuen Hong, CEO of Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Singapore
• John W.H Denton AO, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce

Master of ceremony:

• Emmanuelle Ganne, Senior Analyst, WTO

10H35-11H40

1. Trading in a pandemic Trade digitalization: a must have still to be fully realized

Speakers:

• Netta Korin, Founder of Hexa Foundation, Co-Founder of Orbs
• Deepesh Patel, Editorial Director, Trade Finance Global
• Aba Schubert, CEO, Dorae
• Atul Patel, Co-founder of dltledgers
• James Zhou, Chief Commercial Officer, Louis Dreyfus Company

Moderator:

• Michelle Chivunga, CEO/Founder Global Policy House, Advisor African Union -Trade and Digital Transformation Taskforce & B20 Digital Transformation Taskforce

11H55-13H00

2. Accelerating digitalization to support trade financing

Speakers:

• Idowu Akinde, Founder of Boolean Labs, Hyperledger Lead/Africa Chapter
• Mohua Banerjee, Senior Director, EdgeVerge, Head of Business for Finacle Blockchain
• Zulqarnain Javaid, CEO, UAE Trade Connect
• Vinay Mendonca, Managing Director, Global Head Product, Propositions & Structuring Trade and Receivables Finance, HSBC

Moderator:

• Deepesh Patel, Editorial Director, Trade Finance Global

13H00-15H00

Lunch break

15H00-15H10P

3. Launch of the ITC-WTO online course on blockchain and trade

Speaker:

• Craig Atkinson, Founder and Director, Lexmerca International Trade

15H15-16H30

4. Digital identities: why do they matter for 21st century trade and what does DLT mean for digital identities?

Speakers:

• Chris Ballinger, CEO and Co-founder of the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI)
• Nadia Hewett, Data Policy and Blockchain Project Lead, World Economic Forum
• Henrik Hvid Jensen, Head of Circular Economy Internet initiative

Moderator:

• Oswald Kuyler, Managing Director, ICC Digital Standards Initiative

16H45-18H00

5. Pulling it all together: making trade digitalization happen

Speakers:

• Luca Castellani, Legal officer in the Secretariat of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
• Sarah Green, Law Commissioner for commercial and common law, UK Law Commission
• Oswald Kuyler, Managing Director, ICC Digital Standards Initiative
• Parm S. Sangha, Global Blockchain Leader, Trade and Trade Finance, IBM
• Michael Vrontamitis, Co-chair of the ICC working group on the digitisation of trade

Moderator:

• Emmanuelle Ganne, Senior Analyst, WTO