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.

We heard from Steven Beck, Head of Trade Finance at the Asian Development Bank, giving his musings on 2019, a year of uncertainty in trade, and what 2020 might bring for trade and supply chain in Asia.

Currency is part and parcel of monetary policy, and a public mandate of the European Central Bank (ECB). TFG’s Editor, Deepesh Patel, spoke to ECB’s Yves Mersch about the possibilities of central bank digital currencies in relation to payment systems, faster transaction times and settlements. Separating the hype from reality; Mersch spoke to TFG about the regulatory consequences of central bank digital currencies. “We are tech neutral. We want to stay ahead of tech. Tech has to serve our purpose, not the other way around.”

Michael Bickers, MD, BCR Publishing walked us through the trends in supply chain and receivables finance in 2019, arguably one of the most uncertain in the last decade. In an interview with TFG, Bickers gave his view on what’s in stock for SCF and receivables in the year ahead, commenting on APIs, blockchain and competitive growth in supply chain finance, in preparation for the BCR Supply Chain Finance Summit in Amsterdam this month.

Commenting on this evening’s signing of the ‘phase one’ trade deal, TFG spoke to Dr Rebecca Harding, trade economist and CEO of Coriolis Technologies

We heard from BCG’s Sukand Ramachandran on the consequences of trade wars and Brexit for global trade, and what this could mean for 2020. Will there be a downturn or disruptive shock, or will innovation and new capital help trade in the next 12 months?

TFG’s Nikhil Patel sat down with ITFA Chairman, Sean Edwards, discussing the highs (and lows) of 2019, from a trade, tech and regulatory perspective. We asked ITFA’s view on whether the fireworks of trade wars might slow in 2020, and what’s needed for blockchain to work for trade in 2020.

Your Monday morning coffee briefing from TFG. Here are some of the last week’s updates from the trade sector. 6th January 2020.

The biggest global reduction in sulphur content for marine fuels has now come into force (from the 1st January 2020). Shipping companies will need to axe sulphur emissions by around 85%m and with this in mind, what could these new limits mean for trade, freight forwarding prices and the global economy? TFG investigates.

Your Monday morning coffee briefing from TFG. Here are some of the last week’s updates from the trade sector. 6th January 2020.