Growing distribution through the originate-to-distribute model: Are we doing enough to bridge the trade finance gap? - Trade Finance Global

Growing distribution through the originate-to-distribute model: Are we doing enough to bridge the trade finance gap?

By Carter Hoffman , George Bellord , Cruz González Agrelo , NLN Swaroop , Khilola Turaeva , Patrik Zekkar , Sean Edwards , Harsha Mehta , Baihas Baghdadi

Carter Hoffman is a Research Associate at Trade Finance Global focusing on the impact of macroeconomic trends and emerging technologies on international trade.

George Bellord is the Director at leading credit and political risk insurance (CPRI) broker, BPL. George have over 30 years’ CPRI experience in developing the product and market for use by Financial Institutions (FIs). Since placing one of BPL’s earliest policies for a bank client in 1996, he has since played a key role in building BPL's client bases of FIs and commodity traders. Based in Paris, but often in London, George Bellord regularly contribute to CPRI discourse at conferences and through thought leadership.

Cruz González Agrelo has over 14 years of experience in the market, and leads the Financial Institutions practice in Continental Europe and is Global Head of Receivables and Supply Chain Finance at WTW. Graduated in Law & Business Administration from Carlos III University, she has a great reputation in the banking sector having helped place Blns of capacity in the Insurance market for FI clients in Spain, Cruz is specialized in tailor made solutions adapted to the requirements of Capital Relief. Cruz began working in the Trade Credit, Political Risk & International Surety practice in Marsh Madrid, specializing in structured trade credit for bank clients mainly, helping place global programs for international and local bank business. Prior to this, Cruz specialized in business management and consulting as well as property administration for a consulting firm in Spain. Providing both legal and strategic advice, she specialized in the management and presentation of Spanish taxes for middle market and consumer clients. Additionally, Cruz provided property damage claims litigation legal advice. Prior to joining the consulting firm, she practiced law while designing and delivering successful client service deliverables such as the highly successful, PROTEGETUALQUIER.ES. A service product that helps real-estate investors acquire low-cost legal defense for tenant breach of contract. The product is an innovative form of tenant liability insurance for which the client makes monthly pooling payments with legal costs covered in the case of breach or tenant non-payment.

N L N Swaroop, HSBC Global Product Head for Sustainable Trade Finance, has 18 years' experience and is a thought leader in sustainability.

Khilola Turaeva is the Head of Trade Risk Distribution for GTS EMEA at Bank of America, based in London.

Patrik Zekkar is the CEO of Enigio. He have a M.Sc in Business Administration & Economics.

Sean Edwards is Head of Legal at SMBC Bank International plc, part of the Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group.

Harsha Mehta is currently Harsha is part of the EMEA Trade Asset Distribution in Citibank London, where she looks after FI asset sales for EMEA and LATAM regions. She is also responsible for the management of the Trade Finance Fund. TFF structure works like a money market fund with monthly liquidity, providing Citi with non-FI investor options to distribute trade assets globally. Before joining Citibank, she was part of the Risk distribution team in Barclays and also looked after their short term ECA business. Harsha has completed her MBA specializing in Finance and Marketing from India. She has recently been selected as a member of ITFA Emerging Leader Committee and was also shortlisted for the ITFA Emerging Trade Financier 2022 Award for writing a paper on ‘The importance of 2 E’s in Trade Finance’ following which she became part of the FEX (Future of Export finance) working group.

Baihas Baghdadi has more than thirty years of international corporate banking experience, developing global banking businesses across numerous industry sectors and in different corporate banking areas and geographies, spent 25 years supporting Multinational Corporates and Financial Institution clients to develop their business overseas working for international banks (Arab Bank, Fortis “now part of BNP” & Barclays) with large international networks in different parts of the world. After leaving Barclays where Baihas was the MD and Global Head of Trade & Working Capital, he launched in 2019 “Trade & Working Capital” (TWC) and NBFI Spain based fully dedicated to support the southern European SMEs working capital. TWC today is a market leader in Spain with circa 1b euros of invoices financed, supported by top institutional investors funding of 150 million euros. In November 2023 I launched Higher Bridge Capital (HBC) to expand the working capital financing solutions to North America market. Baihas Baghdadi is also a member and sponsor of the International Trade & Forfaiting Association and an active speaker about financial and economic news in different economic forums and media, and when agenda allows it, he loves riding horses.

Last updated on 09 Dec 2024

11 Nov 2024 3 min reading time

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