ITFA, the Global Trade Finance Industry Body, is delighted to announce the creation of the ITFA Multilaterals Advisory Panel.

The newly created Panel was set up with the aim of bringing together senior representatives of global and regional trade-focused multilateral organisations, to provide guidance and feedback to the ITFA board as to the ways in which it designs and implements the association’s strategy in the pursuit of global trade finance initiatives, so that they are reflective of true global trade policy priorities. 

Sean Edwards, the ITFA Chairman said,  “I am very pleased with the creation on the Multilaterals Advisory Panel. Further to the successes and achievements the Association experienced in 2022, where ITFA significantly expanded its influence in the trade finance industry, alongside its membership and its geographical reach.

The creation of the Advisory Panel will ensure we remain fully aligned with global and regional trends affecting trade finance, including the challenges facing exporters and importers in developing countries, whilst broadening the perspective of our governance and responsiveness across the entire industry.”

The new members of the ITFA Multilaterals Advisory Panel are:

• Muhamet Fall, Director & Chief Underwriter : World Bank/MIGA
• Makiko Toyoda, Acting Head of Global Trade Finance Programme: International Finance Corporation (IFC)
• Ian Sayers, Senior Adviser, Access to financing and investment: International Trade Centre (ITC)
• Rudolf Putz, Head of Trade Facilitation Programme: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
• Can Sutken, Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• Gwen Mwaba, Head of Trade Finance: Afreximbank
• Lamin Drammeh, Head of Trade Finance: African Development Bank (AfDB)

Duarte Pedreira, ITFA board member and head of institutional relations added, “Institutional Relations was only recently added to the list of functions we have within ITFA and was set up with a view of affirming and consolidating the Association as the Global Trade Finance Industry Body.

Having this new Multilaterals Advisory Panel providing guidance and feedback to the ITFA Board will ensure we remain relevant and responsive to the ever-progressing nature of trade finance and we are very grateful to the Panel members who will be devoting their time and experience in this pursuit.”