Location: Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Date: Monday, 20th November, 2017
Event Time: 09.00 - 16.40
Language: English







    Description

    The Conference aims to provide an economic and finance overview, regional development impacting trade finance, trade finance tools, fintech & trade finance digitalization and many more topics of local and international interests that are relevant to business to work more efficiently, safely and proactively in our ever changing and challenging world of Trade Finance.

    The Conference will provide a perfect opportunity to meet, network and learn from a great number of like-minded organizations, business tycoons and experts from the UAE and the region.

     
    Sponsored by:
     
         Diamond Sponsor
          Platinum Sponsor
            Bronze Sponsor

    Programme

    09.00 – 09.30

    Registration & Networking Breakfast

     
    Welcome
       
    09.30 – 09.40

    Welcome Remarks

       
    09.40 – 09.50

    Opening Remarks

       
    09.50 – 10.00

    Keynote Remarks

     
    Economic and Trade Finance Overview
       
    10.00 – 10.35

    Presentation: Outlook for Business in the UAE – An update

    UAE has articulated complementary, ambitious, investment-led, citizens-focused economic plans and strategic visions. These main objectives are to achieve high, diversified, innovative, knowledge-based and sustainable growth, and high living standards and happiness. This presentation will address the economic outlook of Dubai in its regional and global context.

       
    10.35– 11.10

    Presentation: Result of the ICC 2017 Trade Finance Survey

    With 255 responses from banks located in 98 countries, as well as various contributions from leading experts in the field, “Rethinking Trade & Finance” is the most extensive gauge of the trends and outlook of the global trade finance industry.  This presentation will provide insight and analysis to help participants formulate strategy and make decisions that will advance the evolution of global trade.

       
    11.10 – 11.25

    Networking Break

       
    Regional development impacting trade finance
       
    11.25– 12.10

    Panel Discussion: VAT impact in the banking industry in the UAE – Who will feel the biggest pinch?

    The Federal Tax Authority released in August the Federal Tax Law and its Regulations in October 2017. How does the UAE Government plan to assist companies in implementing the VAT system and how will it impact the local and international business and banking community? Which products and services will be under the ambit of VAT?

       
    12.10– 13. 00

    Presentation: Impacts of Sanctions

    This session will provide a unique public-private forum to bring awareness to the audience on the procedures applied by the Anti-Money Laundry and Suspicious Cases Unit of the UAE Central bank in relation to the enforcement of the resolutions issued by the UN Security Council regarding the Economic Sanctions and applicable penalties, Highlights of the Global Economic Sanctions, the impact of extraterritorial application of economic sanctions for banking industry, and practical problems of trading with countries affected by these sanctions in compliance with the recent Global Economic Sanctions.

       
    13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
     
    Structured Commodity Financing and Trade Finance
       
    14.00 - 14.45

    Panel Discussion: Are banks actively supporting Structured Trade Finance or are there any impediments on their financing?

    This thought provoking panel will discuss what are the products that bank prefer for commodity financing and what are the risk mitigants the bank puts in place when doing commodity financing ?

       
    14.45 – 15.00

    Coffee Break

       
       
     Bank Guarantees & Credit Insurance
       
    15.00 - 15.45

    Panel Discussion: Bank Guarantees

    Bank guarantees play a vital role in international trade and other business transactions. They are used in almost every phase of the transaction between the buyer and the seller. The panel will discuss   the rules and practices for bank guarantees in international trade. How is it practiced in UAE?

       
    Fintech & Trade Finance Digitalization
       
    15.45– 16.30

    Panel Discussion: Fintech & Trade Finance Digitalization

    The digitization of international trade and trade financing is now well underway, the inevitable result of a convergence of technological capability, commercial drivers and market adoption. Service providers, including trade finance banks, must make a strategic decision: commit to the development of digitized channels and propositions, or prepare to cede market share to a new generation of providers that have already seized the imperative to respond to market evolution in international commerce. This panel will showcase how traditional finance institutions and banks are adapting to the disruptive transformation of the fintech industry in the context of the cashless future of the UAE Vision 2021 and by addressing the issue of Islamic Banking in the Digital Era.

       
    16.30 – 16.35

    Closing Remarks

    6th ICC UAE TRADE FINANCE CONFERENCE


    About the Speakers

    Humaid Mohamed Ben Salem
    Chairman
    ICC UAE

    H.E. Humaid Mohamed Ben Salem was appointed as Secretary General of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) in 2013 to foster cooperation and coordination between the different emirates of the UAE and prepare ground for trade and investment that contribute to the national economy at large.

    H.E. Ben Salem is also a former member of the UAE National Assembly (Parliament) where he played his significant role from 2012 to 2016.

    Prior to his tenure at the UAE National Assembly, H.E. was Director General of Umm Al Quwain Chamber of Commerce & Industry for 20 years and his charismatic personality has been facilitating the local chambers and the private sector of the UAE to achieve their goals.

    He has been at the Board of Director of International Chamber of Commerce – UAE since 2009 and was elected Chairman in 2015 to represent, support and protect the interest of the business community in the UAE.

    In addition to the above, he has been instrumental in establishing several joint business councils and has always been active and regularly contributes to the projects pertaining to the private sector.

    He holds a BA degree in Administration and Marketing from Davis & Elkins College, United States of America.


    Hassan Al Hashemi
    Secretary General
    ICC UAE

    Hassan Al Hashemi joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 2006 and is currently the Vice President of International Relations. As the principal liaison between governmental authorities and the private sector, Mr. Al Hashemi’s department represents Dubai Chamber on the international arena and in turn is one of the organization’s most active departments.

    The Department’s main duties include negotiating cooperative agreements with foreign partners, organizing major events as well as high level business networking programs, representing the Chamber at local and international events, and organizing inbound and outbound delegations and trade missions.

    Since 2012, Mr Al Hashemi has led the implementation of Dubai Chamber’s ProDubai initiative, which involves setting up a number of International Representative Offices in targeted locations around the world. He is also responsible for the promotion of Dubai Association Center, a first in the region that aims at attracting international business and professional bodies to Dubai.

    Mr. Al Hashemi holds a BA degree in Management and Marketing from the University of Dubai and is currently pursuing his Masters in Project Management at the British University in Dubai. He is also a graduate of the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Program for Leadership Development”, a selective and highly regarded program initiated by the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

    Mr. Al Hashemi is Secretary General and Board Member of ICC-UAE along with other local and international business organizations. He is married and has three daughters.


    Ahmad Lootah
    Chairman
    ICC UAE Banking Commission

    Ahmad Majid Lootah Enjoys over 20 years of practical experience in banking and financial sector, both conventional and Islamic. He is currently the CEO of Al Hilal Capital, a privately owned financial & investment development firm, providing innovative solutions for the Islamic Economy. He is a Director of Commercial Bank International PJSC (CBI) since 2014 & Union Insurance Company since 2015 along with several private companies in the UAE and abroad, in addition to serving as The Secretary General of the Bankers Group in Dubai.

    He previously worked for well-known financial institutions in the UAE and abroad such as: ABN – AMRO Bank, The Finance Department at Government of Dubai and M.L. United Investments in New York. Before becoming the Chief Executive of Al Hilal Capital, He served as the head of banking services at Arab Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade and member of its executive management committees for more than eight years.

    In addition to being a Chartered Accountant, Accredited Banking Expert to UAE Authorities, Anti-Fraud specialist, he is a Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor by The Accounting & Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and member of several of international institutes and professional associations.

    He holds an Executive MBA with honours from the joint EMBA program of The University of Sharjah, American University in Beirut, and the University of Arizona. He earned his BSc. in Finance, Investments and International Business from Farmers School of Business at Miami University, USA.

    In his free time, Ahmad Lootah enjoys family gatherings, reading, art, chess, motorcycling and searching for new adventures, traveling around the world exploring different cultures.


    Vince Cook
    Chief Executive Officer
    National Bank of Fujairah

    Vince joined National Bank of Fujairah in 2009 as the bank’s Chief Executive Officer. Since then, he has led its transformational growth as one of the fastest growing banks in the UAE, with a specialised focus in trade finance, treasury and corporate banking. Under his leadership, NBF ranked 4th in the GCC and 1st in the UAE in Mediaquest’s Top CEO Awards in 2017.

    During his tenure, NBF has consistently outperformed the market by focusing on its long standing strengths and customer relationships. The bank has steadily developed the range of services that it can provide to include Shari’a compliant products and bespoke corporate advisory services. The bank has also become widely acknowledged for the high level of engagement of its staff and an enviable reputation as an exceptional employer.

    Prior to his current appointment, Vince was the CEO of The Islamic Bank of Asia, a joint venture between Gulf Cooperation Council investors and Singapore’s DBS Bank, from 2007 to 2009. Before this, he served as the General Manager, Corporate Banking and Capital Markets of Qatar National Bank from 2003 to 2007. Before QNB, Vince was Managing Director, Gulf, of Barclays Capital from 1999 to 2003. This appointment followed 20 years of service at Barclays Bank, where he held a variety of positions.

    Vince has a Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool and MBA from Henley Management College, UK. He has also completed executive education in various courses including Private Equity/Venture Capital from Harvard Business School and Financial Strategy and Analysis from the International Institute for Management Development, Lausanne.


    Vincent O’Brien
    Member of Executive Committee of ICC Banking Commission
    Technical Trade Advisor China Systems Corporation


    Vincent ‘Vin’ O’BRIEN is Member Executive Committee of ICC Banking Commission and Chair of ICC Banking Commission, Market Intelligence Group.

    He has been actively involved in trade finance for more than a quarter of a century and has delivered technical trade finance assistance in more than 100 countries.

    Vincent’s primary activity is trade facilitation with the major Multilateral Development Banks and his recognized specialty is trade related dispute resolution where he often acts as Expert Witness in Trade Disputes and Legal Cases.

    Vincent also holds the position of the Associate Director of the Institute of International Banking Law and Practice (IIBLP) and acts as Technical Trade Advisor to China Systems Corporation.

    He may be contacted at vob@consultant.com


    Krishnan Ramachandran
    Chief Executive Officer
    Barjeel Geojit Securities LLC


    A Chartered Accountant by qualification, CA Krishnan has more than 27 years of varied and extensive experience in a wide spectrum of businesses in Financial Services including Wealth Management, Merchant Banking, M&A, Private Equity, & Corporate Finance. Since 2006 he is the CEO of Barjeel Geojit Securites, Dubai, a leading financial intermediary, operating and dealing in a wide range of financial markets, offering attractive investment solutions & products. He also oversees the various GCC joint ventures of his parent company Geojit Financial Services Ltd in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Kuwait.

    Barjeel Geojit, under his tenure, has been awarded by CNBC TV18, as the best ‘Financial Advisor Award’ (NRI Category) for 7 years in a row (2010 to 2016) and were also the proud recipient of their Grand Jury Award for ‘Financial Inclusion & Education’ in 2013.

    He is a regular contributor to media publications in UAE & India by way of articles, interviews and opinions on investments, policy issues and macro-economic trends and has spoken in a number of public forums articulating these themes. He is also a Lead Assessor for the prestigious Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MRM) Business Awards of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.


    Neena Prakash
    Head – TBS Products and Solutions
    Emirates NBD


    Neena has more than 24 years of experience in information technology, strategic planning, project management and banking. Her multi-dimensional experience has helped her spear head the Trade & Cash Management function in Emirates NBD. She has over 10 years of experience in Trade & Cash Management and has been instrumental in continually developing the e-banking platform for Corporates and Businesses.


    Dr. A. Hadi Shahid
    Managing Director
    Alliot Hadi Shahid Chartered Accountants

    Dr. A. Hadi Shahid, founder and Managing Partner of Alliott Hadi Shahid, holds a Doctorate in accounting and fellow membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP). Dr. Shahid has over 40 years of experience in UAE, with 4 years in charge of Major Accounting Firm. His areas of specialization include Audit UAE Commercial Law, Business Advisory which includes VAT Consultancy, Forensic Accounting and Arbitration, Succession Management.

    Dr. Shahid is a Certified Fraud Examiner from USA, Fellow of the Institute of Financial Accountants, fellow Member of the British Institute of Management, affiliate Member of Association of International Accountants, Member of Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance, UK, Member of Institute of Internal Auditors - UAE Chapter, Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan, Chartered Business Consultant (Canada), Chartered Financial Consultant (Canada) and a member of Accountants & Auditors Association, UAE.


    Girish Chand
    Director-VAT Practice (ACA,CISA,BGL)
    MCA Management Consultants

    • Heading the VAT Practice for MCA Management Consultants
    • Conducted various VAT seminars for large companies, professional bodies, industry groups and authorities
    • Regular Contributor to Khaleej Times on VAT topics
    • Content Advisor for popular VAT website www.allaboutvat.com
    • Over 25 years experience in Finance and Audit executive roles
    • Experience with UK VAT during earlier functional role
    • 10 years plus finance leadership roles (incl CFO - EPPCO) in the downstream Oil and Gas business (ENOC, EPPCO) covering Marketing, Retail and Trading.
    • Experience in designing and implementing control frameworks for new and existing business ventures in finance and audit roles.
    • Demonstrated capability in strategy formulation and implementation including business plans and financial modelling for over 10 years.
    • Well versed in Board level dealings, JV structures (incl Chevron JV) and advisory role for Executive Management


    Mark Hoyle
    Partner
    Gateley PLC

    Expertise

    Mark specialises in commercial dispute resolution (especially through arbitration), including construction & infrastructure projects, real estate, joint ventures, international trade (both sales & transport), shipping, transnational disputes, private international law, interlocutory freezing & search orders, other protective measures and asset tracing.

    Experience

    Mark’s experience in the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf is based on over 20 years of experience, both as Counsel, arbitrator, mediator, and expert witness.

    He has long standing experience in the laws of Egypt, the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq. He is the Editor in Chief of the Arab Law Quarterly, and his work on the Mixed Courts of Egypt was published in 1991.


    Zahoor Dattu
    Principal Consultant
    Bastaki Management Consultancy

    Mr. Zahoor N Dattu, M. Com., CDCS is the Partner and Principal Consultant of Bastaki Management Consultancy, registered in Dubai since 2000. Mr. Dattu since 2007 provides specialized trade finance training to banks and other financial services to large corporates and discerning clients from the local business community, Government Entities Mr. Dattu is the founding member of informal Trade Finance Working Group and Convener of Steering Committee Members of ICC UAE Banking Commission.

    The firm undertakes trade finance audit for conventional as well as Sharia banks. Mr. Dattu is an expert in writing policies and procedures for trade finance departments. Additionally, Mr. Dattu undertakes projects involving Client On-boarding from AML perspective, Sanctions and Compliance.

    Mr. Dattu has conducted a vast number of customized, on –site training for various corporates and chamber of commerce under the auspices of ICC UAE. Mr. Dattu is also a frequent contributor to International Magazine and Publications, specifically on the realms and pitfalls of LC and other complicated Banking Instruments. All training courses are developed in consultation with client and therefore fit for purpose and effective program is guaranteed.

    On Site training and Seminars type program can be arranged at short notice.

    The firm believes in strict confidentially and has earned the reputation of delivering the challenges in the agreed cost and time frame.


    K. Nizardeen
    Senior Vice President
    Head of Transaction Banking, Emirates Islamic Bank

    Nizardeen is the Head of Transaction Banking at Emirates Islamic (Bank), Dubai, United Arab Emirates (ENBD Group). A Certified Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS – IFS, University College, UK) and a qualified Trade Finance banker with a BBA in Banking and Finance (USA). He is a member of DCW Advisory Board (Documentary Credit World) USA and Member of Dubai Commodity Finance Advisory Group (DMCC), a well-known speaker at GTR, Euromoney, Middle East LC Survey (conducted by IIBLP USA), Trade Credit Insurance Summit, Annual Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Summit, OPEX and ICC - UAE conferences and written several articles on UCP / Islamic banking.

    His extensive experience includes more than 30 years of professional Trade Finance experience including 18 years in Islamic Banking. Prior to joining Emirates Islamic bank he has held similar positions with several other Islamic and conventional banks in the region (including Al Hilal, Noor Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, ENBD and Public Bank Bhd). He is a startup banker and was involved in setting up several banks. He has extensive experience in system implementations and product implementation. Invented and implemented the first Islamic online Trade platform for Islamic Trade Finance.


    Abdulkader Ali Bazara
    Head of Structured Trade Finance, Global Transaction Services
    Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

    Abdulkader Bazara is a Trade Finance Structuring Head at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. Has over 35 years of experience in banking mainly trade finance in both conventional and Islamic structures. He has worked as Trade Operations Head, Trade Product Management Head, Trade Sales Head and worked as Cash Officer (cash and clearing). He has participated in several local and international Trade Finance Seminars and Conferences as a participant or panelist or trainer. Participated in online discussion forms and contributed articles on trade finance one of which is as an Expert Opinion on DC Professional site. He has passion for digital trade finance and had led the revamp of online trade finance platform of a major bank in the Middle East. He is a member of the Middle East Advisory Group for the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice and a member of Council on International Standby Practice (CISP).


    Madhavan Rajagopalan
    Unit Head - Trade Sales
    National Bank of Fujairah PJSC

    Madhavan is currently Unit Head-Trade Sales in Global Transaction Services (GTS) Segment which is part of Bank’s Corporate & Institutional Banking Division. He has over 25 years of Banking and Trade Finance experience in UAE and Qatar.

    Prior to his role as Unit Head-Trade Sales, he was in Products & Channels Department of the Bank as an Executive-Trade Finance Products and he was responsible for developing & managing Trade Finance products and introducing process improvements.

    Madhavan was also instrumental in building up Bank’s Trade Services team and developing various operational process & procedure and worked in various capacities within Trade Services Department.

    He was formerly Head of Trade Operations for Qatar’s Al Khalij Commercial Bank where he was responsible for developing Trade Finance procedure & processes and also forming its Trade Services team.


    Ahmad Elayyan
    Senior Vice President, Head of Central Operations
    Ajman Bank

    Memberships:

    • Vice Chairman—ICCUAE Steering Committee of Banking Commission
    • Arbitrator—DIAC
    • DocDex Expert— ICC Paris
    • Expert—Ajman Center for commercial conciliation & arbitration

    Senior banking executive with 20+ years banking experience in major regional and multi-national banks in Jordan, UAE and Qatar. Currently holding the position of SVP, Head of Operations in Ajman Bank with the responsibility of overall delivery of the Bank as well as inter-divisional strategy related matters.

    With a 13 year service in Arab Bank within Jordan and UAE I had a chance to acquire a rounded and profound experience in all banking activities, techniques and products.

    Hands on experience in setting up new banking franchises such as:

    • Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) in Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC).
    • Samba Financial Group in UAE
    • Jordan Dubai Islamic Bank in Jordan.

    Educational & professional:

    • University of Jordan English/Business, Bachelor (BA)
    • DITF (Diploma Status in International Trade and Finance) from LIBF, UK
    • CITF (Certificate in International Trade and Finance) from LIBF, UK
    • CDCS (Certified Documentary Credits Specialist) from LIBF, UK


    Peter Mendes
    Senior Trade Sales Manager
    Commercial Bank of Dubai


    Peter has over 30 years of experience in trade financing with International banks and CBD.

    He handles Corporate relationships by offering dedicated channel of engagement on trade related products in close cooperation with relationship managers.


    Atif Raza
    Head of Trade Sales, Institutional & Transaction Banking
    Commercial Bank of Dubai

    Atif Raza, Vice Chairperson of ICC UAE Steering Committee and a qualified Chartered Management Accountant with more than 20 years of experience in Corporate, Islamic Banking and Trade Finance. He is associated with CBD for last 10 years and holds a senior position as Head of Trade Sales leading a team of specialist Trade Sales Managers.


    Rahul Jayakar
    Head – Global Transaction Services, Products & Trade,
    Mashreqbank

    Rahul Jayakar is the head of Mashreq’s Global Transaction Services, Products and Trade. Previously, his role within the bank consisted of Heading transaction banking business outside the UAE, covering 11 countries and financial institutions.

    Rahul Jayakar is an experienced banking professional having worked in large multinational and regional financial institutions across the UAE and India. He was listed in the annual Global Finance list of ‘Who’s Who in Treasury & Cash Management 2016’. Global Finance stated, “This exclusive resource recognizes the most influential, creative, and powerful people in the corporate treasury and transaction services sectors. The individuals that we honour in Global Finance’s Who’s Who in Treasury and Cash Management have been recognized as best in their field by their peers and colleagues, including our editorial board. They are well equipped to successfully chart a course through these unknown waters.”

    Prior to Mashreq, Rahul was with Standard Chartered Bank as a Transaction Banker in the Strategic Client Coverage Group and Wholesale Banking department. He previously had a variety of roles in sales and products which included, relationship management, asset distribution, trade finance and cash management.

    Rahul graduated from Mumbai University in India with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in physics and completed an MBA from Sydenham Institute of Management Studies - Mumbai University.


    Ashish Gokhale
    Executive - Corporate Products, Product & Channels
    National Bank of Fujairah PJSC


    Ashish joined National Bank of Fujairah in June 2015 as the Head of Corporate Products. In this capacity, he is responsible for leading the development and profitability of products for the Corporate and Institutional Banking clients.

    In his role, Ashish focuses on product development and commercialisation for the entire suite of Corporate Banking products in the areas of Cash Management, Trade Finance and Lending.

    He is a seasoned banker with an experience spanning 17 years in the industry across India and the UAE. Prior to joining NBF, Ashish held senior positions in Standard Chartered and Citi serving corporate clients across diverse areas from transaction banking, supply chain financing, to credit structuring.

    Ashish holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Mumbai, and a post graduate degree in Management from IIM Bangalore. He also holds the Islamic Finance Qualification from CISI.


    Ravi Kumar
    Head of Strategy & Innovation
    Dubai Trade

    Ravi Kumar is the Head of Strategy & Innovation at Dubai Trade and its global subsidiaries. He has international experience in Global Trade Facilitation, e-Governance, Supply Chain & Logistics, Financial Services and Insurance domains. He has been instrumental in the development many pioneering initiatives in Dubai such as the Dubai eGovernment’s “ePay” & Dubai Trade’s “Rosoom” ePayment gateways. He was also behind the concept of “TradeShield” the region’s first online cargo insurance marketplace. More recently, he is developing a solution for the DP World Group that will be the world’s first BlockChain ready trade facilitation ecosystem, in the quest to de-materialize the transmission of cargo related information in global supply chains.

    Prior to joining Dubai Trade, he worked to set-up a 4PL joint venture in the Middle East and was a consultant to Fortune 500 companies in the financial services and insurance sectors both in the Middle East and the United States.

    He is experienced in developing business models that integrate government and private agencies in the area of global trade facilitation. He is a board member of the Global Innovation Management Institute, USA a non-profit entity that drives standards for business innovation.

    He is an MBA graduate from the London Business School and also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from BITS–Pilani, India. He is also a certified Project Management Professional from PMI, USA and a SCOR Professional from the Supply Chain Council, USA.


    Sashirekka Rountan
    Senior Sales Manager
    ICC Academy


    Sashirekka Rountan is the Sales Director at the ICC Academy. Her responsibilities include global promotion of online courses and sponsorship for events. Building international connections, business and sales development, communications and overall organizational recognition have been some of Sashirekka Rountan’s contributions to organizations for the past 12 years.

    As a strategic leader in the areas of sales, event management and marketing, some of her strengths lie in the research and introduction of new strategies and effective analysis of various markets. She has played an integral part in the growth of several organisations.

    Her past roles include Head of Sales and Marketing, Director of Project Management and Marketing in major MNC’s. She holds a Master’s degree in mass communication from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and has strong passion in the Arts.



    Press Release

    ICC-UAE Trade Finance Conference examines role of trade finance in enhancing competitiveness

    Dubai, UAE: The UAE Chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC-UAE) and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently organised and hosted the 6th ICC-UAE Trade Finance Conference, which attracted the participation of more than 100 representatives from the UAE’s business community.

    The conference, held at Dubai Chamber’s premises, provided participants with an overview of economic trends and regulatory developments impacting trade finance, as well as new tools and technologies that are improving efficiency within the industry. Addressing delegates at the conference, H.E. Humaid Mohamed Ben Salem, Chairman of ICC-UAE, highlighted the importance of trade finance in enhancing business competitiveness and stimulating international trade.

    H.E. Ben Salem noted that the financial sector is one of the main pillars of the UAE’s economy, accounting for 10% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). He explained that the ICC plays an active role in promoting cross-border standardisation and facilitation, and added that the ICC-UAE Trade Finance Conference was organised to help corporate decision makers develop the right strategies to boost trade finance.

    During the conference, presentations and sessions covered a wide range of issues and topics, including Dubai’s economic prospects, the impact of value-added tax (VAT) on the UAE’s banking sector, the emergence of structured trade finance, bank guarantees and credit insurance, as well as fintech and trade finance digitalisation.

    In his remarks, Hassan Al Hashemi, Secretary General of ICC-UAE, presented an overview of Dubai’s economy and its growth prospects for the future. Vincent O’Brien, Member of the ICC Banking Commission’s Executive Committee presented the results of the ICC 2017 Trade Finance Survey, and shared valuable insights to help business leaders make informed decisions.

    Established in 2004, the ICC-UAE represents commercial, industrial and business enterprises at a country and global level, and promotes the scope and reach of the UAE business community around the world.


    Logistical Notes

    Venue:

    13th Floor
    Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry
    Baniyas Road, Deira, Dubai, UAE



    Sponsorship Opportunities

    Sponsoring the Conference offers an ideal opportunity to promote your firm or organization. Sponsors receive maximum visibility during the promotional phase, onsite and also following the Conference. As a truly global organization, we have a global audience.

    Why Sponsor?
    • Access to key decisions makers.
    • Network and exhibit directly in front of more than 50 top decision makers in your industry.
    • Maximize brand visibility offline and online.
    • Stay ahead of the competition by showing your brand at a cutting edge forum and leverage your brand impact through a wide range of sponsorship benefits that promise a significant return on your investment.
    • Meet your potential customers face to face.
    • Take advantage of the unrivalled networking opportunity that this prestigious gathering provides and create new business leads to stay visible with your customers.
    • Share your opinion and position yourself as industry leader.
    • Speak at the Trade Finance Conference and share your opinions on upcoming trends.

    Sponsorship Category


    Diamond Sponsor

    Acknowledged as the premium supporters of the Conference, enjoying maximum exposure both before and during the Conference, with the highest priority of branding in all documentation and on-site signage.

    Platinum Sponsor

    A multi-layered prominent sponsorship package offering a combination of thought leader- ship, high-level networking and brand exposure.

    Gold Sponsor

    A unique sponsorship package to increase your organization’s brand awareness through different exclusive channels.

    Silver Sponsor

    Combining networking and exhibiting with a special opportunity to showcase your company to the Top C-level delegates.

    Bronze Sponsor

    Great opportunity to showcase your organization and network with high level delegates.

    Download Sponsorship Package

    Registration

    Registration Fees:
    ICC Member – AED 250.00
    Non-member – AED 500.00

    Register Now


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    Contact Us

    For more information, please contact Habibullah Rizwan at habib@iccuae.com or by phone to +971 4 220 8288.