Synopsis
To a large extent, global trade still very much relies on paper-based processes throughout the chain, from the exporter to the importer. As their main facilitators, financial institutions sit at the centre of these transactions, bear the associated financial risks and are responsible in the eyes of the regulators.
Even before 2020 and the impact of Covid-19, the industry was already looking at leveraging technology to digitalise these exchanges and answer multiple growing challenges such as fraud, trade-based money laundering, customer experience and operational efficiency.
The disruption experienced last year only reinforced the need for a strong push on Trade Finance digitalisation. In ASEAN itself, several countries saw their import & export flows suddenly reduced by up to 90% due to the impossibility to open offices and exchange paper-based trade documentation between parties.
A survey by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) reveals that 77% of the 346 responding banks were considering transitioning to digital as a way to reinvent their trade finance business, allowing them to significantly reduce their costs and better serve their customers.
Eurocham’s Regional Trade Committee and Financial Services Committee are co-organising a Webinar to update the community on the latest changes on the front of the Digitalisation of Trade Finance, its impact on regional trade and the challenges still faced by industry players. This session will bring together representatives from banks, corporates and technology providers to discuss the challenges, solutions and opportunities associated with this major industry trend.
Programme
8:45 am Webinar Waiting Room Opens
9:00 am Opening remark by Domenico Ferrari, Regional Trade Committee Chair
9:05 am Presentation by Louise TAYLOR-DIGBY, Head of Trade Strategy, SWIFT
9:25 am Presentation by Johan EGNELL, Head of Asia, Mitigram
9:45 am Panel Discussion + Q&A moderated by Greg Huguet, Financial Services Committee Chair
- Louise TAYLOR-DIGBY, Head of Trade Strategy, SWIFT
- Johan EGNELL, Head of Asia, Mitigram
- Antonio U. De Lorenzo, Head of ING Labs Singapore, ING Bank
- Timothy COSULICH, CEO, Fratelli Cosulich Group of Companies
10:20 am Conclusions and Closing Remarks by Greg Huguet, Financial Services Committee Chair
Speakers
Louise Taylor-Digby
Head of Trade Strategy
SWIFT
Louise collaborates with Banks, Corporates, Governments and FinTechs across the Global Trade eco system to diagnose industry challenges and help reshape the landscape.
Louise joined SWIFT following a 15-year career in commercial banking, with experience across different continents, products and disciplines. She is the former Head of The Financial Institutions Group (FIG), Asia Pacific, for Barclays Bank; leading strategy, revenue, risk and control in the delivery of transaction banking solutions to Financial Institutions across multiple jurisdictions. During her time in the UK she informed senior management, to c-suite, on the ramifications of structural and regulatory reform. Early in her career, Louise drove large and complex partnerships with Financial Institutions across Europe and North America.
Louise is a member of BAFTs Global Trade Industry Council and the International Chamber of Commerce’s Trade Digitization Committee. She has lived in Asia since 2014.
Johan Egnell
Head of Asia
Mitigram
Mr Egnell joined Mitigram 3,5 years ago as Head of Client Relationship Management when the company was still in its early stages. In late 2019 Johan was tasked to set up operations in Singapore, and having arrived in late March 2020 he spent the first 10 weeks in lockdown. From there, things only improved.
In his current role as Head of Asia Johan oversees all commercial activities in APAC, with a particular focus on growing the team and client acquisitions.
Mitigram was founded in 2015 out of Stockholm and is the fastest-growing trade finance platform in the world, serving the largest corporates and banks in the world.
Panellist
Mr Antonio U. De Lorenzo
Head of ING Labs Singapore
ING Bank
Spanning 20 years, Mr De Lorenzo’s career has focused on technology and finance. He began in various technology roles in Washington D.C. Moving to New York, he began as a trader for a hedge fund and moved on to establish a branch office for a socially responsible fund manager and listed an ETF on the New York Stock Exchange. He then joined the Securities Commission of Malaysia to help formulate a new fund management regulation before moving to Dubai to act as compliance officer for six institutions, including private banks and hedge funds, and helped to redesign their compliance programs.
Mr De Lorenzo’s relocated to Singapore since 2012, beginning his career with SWIFT as Director for ASEAN, after which he moved into the world of innovation focusing on use cases in the retail and institutional space. He co-founded HelloGold, Funder Exchange, and Kapsool. He also assisted identitii prior to it going public. He joined ING Labs Singapore in 2018.
Mr De Lorenzo’s has authored several articles on various topics and a chapter for a book on ethical finance. He taught an elective course at Georgetown University and has lectured at NYU schools of law and of business, MIT, Wharton (UPenn), Baruch College, and a few other universities. Antonio holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Virginia Commonwealth University (USA) and a Master’s in Business Administration from INSEAD.
Timothy Cosulich
CEO
Fratelli Cosulich Group of Companies
Mr Timothy Cosulich worked as a Strategy Manager at PwC in London and Madrid and was the General Manager at AP Moller Maersk terminal business in the Netherlands. Since 2010 he is the CEO of his family business, Fratelli Cosulich. Mr Cosulich holds an MBA from INSEAD and sits on numerous boards, including YPO and IBIA. He is currently the Vice-Chairman of IBIA Globally and the Chairman of IBIA Asia.
Fratelli Cosulich is a diversified multinational Group, fully owned by the Cosulich family, now at its 6th generation. The Group started in 1857 as a shipowner and today operates out of 21 countries with revenues in excess of USD 1.5bn per year. Main activities include ship agency, marine fuel trading/broking/physical supply, manning, catering, yacht services, freight-forwarding, travel agency, construction / steel-products trading, and IT consulting. The Group has its own offices in Italy, U.K., Ireland, Turkey, Croatia, France, Monaco, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, China, U.S.A., Brazil, and Dubai. Fratelli Cosulich employs approx. 1,200 people and it has been active in the Marine Fuel industry for more than 50 years, focusing on bunker trading as well as physical supply.
Moderator
Gregoire Huguet
Commercial Director, Data and Analytics
SWIFT
Mr Greg Huguet has been with SWIFT for the past 6 years, first in Australia and today in Singapore where he has been located for the past 18 months. He is in charge of all Data & Analytics initiatives for SWIFT in South-East Asia & Oceania. He engages on a daily basis with the SWIFT community composed of all the commercial banks & central banks in both regions. Mr Huguet is also the Chair of EuroCham’s Financial Services Committee.
Prior to SWIFT Mr Huguet held various positions in Australia and Hong Kong within banks & consulting firms working on regulatory reporting & digital transformation projects. He holds a Master’s Degree in Technology for Financial Markets from the Telecom-Mines Institute in Paris, France.
Student tickets are available for this event.
Students from partnering universities are invited to join, free of charge. Partnering universities; NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, EDHEC, ESSEC & INSEAD.
There are limited student tickets available and are subject to correct registration details.
- Please sign up with your university-issued email address
- Enter your institution under “company”
- Enter your major/ programme under “designation”
- Select “Complimentary Student Ticket”
Registration Guidelines –
Please follow these simple steps for easy registration to our webinar.
Step 1: Register below. You will receive an automated registration confirmation email from EuroCham.
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Step 3: Using the link provided in the second email, click on the link 15 minutes prior to the start of the event.
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Thank you for your understanding.
Kindly note that there are limited seats available, registration is binding and payment is non-refundable. The organisers reserve the right to change the programme content without giving prior notification or any reasons thereof.