Banking & finance
ICC launches first international Supply-Chain Financing Conference
With companies and suppliers under conflicting pressures to improve payment terms, reduce prices and improve cash flow efficiencies, ICC and its Banking Commission are focusing on establishing new financial solutions that will enable corporates to maintain a resilient supply chain.
Innovations in working capital solutions are more vital in today’s economic climate than they have ever been before. In light of this, the ICC Banking Commission has organized its first-ever ICC Supply-Chain Financing Conference, in Paris on 4-5 October 2012.
“World trade is predicted to grow by 75% in the next 15 years, with merchandise trade volumes set to climb to US$48 trillion by 2025, up from US$27.2 trillion today. From today’s emerging markets, new international powerhouses will arise to further drive world trade growth,” said Andre Casterman, Conference Co-Chair, Head of Banking and Trade Solutions, SWIFT and Co-Chair of the ICC Bank Payment Obligation (BPO) Project.
“To support such growth in a volatile economic climate, new supply chain finance rules are being established – Bank Payment Obligation rules, for instance, offer a new instrument that combines the benefits of the letter of credit with those of open account trade,” Mr Casterman said. “Our conference provides a unique opportunity to learn from corporate experts and bankers about their visions and strategies for supply chain finance today.”
The conference combines educational sessions on different supply chain finance techniques while drawing on case studies and examples of best practice. Topics will be divided between “Invoice-based supply chain finance techniques” and “Purchase order-based supply chain finance techniques”.
“Attendees can expect insight and commentary on a wide range of issues, including streamlining of trade finance operations, the changing landscape from the BPO perspective, the impact of the regulatory environment and tackling logistical hurdles, among others,” said Daniel Schmand, Conference Co-Chair, Vice-Chair of the ICC Banking Commission and Head of Corporate Cash and Trade at Deutsche Bank.
ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier added: “ICC is continuously enriching its portfolio of trade facilitation rules, and as such, it is our hope that this conference will become an annual event.”
Discussions will be held in English.
Chief Financial Officers, Corporate credit and risk managers, corporate treasurers, bankers, insurers, consultants and vendors active in trade and supply chain finance are all invited to attend.
