GTR Trade Insights

In this episode of GTR Trade Insights, we explore how banks are developing working capital and supply chain finance (SCF) solutions to help clients manage a business environment defined by high-interest rates and inflation. Adoniro Cestari Neto, global head of trade product and structuring at Citi, explains how companies are adapting not only their physical supply chain approaches, but also their financing strategies. In the conversation, Cestari Neto outlines Citi’s broad range of trade and working capital solutions, and how technological advancements are driving the bank’s receivables finance business. The discussion follows an in-depth article examining the future of working capital initiatives – as featured in the GTR+ SCF supplement.

In the latest episode of GTR Trade Insights, we speak with Peru’s minister of foreign trade and tourism, Juan Carlos Mathews, about the South American country’s ambitious plans to boost foreign investment in key export sectors and grow trade ties with the UK. In the interview, Mathews outlines Peru’s importance in supply chains for energy, mining and agricultural commodities, noting that the country has grown to become the UK's third-largest supplier of LNG. He also tells GTR that Peru is working to address environmental and social concerns in the mining sector, as the country positions itself as a key supplier of metals, and notes that traditionally strong export sectors such as fruits and vegetables are being bolstered by ongoing investment in port and logistics infrastructure. GTR’s senior reporter, John Basquill, spoke with Mathews during a Peruvian government trip to London aimed at driving trade and investments ties between the South American country and the UK. To find out more about doing business with Peru, please see promperu.uk.

In this episode of GTR Trade Insights, we explore the future of developing technologies and digital trade and speak with Valeria Sica, the managing director and head of Citi's global trade data, partnership and innovation team. Sica is at the forefront of trade finance innovation, and in this conversation outlines how Citi’s approach to trade transformation differs from traditional trade finance banking teams. She also provides details of successful collaborations with fintechs and highlights the role of big tech companies in disrupting the trade finance industry. The discussion follows an in-depth article that profiles a number of Citi’s initiatives in this space – as published in the GTR Q3 issue.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we speak to Chris Cox, Citi’s global head of trade and working capital solutions, about the future direction of trade and trade finance. In the discussion, Cox shares his insights on the post-pandemic trading environment, Citi’s key areas of focus in the trade space and the bank’s efforts and priorities around digitalisation and ESG. The conversation follows an exclusive interview recently published on the GTR site, titled: “Shaping the future of trade” which touches on these, and other themes, relevant to trade now and into the future.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we welcome an expert guest from J.P. Morgan to discuss how the focus of working capital has shifted once again amid an ever-more challenging global economic and financial landscape. Joining us in the discussion is James Fraser, global head of trade at J.P. Morgan, who provides an insight into corporate cash positions and what working capital strategies should look like in the face of continued supply chain disruption, rising inflation, and rate hikes. He also discusses the results of the latest J.P. Morgan Working Capital Index, which enables companies to benchmark their working capital performance against industry peers. Moderated by senior reporter Eleanor Wragg, this conversation is a follow-up to the latest instalment in the J.P. Morgan/GTR content series, titled “How the working capital conversation is evolving”.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we speak to two Citi experts about Israel, turning the conversation to the country’s trade prospects and the opportunities it presents to those looking to do business in a well-established hub of high-tech innovation. Kfeir Barkai, Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) at Citi in Israel, and Ornit Shinar, Global Head of External Innovation and Venture Investing at Citi Innovation Labs, discuss what makes Israel a high-growth market in trade and provide an overview of the nation’s fintech scene. They also outline the range of support that Citi provides, both to multinational corporations setting up shop in Israel, as well as to Israeli-founded start-ups and unicorns as they expand their businesses. This is the latest instalment of a series of podcasts and articles from Citi that uncover some of the practical realities of doing business in, and engaging in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets around the world.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast we turn our attention to Mexico, where a rise in nearshoring opportunities, the growing sophistication of manufacturing, and an alignment with social and environmental considerations are driving post-pandemic trade prospects. Joining us in the discussion are Andre Carvalho, Head of Trade, Latin America, Treasury and Trade Solutions at Citi, and Eduardo Allegre, Director & Business Head Trade Working Capital at Citibanamex, who outline some of the factors cementing the country’s status as a flourishing market, including a stronger focus on ESG. Since early 2021, Citi has partnered with GTR on a series of articles aimed at companies wanting to set up in, and engage in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets. In the accompanying podcasts, we speak to the experts behind these articles about what they’re seeing on the ground.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we speak to two guests from Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions team about doing business in Kenya, a country that presents tremendous opportunities to companies looking to tap into its growing potential. In the discussion, Stewart Makura, Supply Chain Finance and Commodity Trade Finance Head, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Marianne Kilonzi, Trade Product Manager in Kenya, share their thoughts on the ways in which the Kenyan economy is making a strong comeback from the effects of the pandemic, the features that make the country a high-growth market in trade, and how the digitisation of trade and trade finance is playing out in the East African nation. Since early 2021, Citi has partnered with GTR on a series of articles aimed at companies wanting to set up in, and engage in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets. In the accompanying podcasts, we speak to the experts behind these articles about what they’re seeing on the ground. To read the Doing Business in Kenya article, follow this link.

In this episode, we speak to Stuart Roberts, Managing Director and Global Head of Trade and Working Capital at J.P. Morgan, who shares his insights on some of the dominant narratives in trade and working capital finance today. The discussion touches on changes in technology and industry, the next steps for digitisation, and the rapidly evolving space of ESG. Roberts also outlines the bank’s own areas of focus in terms of its alignment with these themes. The conversation follows an exclusive interview recently published on the GTR site titled J.P. Morgan’s Stuart Roberts: A new era for global trade, which touches on these, and other themes, relevant to trade now and into the future.

Over the last few decades, Vietnam has been transformed from one of the world’s poorest nations, emerging as a key destination for low-cost and high-technology manufacturing and sourcing. In this episode, we speak to three experts on Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions team about the factors driving this growth, including Vietnam’s appeal as a supply chain alternative to China, its young, tech-savvy population, as well as the impact of several free trade agreements. The discussion follows the article titled ‘Doing Business in Vietnam’, which was featured in our recently published Q4 publication. It forms part of a broader series of ‘Doing business in…’ articles that Citi is rolling out in partnership with GTR, aimed at companies wanting to set up in, and engage in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets.

In this episode, we turn our attention to sustainable supply chains and supply chain financing and hear from BNP Paribas’ Viktor Ivanov, Head of Sustainability for Transaction Banking EMEA, and Bruno Lechevalier, Head of Supply Chain Management EMEA. The two share their insights on the intersection of supply chain finance and ESG objectives in the context of companies rethinking and rebuilding their post-pandemic value chains with an increased focus on sustainability issues. The discussion follows the article titled ‘Sustainable supply chains: from Covid resilience to future relevance’, which is published in GTR+ SCF 2021. For the last year, GTR has been partnering with BNP Paribas on a series of articles called the “Trade Innovation Lab”, that focus on a particular area of innovation within trade and trade finance. In our GTR Trade Insight podcasts, we speak to the experts behind the articles, to get a sense of what these sources are seeing unfolding within the industry.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we welcome two expert guests from HSBC to discuss the evolution of supply chain finance (SCF) from cash flow provision to social good, and how the tool can be used to provide increased access to finance while helping economies build back better. Joining us in the discussion are Andrew Robison, HSBC’s regional head of sales GTRF and CSTF Europe, and Sibel Sirmagul, regional head of product and propositions, global trade and receivables finance Europe, who provide some insight into the growth of sustainability-linked SCF and how this type of product can contribute to supply chain resilience. In partnership with GTR, HSBC is producing a series of articles taking a closer look at some of the crosscutting issues impacting trade. Moderated by senior reporter Eleanor Wragg, this conversation is a follow-up to an article featured in GTR’s recent SCF publication titled: “Supply chain finance: from cashflow provision to driver of social good”.

The focus of this episode is the growth of supply chain finance (SCF) in Canada, where an increasing number of companies are turning to SCF programmes to improve the efficiency of their cash conversion cycle, safeguard supplier relationships, and drive the ESG agenda. The episode features a conversation with John Landry, Managing Director, Treasury and Trade Solutions Head of Citi Canada, where he shares his thoughts on what’s happening in this space. The discussion follows the article titled ‘Doing business in Canada’, which showcases Landry’s views on this growing trend, and is published in the GTR+ SCF publication. It forms part of a series of ‘Doing business in…’ articles that Citi is rolling out in partnership with GTR, aimed at companies wanting to set up in, and engage in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets.

In this episode, we speak to Marie-Laurence Faure-Lepetit, Head of Digital Trade, and Alain Verschueren, Head of Innovation & DLT, at BNP Paribas’ Trade Finance Competence Centre, about their contributions to an article titled ‘The evolving landscape of bank-fintech partnerships’, which appears in the GTR Q3 issue. The conversation discusses the ways in which collaboration between banks and fintechs has progressed, and what may still be needed to get more projects off the ground in the trade finance space. For the last year, GTR has been partnering with BNP Paribas on a series of articles called the “Trade Innovation Lab”, that focus on a particular area of innovation within trade and trade finance. In our GTR Trade Insight podcasts, we speak to the experts behind the articles, to bring these articles to life and get a sense of what these sources are seeing unfolding within the industry.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast our focus is on Brazil, where longer-term economic gains could be on the horizon, given some of the structural changes that are happening across the country, including measures to create more open trade and investment regimes, reduce bureaucracy and lower import duties. Joining us in the discussion are Andre Carvalho, Head of Trade LatAm, and Adriano Milani, Trade Head of Brazil, Treasury and Trade Solutions at Citi, who outline their reasons for optimism for Brazil’s economic outlook, and the role that trade is playing in boosting the country’s growth. Over the last year, GTR has been partnering with Citi on a series of articles that uncover some of the practical realities of doing business in, and engaging in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets around the world. We’ve also been rolling out an accompanying GTR Trade Insights podcast series, where we speak to the experts behind those articles to get a sense of what they’re seeing on the ground.

This GTR Trade Insights podcast features a conversation with two experts from HSBC, who talk about the urgency around trade digitisation, and the need for incremental changes in order to digitise trade from the inside out. Nick Hampton, HSBC’s regional head of services, global trade and receivables finance Europe, and Sibel Sirmagul, HSBC’s regional head of product and propositions, global trade and receivables finance Europe, highlight the gradual progress towards bringing paper-heavy processes into the digital age, and the groundwork needed to ensure digitisation is accessible to all exporters. The discussion – moderated by GTR’s senior reporter Eleanor Wragg – is the follow-up to the first instalment of a recent HSBC/GTR content series, titled "Charting a Path to Trade Digitisation", which appears in the Q3 issue of GTR. To read the article, follow this link.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we speak to Pouya Jafari, vice-president for trade innovation at SMBC and recently appointed chairperson of the ITFA Emerging Leaders Initiative, about the ongoing talent gap in the trade finance industry. While there have been efforts from industry bodies to attract and nurture the next generation of trade finance professionals, it's clear that more work needs to be done to increase the proportion and visibility of young talent in the business. Having been appointed to head up the ITFA initiative earlier this year, Jafari also discusses the role the scheme is playing in helping young trade finance professionals in the early stages of their careers.

In this episode of the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we speak to the team at Citi about the factors that make the UAE a high growth market. Among these are its business-friendly environment, strategic location as a global trading hub, world-class infrastructure, and favourable government policies in promoting trade and investment, as discussed in this conversation with Yusuf Ali Khan, Trade Head for Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan; Mohammad Zubair, UAE Trade Head; and Yali Wang, China: UAE Corridor Transactor at Citi. Citi has partnered with GTR on a series of articles aimed at companies wanting to set up in, and engage in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets. In the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we speak to the experts behind these articles about what they’re seeing on the ground. To read the Doing Business in the UAE article, follow this link.

This GTR Trade Insights podcast features a conversation with Bruno Francois and Françoise Neuville, two BNP Paribas representatives, who provide an overview of some of the recent developments in the sustainable trade finance space, and the ways in which they’re seeing sustainability being embedded into clients’ business. The discussion – moderated by GTR’s editorial director Shannon Manders – is the follow-up to the first instalment of a recent BNP Paribas/GTR content series called the “Trade Innovation Lab”, which focuses on particular areas of innovation within trade and trade finance. Bruno Francois is the bank’s deputy global head of trade finance, and Françoise Neuville the head of the trade expertise desk and sustainable trade coordinator, and this conversation references and builds on their contributions to the article entitled “Sustainability: Beyond the buzzword”, which appears in the GTR Q2 issue.

In the first episode of the new GTR Trade Insights podcast, Mayank Gupta, Head of Trade, Treasury and Trade Solutions, South Asia at Citi, speaks to GTR’s editorial director Shannon Manders about the practicalities and complexities of doing business in India. In partnership with GTR, Citi has recently launched a series of articles aimed at companies wanting to set up in, and engage in cross-border trade with, high-growth, complex markets. In the GTR Trade Insights podcast, we’ll be speaking to the experts behind these articles about what they’re seeing on the ground. This first instalment focuses on India and provides an overview of recent economic and governmental developments – including measures announced in the recent budget – that make the country a compelling market in which to do business. It also examines how India’s trade environment has responded to these developments, and how trade opportunities can be harnessed going forward.