CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE – Sean Edwards, ITFA Chairman, February 2025

Welcome to the February edition of the ITFA muse!

February has once again been an eventful month, filled with webinars and meetings.

For some it is not quite yet the New Year. On behalf of our Chinese and Asian members, we celebrated Lunar New Year with a well-attended Chinese New Year Party at Bank of China in London on February 13 in London. This was preceded by two excellent panels, the first providing a well-informed insight into the opportunities of Central Asia and the second on female diversity in the City which was poignant, funny and inspiring.

Shortly after on a different part of the planet, the ITFA Middle East Regional Committee (MERC) began its year with an exclusive roundtable on Day 1, followed by a thought-provoking half-day ITFA Seminar on Day 2 of GTR MENA 2025 in Dubai on February 18 and 19.

Staying in Dubai, the ITFA MERC Emerging Leaders hosted an engaging seminar, “A Deep Dive into Trade Finance Distribution,” on Thursday, 20 February 2025, at the DIFC Academy. The event was followed by self-sponsored networking drinks at Avli by Tashas, DIFC.

Our webinars covered a diverse range of topics, including “Leadership in the Digital Age: Embracing AI and Key Challenges for the Future,” the newly launched “CME Term €STR Reference Rates (Beta),” and “Electronic Bills of Lading and Borrowing Base Facilities.” Interest in our webinar sessions continues to grow, reinforcing ITFA’s commitment to providing valuable insights to its members.

And… we’re not slowing down! For more details on upcoming events, please visit our ITFA Events 2025 page. We also invite you to follow us on LinkedIn for real-time updates. 

Mark your calendars for the most anticipated event in trade finance, ITFA’s 51st Annual Conference, taking place from September 3-5, 2025, in Singapore! Registration is now open, so don’t miss your chance to be part of this premier gathering. A heartfelt thank you to our loyal sponsors who have already pledged their support! If you’re interested in sponsoring this flagship event, we encourage you to reach out to us promptly at sec@itfa.org. Secure your spot and be part of something exceptional!

In our February Newsletter, you will find several engaging articles, including ITFA’s Webinar – Leadership in the Digital Age by Rebecca Spong. This recent ITFA webinar highlighted the critical importance of business leaders establishing a comprehensive digital policy to effectively navigate the evolving digital landscape.

Additionally, we draw your attention to another article by Rebecca Spong, ITFA’s New Financial Crime Compliance Initiative Tightens its Focus for 2025. In this piece, ITFA’s Financial Crime Compliance Initiative (FCCI) refines its focus to address the escalating challenges financial institutions face due to increasingly sophisticated financial crimes. Co-chaired by Dr. Graham Baldock and Ben Arber, the FCCI aims to support members in understanding and implementing technological solutions to combat financial crime, emphasizing collaboration and practical projects over large-scale reports.

Lastly, we are proud to welcome the following new members to ITFA:  Albaraka Turk Participation Bankv, Banco de Credito del Peru, International Trade Finance and Payment Consultancy Ltd (ITFP), Piraeus and Trademo Technologies Inc.

As always, we eagerly anticipate your feedback and suggestions, which you can share by emailing me directly, any of the Board Members, or our general email, info@itfa.org.

Kind regards,

Sean Edwards