CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE – Sean Edwards, ITFA Chairman / SMBC, November 2023

Dear members and friends,

Welcome to the November edition of the ITFA newsletter! We are thrilled to share the latest updates, news, and insights from THE trade finance Association.

Firstly, I want to inform you again that we have had to change the venue for our 50th ITFA Annual Conference. We will no longer be in Milan, but rather will be gathering on the lovely island of Cyprus, the land of sun, sea, incredible views and now… trade finance! We apologise for any inconvenience this change may have caused but we will not compromise on the quality of our flagship event and did not feel that we could bring this to you in Milan due to capacity constraints. Please stay tuned for forthcoming updates and additional details, as we plan and look forward to eventually welcoming you in Cyprus and making this conference another memorable experience for all!

In this issue, we’ve gathered a diverse range of topics that we hope will inform, inspire, and engage you. We’ve got two really helpful pieces on the 2023 Addendum to the Digital Negotiable Instruments Handbook, which we released earlier this month, and which deals with some of the practical aspects of how to deal with the transformative UK Electronic Trade Documents Act and on how to spot deceptive practices in shipping. We’re giving up some space to reporting on our events. A post-event article on our big Abu Dhabi conference is neatly balanced by an article covering two of ITFA’s regional committee events. Whilst the “big one” gathers our global membership together, we never forgot the importance of our local and regional efforts. Back to the global stage and reflecting the increasing regard in which we are held by influential parastatal financial institutions, we report on the progress we are making with our multilateral members.

As we approach the festive season, we have a lot to celebrate, as ITFA Santa visits our upcoming Christmas parties in New York, London, and Zurich! More details about the three events can be found on our website.

As we continue to grow and evolve, we appreciate your ongoing support and feedback. Your input is invaluable in shaping the content and direction of our newsletter.

Last but not least, we are proud to welcome the following new ITFA members: CargoX, Comarch and Converse Bank.

Thank you for your continued support and we hope you enjoy reading this edition of the ITFA newsletter.

Sean Edwards

ITFA Chairman