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

Dear Members and friends,

Welcome to the July edition of the ITFA newsletter.

With summer now in full swing and many of us looking forward to well-earned holidays, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the fantastic ITFA Week that took place earlier this month (July 8th–10th). The event spanned three energising days filled with insightful sessions, engaging conversations, and a memorable evening celebration. The strong attendance and vibrant atmosphere made it a rewarding experience, offering a great opportunity for members and peers across the industry to reconnect and collaborate. For those who joined us, I hope it provided a refreshing prelude to your summer. And for those who missed it—mark your calendars for next year!

As a gentle reminder, we would greatly appreciate it if attendees could take a moment to complete the short surveys sent by the Secretariat, as your feedback helps us improve and shape future events to better serve our members.

July also saw a number of us in Seville to launch TFCOP 2 with several of our MDB and DFI members along with representatives from the private sector. TFCOP has an ambitious agenda – read Tedd George’s article in the ITFA NEWS section – to remedy the trade finance gap. So much lies ahead of us on this big project but I am confident that we have made a solid start.

Another highlight of the month was our participation in the Future of Security 2025 Conference, hosted at King’s College London by Rebecca Harding and the Centre for Economic Security. I had the pleasure of speaking on the role of supply chain finance in defence procurement—an increasingly relevant topic as global security challenges reshape financial priorities. The event also provided the ideal platform to launch ITFA’s latest whitepaper, “Managing Compliance in Defence and Military Goods Financing”. You can access the link and learn more in the “ITFA NEWS” section.

Additionally, in July we also hosted an ITFA African Regional Committee (ARC) Refresher Webinar – ‘How to Structure a Deal in Africa’. (For those members who could not join us, you can click here to access the recording). The session explored how to structure effective trade finance deals in Africa amid changing global and regional conditions. Featuring insights from three ARC board members, the session included real-life case studies, interactive poll questions and concluded with a live Q&A.  You can read more in the “Voices from our Regions Section” section, in an article written by Dr. Tedd George, ITFA ARC Secretariat and ITFA Chief of Staff.

Looking ahead, excitement is building for our 51st Annual Conference, set to be a memorable gathering in a truly special location. If you have not yet secured your place, we encourage you to do so soon to avoid missing out, as the Standard Rates expire on 17^th August 2025. Full details can be found here.

We are also incredibly grateful to this year’s sponsors, for their generous support. Such a strong and enthusiastic backing is a true reflection of the continued trust the market has for ITFA’s work. If you or your organisation are considering sponsorship, you can find more information here or reach out to us directly at info@itfa.org.

In this month’s newsletter, we invite you to dive into a series of dynamic updates and reflections from across the ITFA community. First, do not miss the highlights from ITFA’s Annual NERC (Northern European Regional Committee) Summer networking event and seminars, held in London on 9 July 2025. This engaging recap, expertly written by our Editorial Consultant, Rebecca Spong, captures the vibrant discussions, key takeaways, and valuable connections forged during this lively gathering.

Also featured is a compelling article by Dr. Tedd George, Kleos Advisory UK and ITFA Chief of Staff, covering the “Launch of the TF COP Task Force” held in Seville on 3 July 2025. This piece offers an in-depth look into the objectives, challenges, and wider significance of this important new initiative, underscoring ITFA’s leadership in driving forward critical conversations in trade finance.

Dr. Tedd George also shares insights into the exciting July launch of the ITFA Podcast Channel, providing a fresh, accessible platform to engage with leading industry expertise and thought leadership wherever you are.

We round off the ITFA NEWS section with another insightful contribution from Rebecca Spong, focusing on ITFA’s Financial Crime Compliance initiative (FCCi) and its first webinar, “Sanctions and Export Controls in Trade Finance,” held in May 2025. This article sheds light on the crucial discussions and practical insights shared during the session and the ongoing efforts to strengthen compliance across the trade finance sector.

Finally, we are delighted to welcome the newest additions to our ever-growing association – Fieldfisher LLP, ICE Digital Trade (IDT) and Kleos Advisory UK

Hope your summer is filled with sunshine, good vibes, and continued achievements.

Stay connected with us on LinkedIn for instant updates on upcoming events.

Best wishes

Sean Edwards