In the commodities super cycle that has emerged out of the COVID-19 pandemic, few resources have seen as much volatility as liquified natural gas (LNG). From record lows to record highs in less than 18 months, LNG’s ups and downs are perhaps rivalled only by crude oil, whose 300% plunge to -$40 a barrel in April 2020 is one for the history books, and one for future economics students to ponder. But unlike oil’s flash crash, LNG’s roller coaster has been a much more sustained affair, taking it fr...
Dec 06, 2021•26 min•Ep. 76
Like many products within trade finance, trade credit insurance has endured serious volatility during the last 12-18 months, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. But while some products have struggled to bounce back - as evidenced by the growing trade finance gap - trade credit insurance has ultimately emerged from the pandemic stronger than before. And perhaps one of the best witnesses to that recovery is Richard Wulff, executive director of the International Credit Insurance & Surety Association (...
Nov 24, 2021•16 min•Ep. 75
As the trade finance industry shifts towards more digitalised ways of doing business, new niches are opening up within the market. One such niche can be found in digitalised trade credit insurance and surety markets, of which one of the largest players is Tinubu Square. Tinubu Square considers itself the leading B2B software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider for trade-related speciality insurance, namely credit insurance with short-term, medium-term, and political risk, bonds and surety, working with...
Nov 22, 2021•8 min•Ep. 74
On the eve of COP26 - the biggest climate summit of the year - the world is more focused than ever on reducing carbon emissions, and on the role that individual companies can play in tackling climate change. Starting this Sunday, COP26 will be the first UN climate conference since the publication of its landmark Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in August this year. Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep73-pole-star-carbonchain-partners...
Nov 01, 2021•26 min•Ep. 73
We have just finished the marathon, that is SIBOS Virtual, a festival of trade, treasury and payments. So what better way to celebrate, than to be joined by the CEO of the Banks Association for Financing Trade (or BAFT), Tod Burwell. Full transcript here: https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/podcast-s1-ep72-sibos-special-bafts-tod-burwell-on-last-century-of-trade-transaction-banking/
Oct 19, 2021•18 min•Ep. 72
Today we’re talking about messaging. I’m sure we all have messaged before, humans might use whatsapp or messenger. Computers might use application programming interfaces, or APIs. Dogs bark at each other, dolphins message through using soundwaves. But what about banks? How do banks message one another? Often banks need to talk to each other, confirming beneficiaries, recipients, payment amounts, and details of goods and services of their clients and transactions. SWIFT is the financial industry’...
Oct 14, 2021•28 min•Ep. 71
The current banking landscape is going through a makeover. PSD2 and open banking has it’s advantages, but there are also many opportunities to continue to level the playing field, share risks and revisit the rules. The Pandemic has driven the acceleration of open banking, from automatic IBAN and Identifier checking, to increased partnerships via APIs. Today, discussing, the importance of open banking ecosystems and the need for global digital transformation, I’m joined by Industry expert Liliana...
Oct 06, 2021•31 min•Ep. 70
World trade is central to economic growth and as we emerge from the pandemic, trade is paramount in enabling the global economy to recover. We’ve discussed trade digitisation and its many facets for some time now, but the pandemic has now rendered this critical, potentially a tipping point for scalable progress in digitisation. But it’s not easy. Digitising a complex ecosystem involving myriad actors, rules and regulations, sprawled across both physical and financial supply chains in multiple co...
Sep 29, 2021•23 min•Ep. 69
Global supply chains have been and continue to be deeply impacted by the changes that have taken place in the last 12 months. From the Suez canal debacle which showed just how interconnected global supply chains truly are, to the current shortage of HGV drivers in the UK which poses a serious threat to supply lines to schools and hospitals, it is fair to say that the industry is, currently, facing significant challenges. Is the industry at a breaking point? And what can we learn from these chall...
Sep 08, 2021•31 min•Ep. 68
Open account business - buy now, pay later - drives economic activity worldwide. And during times of volatility, uncertainty and of course, the pandemic, the need for solutions when it comes to receivables finance has never been more pronounced. With more market participants, the rise of non-bank lenders, a drive towards digitalising the open account ecosystem, there’s a lot going on. So today, I’m joined by the two co-founders of WOA, Erik Timmermans and John Brehcist. Full transcript: https://...
Sep 01, 2021•31 min•Ep. 67
