North American business leaders meet to discuss opportunities amidst strengthening economic recovery

GTR Events, the market leading independent information provider for the financial services industry, returned to New York City on June 19, 2014 for the 2nd Annual North America Trade & Export Finance Conference, taking place at Convene, 32 Old Slip in Manhattan’s finance district. Welcoming an international delegation from across the Americas and further afield, the event is now widely recognised as the primary gathering for the region’s corporate, financial services and international trade sectors.

An in-depth agenda surveyed the evolving priorities of the region’s leading banks and companies as economic recovery in domestic and global markets continues to take root amidst a sustained period of growth in national export volumes. With debate focusing on the growing competitiveness of the US economy and the resulting reshoring and domestic business trends, expert speakers from across the global trade finance and corporate sectors further outlined the opportunities on offer in established and developing economies from the EU to Latin America and Asia.

“US exports reached $2.3 trillion in 2013, achieving a fourth consecutive year of record breaking export levels” said Inwha Huh, Managing Director at GE Capital, prior to the conference. “Strong growth momentum in the middle market is an important factor; 45% of the US middle market now operates and sells globally, with increasing trade finance needs similar to their large corporate counterparts providing some interesting opportunities for financial institutions. GTR’s conference provided a valuable forum to discuss timely trends in the US, as well as how globalisation trends are impacting the trade finance market”

Key topics including the growth potential offered by intra-Americas trade and investment to North American companies and FIs, the latest methods available to corporate financiers when stabilising the global supply chain, key trends in export financing and the evolving role of export credit agencies, and the potential for multi-bank trade financing to increase corporates’ efficiency and profitability across international business lines were joined on the one-day agenda by the official launch of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Global Trade Register and Global Trade Survey.

Featuring extensive networking opportunities including an informal evening reception to complete the day’s proceedings, the 2nd Annual North America Trade & Export Finance Conference continues to maintain its reputation as an essential diary date for the region’s leading treasurers, corporate finance heads and trade and export financiers.