Over 150 delegates attended GTR‘s 2nd Annual West Coast Trade & Export Finance Conference, which took place in San Jose on October 9, 2013.

This comprehensive one-day conference opened with a keynote address by Dan North, Chief Economist of Euler Hermes. He addressed the current trends within the domestic US market as well as the role of international trade in shaping the economy of the West Coast.

The event attracted many local and international delegates from the corporate, banking and financial services sectors to discuss current challenges in acquiring finance, new regulations for US exports, SME & Mid-Cap financing, export and ECA finance, as well as specific industry case studies.

“The West Coast continues to defy global the slowdown with enviable growth rates,” says the conference producer, Paul Greetham. “With international trade flows developing at an unprecedented rate, the conference was well timed to tackle key market issues and illustrate current market trends.”

Marianne Rowden, President & Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Exporters & Importers, further explains, “President Obama’s National Export Initiative has concentrated the government’s resources to assist U.S. companies, particularly small-medium size enterprises (SMEs), with the goal of doubling U.S. exports. The U.S. has a number of other initiatives, free trade agreements (Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) and export control reform, which should provide a positive environment for U.S. exporters. Nonetheless, U.S. exporters must comply with a myriad of restrictions, including sanctions against countries and individuals.”

Rowden adds: “GTR’s West Trade & Export Finance Conference was timely for financial and trade professionals who needed to understand the changes occurring in global trade.”

With many high-level delegates in attendance, networking was a key feature throughout the event. With numerous networking breaks and an evening drinks reception, there was ample opportunity for anyone serious about doing business on the West Coast to create new business contacts and build relationships with the foremost market actors.

“The annual West Coast Trade & Export Finance Conference has rightly become a mainstay within the GTR calendar,” says Peter Gubbins, Managing Director of GTR. “We look forward to facilitating business in the region for many years to come.”

The conference welcomed support from leading institutions, such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, HSBC Bank USA, J.P. Morgan, Union Bank, Bolero International, FCIA Management Company, Codix, PSI and Burr Pilger Mayer. The event is proud to have institutional partnerships with the Northern California World Trade Center, American Association of Exporters & Importers (AAEI), and the Monterey Bay International Trade Association.