Loic Morel has joined the Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (Apicorp) as head of trade finance.

According to Apicorp, it is a newly-created role for the development financial institution as it “expands its trade finance franchise across the Middle East and North Africa region”.

Based in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Morel will lead Apicorp’s trade finance operations, focusing on public and private sector entities active in the energy market.

He joins from Qatar National Bank in Paris, where he was regional head of trade sales, products and advisory, leading the expansion of the bank’s trade finance business in Europe. He previously spent three years at Ecobank in London and Paris and 12 years at Société Générale in the Netherlands, Turkey and France.

Established in 1975, Apicorp is a multilateral development financial institution owned by the member states of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). Its aim is to improve access to capital and enhance the financial stability and performance of the Arab energy industry through strategic equity investments, project loans, trade finance, advisory and research.