GTR can confirm that trade finance veteran Bill Froggatt will move to Westpac as head of its new trade finance operation in Europe, based in London.

Froggatt will take up his new role at Westpac on August 15, 2011.

The new appointment will enhance Westpac’s push to grow its global trade finance business with a strong focus on trade flows into and out of Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the bank says.

Before resigning from Mizuho Corporate Bank in early July, Froggatt was the bank’s co-head of global trade finance for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.