The Global Supply Chain Finance Forum (GSCFF) has appointed Deutsche Bank’s Christian Hausherr as its first chair.

In this role, Hausherr, who is European product head of supply chain finance at Deutsche Bank, will drive the forum’s aim to champion common definitions for supply chain finance (SCF) and related techniques, following on from its release of the Standard Definitions for Techniques of Supply Chain Finance in 2016.

GSCFF is an industry-wide initiative established in 2014, which comprises the ICC Banking Commission, Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (Baft), European Banking Authority (EBA), FCI and the International Trade & Forfaiting Association (ITFA). It is advised by a steering group which includes representatives from each of these institutions: Tod Burwell (Baft), Sean Edwards (ITFA), Jose Vicente (EBA), Olivier Paul (ICC) and Peter Mulroy (FCI).

Priorities for the forum include creating additional guidance on individual techniques, starting with receivables discounting and payables finance, and engaging with accounting firms and rating agencies to help clarify accounting treatment. The forum is also looking to produce statistics on SCF and studies on the market’s evolution.

GSCFF previously functioned without a chair: in turn, the ICC Banking Commission, and then then Baft, have facilitated the group.

Commenting on his appointment, Hausherr says: “SCF is one of the fastest growing trade products, and while uptake of the Standard Definitions has been promising so far, further work is required to ensure alignment across a complex ecosystem of stakeholders involved in international supply chains. Recent developments in the accounting treatment of some techniques have also underlined this need for engagement, and I am delighted to be leading this important initiative.”