ICC Global Banking Commission Meeting | 09-11 November 2026

Day 1 

Member’s Working Groups, Technical opinions & Rule Developments
Location: JP Morgan, 25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5JP (Members-only)
Hybrid

Morning Working Groups Sessions – Restricted to group members

Registration (Working Group A-D)

Working Group A – Technical Advisors (TA) briefing group

or

Working Group B – Financial Crimes & Risks

or

Working Group C – Guarantees

or

Working Group D – Export Finance

Registration (Working Group E-H)

Working Group E – Legal Committee (ends 13:15)

or

Working Group F – Commercialisation – KTDDE 

or

Working Group G – Regulatory Advocacy

or

Working Group H – Global Supply Chain Finance Forum (GSCFF)

Afternoon registration, lunch break & networking

Introduction

Speaker: Florian Witt, Chair, ICC Banking Commission and Managing Director Divisional Head, International Banking and Corporate Banking; Member of the Group Business Executive Committee, ODDO BHF

ICC National Committees Forum

Chairs and Co-Chairs:

• Georges Affaki, Legal Committee 

• Andrea Hauptmann, Task Force on Guarantees 

• Inessa Amirbekyan, Task Force on Guarantees 

• Merlin Dowse,  Digital Trade Finance Standards and Adoption 

• Christian Hausherr, Global Supply Chain Finance Forum
• James Yates, Financial Crime Risk and Policy 

• Christian Cazenove, Regulatory and Advocacy Group 

• Anne-Sophie Grondeux, Regulatory and Advocacy Group 

Coffee & networking break 

Technical opinions & rule developments 

This session will provide the latest insights into the development of trade finance rules, promote international best practice and address the latest disputes.

Speakers:

• Dave Meynell , Owner, TradeLC Advisory   

• Glenn Ransier , Global Standby Letters of Credit and Demand Guarantee Product Manager Wells Fargo Bank   

• Jin Saibo , Attorney at law – Beijing Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm   

• Kim Sindberg , Trade Finance Consultant, Sindberg Consult
• Gary Collyer , Collyer Consulting 

Close

Day 2

Plenary
Location: Mansion House, Walbrook, London EC4N 8BH
In-person only

Registration & networking breakfast

Welcome remarks

Speaker: Emma Bennett Interim Secretary General, ICC United Kingdom

Opening remarks: Global trade finance priorities

Speaker: Florian Witt, Chair, ICC Banking Commission and Managing Director Divisional Head, International Banking and Corporate Banking; Member of the Group Business Executive Committee, ODDO BHF

Keynote: Going for growth – creating agile economies

Speaker: Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE

The Global Trade Finance Gap & Regulatory Treatment of Trade Finance

Closing the global trade finance gap requires coordinated action across public institutions, private finance, development actors, and policymakers. This strategic session will explore how cooperation across these stakeholders can be strengthened to deliver systemic impact, in the context of a rapidly evolving regulatory environment with implications for competitiveness, capital allocation, and access to finance. 

The discussion will address how MDBs, international organisations, and the private sector can better align mandates, tools, and capital, alongside the role of policy reform, risk sharing instruments, and capacity building in expanding access to trade finance. It will also bring regional perspectives on constraints and solutions, with insights from emerging and developing markets, and examine how ICC, as the representative of the private sector, can act as a neutral convenor and connector, linking global policy dialogue with market practice. 

Drawing on empirical evidence, including insights from the ICC Global Trade Intelligence Report and cooperation efforts, the session will highlight how more risk-sensitive and proportionate regulation can be supported by robust data, including a showcase of the 2026 report. 

The session aims to identify concrete areas for collaboration and advance a coordinated response to the trade finance gap. 

Moderator: Florian Witt, Chair, ICC Banking Commission and Managing Director Divisional Head, International Banking and Corporate Banking; Member of the Group Business Executive Committee, ODDO BHF

Panellists:

• Makiko Toyoda, Global Head, Global Trade Finance Programme & Global Supply Chain Finance Programme, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
• Shona Tatchell, Director, Trade Facilitation Programme, Financial Institutions, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
• Parvaiz Dalal, Global Head Payables Finance, Citi Bank and Chair of ICC United Kingdom Trade Finance Committee
• Marc Auboin, Chief, Trade and Macro-Finance, World Trade Organization

Platinum sponsor keynote

Speaker: Vivek Ramachandran, Head of Global Trade Solutions, HSBC

Coffee & networking break

Financing Trade Resilience: Navigating Geopolitics and Supply Chain Risk

In an increasingly fragmented and uncertain global environment, trade resilience has become a core strategic and financial priority for banks, corporates, and policymakers. Geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and shifting trade patterns are reshaping how trade is structured, priced, and financed. 

This session will examine how leading corporates are redefining supply chain resilience, and what this means for the demand and structuring of trade finance. It will also explore how banks and capital markets are adapting their products and capital allocation to support evolving supply chain configurations. 

Particular attention will be given to the implications of geopolitical chokepoints, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and around Chinese Taipei, and how these risks are being assessed, mitigated, and priced within trade finance frameworks. 

The discussion will consider what role governments should play, and where they should step back. 

Bringing together perspectives from banking, academia, and industry, the session will assess whether resilience can become a source of competitive advantage.  

Moderator: Deepesh Patel, Managing Director and Editor in Chief, Trade Treasury Payments

Panellists:

• Sam Lowe, Partner, Trade and Market Access, Flint Global; Associate Fellow, Chatham House
• James Lee, Head of ICB UK GTB Specialist Sales, Barclays
• Gerardo Gutierrez-Olvera Cabrales, Executive Director, Head of Trade Finance & International Business, Grupo Financiero Banorte
• Stéphane Graber, Director General, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA)
• Frederick Rugginz, Global Head of Financial Institutions Trade Sales, J.P.Morgan

Fireside Chat: Export Finance in a Changing World: Reinventing the ECA–Bank Partnership

As geopolitical uncertainty, changing supply chains and growing investment needs reshape global trade, the role of export finance is evolving.

Export Credit Agencies are increasingly being asked to support strategic investment, infrastructure, new technologies and trade into more challenging markets. But ECAs do not operate alone. Commercial banks remain critical to originating, structuring, financing and distributing transactions—and to connecting public-sector risk capacity with the needs of exporters and buyers.

Bringing together the ECA and commercial banking perspectives, this conversation will explore how the relationship between public and private finance needs to evolve to support the next generation of global trade and investment.

Moderator: Paul Heaney, Secretary General, Berne Union

In conversation with:

• Tim Reid, Chief Executive, UK Export Finance
•  Ed Bullen, Managing Director, Head of Export and Development Solutions, Structured Finance Department, SMBC Bank International plc

Lunch & networking break

Keynote: London, Trade and the Future of Global Growth

Speaker: Dame Susan Langley DBE, Lady Mayor of the City of London

A New Operating System for Global Trade

As trade finance continues its digital transformation, new technologies such as stablecoins and tokenised settlement are beginning to reshape how trade is financed and settled. At the same time, the adoption of ICC electronic rules and digital standards is critical to ensuring interoperability, legal certainty, and scalability across markets. 

This session will explore whether these emerging solutions address genuine commercial needs, and which trade finance products are most likely to be transformed first. It will examine the potential impact of tokenisation on liquidity, collateral, and working capital management, as well as its role in expanding access to trade finance, particularly in emerging markets. 

The discussion will also assess progress in the adoption of ICC frameworks, including eUCP, URDTT, and API standards. Drawing on lessons from early movers, the session will highlight practical adoption barriers and the technical, legal, operational, and regulatory requirements needed to move from pilot projects to scalable solutions, while clarifying the evolving role of banks in a tokenised trade ecosystem. 

Moderator: Merlin Dowse, Co-Chair of the ICC Digital Trade Finance Standards & Adoption Working Group; Director: Senior Product Manager Trade & SCF, CGI

Coffee & networking break

Legal Committee presentation of the Status of Ladings global survey 

A snapshot of the extent of ICC Global Banking Commission reach and guidance.   

The Legal Committee will present a thorough analysis of the different status of bills of lading by jurisdiction.  

Presentation by: 

• Georges Affaki, Professor, Partner, AFFAKI, Chair ICC Legal Committee 
• Christian Bergeron, Executive Director & Assistant General Counsel, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Member of ICC Legal Committee 

Strategic Debate & Resolution Session: Shaping the Future of Trade Finance – From Discussion to Action

This dedicated strategic session will bring together Banking Commission members and ICC National Committees to examine the key opportunities and challenges shaping the future of trade and trade finance. Through a series of focused discussions, participants will consider where ICC can have the greatest impact, where collective industry action is most needed, and how the Commission can best support members in an evolving trade environment.

Each discussion will conclude with a proposed resolution aimed at providing clear direction for future Banking Commission activities, policy engagement, industry advocacy, standard-setting and member collaboration.

Moderators:

• Merlin Dowse, Director – Senior Product Manager Trade & SCF, CGI
• Samuel Mathew, Global Head, Documentary Trade, Standard Chartered
• Surath Sengupta, Global Head of Trade, Lloyds

Global Policy Outlook and Priorities

Speaker: Andrew Wilson, Deputy Secretary General (Policy), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Handover – ICC Banking Commission, March 2027

Speaker: Vincent O’Brien, Director, ICC UAE

Reception drinks & networking

Day 3 – 

From Infrastructure to Impact: Scaling Digital Trade Finance in Emerging Markets 
Location: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), 5 Bank St, Canary Wharf Estate, London E14 4BG
In-person only

Registration & Networking Breakfast

Welcome

Opening the day by setting out the ambition  for Day 3, building on the strategic discussions from the Banking Commission and moving towards practical solutions that can be implemented and scaled across emerging and frontier markets.

Speakers:

• Shona Tatchell, Director, Trade Facilitation Programme, Financial Institutions, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
• Parvaiz Dalal, Chair, ICC United Kingdom Trade Finance Committee

Keynote: Why Does Digital Trade Matter for Emerging Markets, and What Role Should MDBs Play?

This keynote will explore how changing trade patterns, new trade corridors and evolving payment and financial systems are reshaping the trade finance landscape.

Speaker: Francis Malige, Managing Director, Head of Financial Institutions Business Group, EBRD

Moving Beyond Fragmentation: Making Digital Trade Interoperable at Scale

Digital trade faces a conundrum:  even as technology provides more solutions to standards alignment, digital identities, trusted data sharing, there is still persistent fragmentation across systems, networks and platforms, which are continuing to constrain adoption at scale.

This session will explore the next phase of the digital trade agenda, including ICC DSI’s pivot towards a new operating model. The session will consider how industry, international organisations and technology providers can work together to rethink the current approach to trade record interoperability, with the goal of system wide scaling towards 2030.

Moderator: Pamela Mar, Managing Director, ICC DSI

Panellists:

• Oswald Kuyler, Senior Digital Trade Advisor, ADB
• Lucy Li, Managing Director, Industry Advisory, Financial Services, Microsoft – TBC
• Prakhar Jain, Presales Head Europe, Banking, Oracle
• David Campos, Head of Partnerships, GLEIF
• Bhriguraj Singh, Chief Product Officer, Global Trade Solutions, HSBC

Remembrance Day: Two-Minute Silence 

Connecting Digital Trade at the Border: Data, Standards and Interoperability

Digital trade depends on businesses, banks, technology platforms and border agencies being able to exchange and reuse trusted data. International standards such as the WCO Data Model provide a common language for that exchange. What will it take to translate this foundation into seamless connections between public and private systems?

Bringing together customs, technology and development perspectives, this conversation will explore how digital trade documents and data can support simpler, faster border processes. It will examine what customs authorities and private platforms need from one another, where implementation barriers remain, and how closer cooperation can turn shared standards into practical interoperability.

The discussion will consider how countries can modernise border processes and connect to international trade networks while avoiding new layers of fragmentation. It will close with practical priorities for moving from digital documents to connected trade.

Moderator: Dr. Theodora A Christou, Co-Founder & Director, Centre for Applied Sustainable Transition Law (CASTL)

Speakers

• Ieuan Smiton, Senior Customs Data Standards SME, HMRC
• Dr. Maria Mogilnaya, Advisor, Trade Finance, CargoX
• Nick Weaver, Head of BT CCS-UK (Cargo Community Systems) & BT Air Logistics

Ready, Set, Trade: Accelerating SME Digital Adoption

Digital trade transformation starts with ensuring businesses have the tools, knowledge and confidence to participate. This session will showcase how the UK is turning ambition into action through the Teesside University Digital Trade Testbed and the new UK Government Digital Trade Accelerator programme, launched on 9 November as part of International Trade Week.

With a particular focus on SME capability building, the session will also introduce the new Are You Ready? guide, designed to help businesses take their first steps on the digital trade journey. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how practical support, real-world testing and targeted capacity.

Speaker:

• Professor David Hughes, Associate Dean (Research & Innovation), Teesside University

Lunch & networking break

Fireside Conversation – Beyond the Hype: What Will New Financial Technologies Actually Change for Trade?

Digital assets, stablecoins, tokenisation, digital money and AI are attracting considerable attention across financial markets. But which developments could genuinely change the economics of cross-border trade?

Building on, rather than repeating, the Day 2 discussion of emerging technologies, this conversation will look ahead to where innovation could reduce the cost and complexity of moving money and information across borders, improve access for smaller businesses and emerging markets, and create new models of trade and trade finance.

The discussion will consider:

• whether new forms of digital money can materially improve cross-border payments and settlement;
• where tokenisation could affect liquidity, collateral and working capital;
• how AI might change the way trade and trade finance are delivered;
• whether these technologies can improve access for SMEs and businesses in emerging markets; and
• the practical, regulatory and institutional barriers between compelling propositions and meaningful adoption.

Speakers:

• Prof Sarah Green, Independent Arbitrator, Newmans Row; Professor of Law, University of Bristol
• TBA

From Digital Trade to Financial Inclusion: Who Gets Financed?

Digitalisation should do more than make existing trade transactions faster. The real test is whether better data, greater transparency and lower transaction costs enable financial institutions to finance businesses and transactions they could not economically serve before. This session will examine what happens after trade becomes digital.

If an SME or corporate can provide trusted digital invoices, logistics information, transaction histories and electronic trade documents, does that actually change a financing decision?

Can digital data enable banks to assess risk differently? Can factoring, receivables finance and other financing models reach businesses further down supply chains? Can greater visibility reduce the cost of financing smaller transactions? And can MDB guarantees and risk-sharing instruments become more effective when the underlying transaction is more transparent?

The session will bring together the perspectives of emerging-market financial institutions, international organisations, banks, alternative finance providers and businesses to identify where digitalisation can genuinely broaden access to working capital—and where structural barriers remain.

It will focus in particular on:

• what financiers actually need before digital data changes a credit decision;
• whether digitalisation can make smaller transactions economically viable to finance;
• the role of receivables finance, factoring and alternative financing models;
• how digital infrastructure can reach further down corporate supply chains;
• where MDBs and DFIs can use guarantees, risk sharing and partner-bank capacity differently; and
• what evidence exists that digitalisation is actually reducing the trade finance gap for SMEs and emerging markets.

Moderator: Nana Khurodze, Associate Director, Trade Facilitation Programme, EBRD

Panellists:

• Marc Auboin, Chief, Trade and Macro-Finance, World Trade Organization
• Syed Sazzad Haider Chowdhry, Deputy Managing Director, Prime Bank PLC
• Betül Kurtulus, Secretary General, FCI
• Sean Edwards, Chairman, ITFA

Closing – From Infrastructure to Impact: Priorities for Scale

Drawing together the practical insights from across the day, the closing panel will identify the priorities for moving from successful initiatives towards adoption at scale across emerging markets.

The closing will return to three questions:

• What should industry and technology providers do differently?
• What should financial institutions, MDBs and DFIs do differently?
• What can realistically be implemented and scaled across emerging markets over the next 12–24 months?

Panellists:

• Merlin Dowse, Director – Senior Product Manager Trade & SCF, CGI
• Samuel Mathew, Global Head, Documentary Trade, Standard Chartered
• Pamela Mar, confirmed

Closing remarks

Speakers:

• Tomasch Kubiak, Policy Manager, ICC Banking Commission 
• Shona Tatchell, Director, Trade Facilitation Programme, Financial Institutions, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)