Shannon Manders

May 10, 2020 Export Finance

SME exporters: Approaching international trade in unprecedented times

An experienced entrepreneur, Geoffrey de Mowbray is the CEO of UK-based Dints International, which he founded in 2007, and which provides solutions to supply chain problems for mining and infrastructure companies. He’s also the co-Chairman of the British Exporters Association (BExA), responsible for SME and micro exporters.

In this interview he describes his somewhat unconventional journey to a career in international trade, what young trade and export financiers can do to support the growth of trade and make a positive difference, and how – given the current tough business environment brought on by Covid-19 – his company has had to innovate to keep operating.

March 5, 2020 Trade Finance Basics

ITFA: Nurturing the next generation of trade financiers

Sean Edwards is Head of Legal and Special Adviser to the Trade Finance Department at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Europe. Since 2015 he has also been the Chairman of the International Trade & Forfaiting Association (ITFA), which represents the interests of banks, financial institutions, insurers and service providers involved in trade risk and asset origination and distribution.

In this interview he talks about ITFA’s evolution and its Emerging Leaders programme, and why he believes that a career in trade finance is a lot more creative than it used to be.

October 19, 2019 Big Tech

Big Tech: How Google tackles trade

You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone as enthusiastic about trade as Cristhian Rodriguez, Google’s Global Trade Automation Lead and EMEA Head of Trade Compliance.

His role is to ensure that the tech giant’s cutting-edge products are distributed to consumers without any hassles and through the use of optimal procedures and technologies. It’s a task that he carries out with great passion, proving that a job in compliance can, in fact, be anything but boring.

August 23, 2019 Sustainable Trade

Sustainability in Trade Finance: Making a genuine difference

With a 25-plus-year career in trade finance, former banker and now founder and CEO of fintech startup Halotrade, Shona Tatchell believes that no trade should be done in a way that isn’t sustainable. In this interview she outlines current sustainability-linked initiatives in trade finance, and why it’s a part of the industry that is ripe for change.

July 1, 2019 Export Finance

Export Finance: Long-term financing for overseas borrowers

Margaret Eyres is a director of export and agency finance at Commerzbank in London. Behind the scenes, she eagerly engages students and graduates on the different career opportunities in the international trade industry. In this interview, with all the flair of a natural-born mentor, she outlines the complexities behind export finance.

June 27, 2019 Trade Finance Basics

Trade Finance: An overview of the basics

“Trade finance is fun, it’s exciting, and, most importantly, it’s real. That’s the message to anyone who’s thinking about making this their profession.”

With a career in trade finance dating back to the late 1980s, Geoff Wynne, partner at law firm Sullivan in London, seemed a credible source to outline what trade finance is, how it works, and why its wide range of products and processes make it a rewarding and enjoyable industry to work in.