Announcing Trade Finance Associates, Singapore: New Trade Finance Advisory Practice

Industry Veterans Partner to Launch Trade Finance Advisory Practice:

Trade Finance Associates, Singapore

www.tradefinanceassociates.com

Four veterans of the trade finance business have partnered to establish and launch Trade Finance Associates (TFA), headquartered in Singapore, and operating with a global mandate.

Olivier Berthier, Maninder Bhandari, Alexander Malaket and Philip Simpson have partnered to establish TFA as a full-service consultancy focused exclusively on trade and supply chain finance, advising banks, corporates and SME’s, international institutions as well as export credit agencies and public sector clients.

Maninder Bhandari, based in Dubai, observes  “We believe the timing is excellent, in view of market developments and demand for trade finance-related expertise, to launch Trade Finance Associates, a consultancy with unmatched domain expertise, global reach and extensive collective experience in all aspects of the business.”

TFA will provide a full range of advisory services, project management and business and technical analysis services, along with training program development and delivery on a global basis.  Practice areas include:

• Trade banking and trade finance strategy
• Operating models and business processes
• Product development and management
• Interim management services
• Technology
• Program development and deployment
• Training development and delivery
• Trade finance and international development
• Regulatory issues

The Management Team collectively possesses decades of experience across all aspects of trade finance, from the most traditional mechanisms to the most innovative developments and solutions, including the SWIFT/ICC Bank Payment Obligation, of which the team possesses detailed knowledge. The founding partners are based in Singapore, the UAE, Canada and Australia respectively, and will share geographic and client coverage as the practice evolves.

TFA’s execution capability includes its global team of independent associates – twenty-five trade finance specialists who have agreed to collaborate with the Firm in the delivery of client assignments. The TFA team is positioned to provide unmatched depth of subject matter expertise, proven consultancy capability and the bench strength to help clients staff large-scale engagements and projects.

Olivier Berthier in Singapore notes, “The financing of international trade is in a unique phase of innovation, touching technology and business. TFA can provide clients and partners with comprehensive support, from strategy and operating models, technology assessments and implementation to detailed requirements gathering and process design.”

For further information, contact:

Managemant Biographies

Maninder Bhandari is a career banker for over 27 years at HSBC, ABN AMRO, Emirates NBD and The Bank of New York Mellon in senior positions in corporate/transaction banking including trade, cash & factoring. His experience covers FI, retail and SME, and acquisition and Islamic banking areas in Asia/Pacific, Middle East/Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and North America. Prior to founding the Encore Group and partnering in the Derby Group, Maninder was the Managing Director treasury services and transaction banking (including trade & cash) for Middle East & Africa for the Bank of New York Mellon. His expertise extends from sales to operations, including specialization in trade and cash management across SME & FI segments.

Olivier Berthier is a seasoned professional with over 17 years of experience in Banking with a significant focus on Transaction Banking solutions including experiences in a global bank’s overseas trade finance operations, the founding, chief executive role and successful sale of a company focusing on trade finance software and senior management positions in a leading global application and services provider for the financial services industry. He is currently the founder & CEO of Moneythor, a software company specialized in online financial services and the founder of Ober Labs, an incubation laboratory focusing on financial technology.

Alexander R. Malaket is a senior consultant, business analyst and project manager with over twenty five years of professional experience, primarily in international trade, trade banking and trade finance. Mr. Malaket has worked with and advised major financial institutions, government clients and international agencies across the globe, and has developed and delivered training programs in person and online, for numerous clients. Mr. Malaket is a member of the inaugural Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Board of the World Trade Centre in Winnipeg, Canada, and a long-time member of the World Trade Centre and Board of Trade in Toronto, Canada. Alexander serves as a member of the SWIFT/ICC Industry Education Group on the Bank Payment Obligation. Mr. Malaket is the Founder and President of OPUS Advisory Services International Inc.

Philip Simpson is a seasoned banking professional with significant experience in operations and change management, specialising in trade and supply chain finance. Philip’s trade finance experience is backed by a broad financial services career including customer facing roles in sales and corporate relationship management as well as product management and marketing. With more than 25 years’ experience in trade, Philip has in the

past decade consolidated his broad functional experience and become a specialist in transforming and managing service and operations platforms in trade. Philip’s trade and supply chain finance experience spans target operating model design and delivery, technology implementation and delivery of complex change programs, as well as managing global operations hubs. Philip has delivered many complex change programs, including utilising insourcing and outsourcing solutions.