More than 300 of the world’s top banking leaders and experts will assemble in Beijing on 23 April 2010 for a unique event to discuss key issues and solutions for speeding-up recovery from the economic crisis.

“This truly is a high-level international conference designed by ICC for discussing specific actions to boost trade and finance and learn from recent experience,” explained Regina Prehofer, Chair of the ICC Banking Commission. “Over the past year, we've asked hundreds of bankers to tell us about their problems, their vision and the economic crisis, and we've designed a conference programme to address those needs and solutions.”

Senior officials from international organizations such as SWIFT and the World Trade Organization as well as multilateral development banks (the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation) will also actively participate in the conference.

The high-profile event entitled 2010 - Trade Routes to Recovery will be chaired by Victor K. Fung, Chairman of ICC and the Li & Fung group of companies.

“The reduction in international trade in 2009 has been the worst since World War II and the global economy is still on shaky ground,” Mr Fung said. “The global economic crisis has seriously affected trust in our common capacity to deliver growth, prosperity and jobs. This is why the international trading community must now stand together and give a clear signal for recovery to take place soon.”

“Because the global economic scene is forcing us to reconsider how business is carried out, we have decided to convene in Beijing, business leaders to discuss practical solutions to trade and finance,” Mr Fung added.

A highlight of the meeting will be the release of the findings of the ICC Global Trade Finance Survey 2010. The survey is a leading market research initiative of ICC to fill the information gap in trade and finance. Past recommendations of ICC surveys have been implemented by G20 leaders and officials of international organizations. The surveys are prepared by the ICC Banking Commission, the leading banking forum having a truly global reach with its 500 members from more than 80 countries.

Conference topics will include trends and opportunities in trade and finance, the business outlook for Asia and China, and the impact of Basel II on trade. There will also be discussions on how the proposed revised rules (“Basel III”) could raise additional hurdles to trade finance, trade facilitation measures, and risk management and how they can be applied to trade in today’s turbulent world.

To address these topics, the ICC Banking Commission has carefully selected a world-class faculty of leading experts in trade and finance that includes

Wan Jifei, Chairman, China Chamber of International Commerce (ICC China);  Zhou Xiaochuan, President, The People’s Bank of China; Ma Weihua, President, China Merchants Bank; Yanling Zhang, Vice-Chair ICC Banking Commission, Executive Vice-President, Bank of China; Ashutosh Kumar, Global Head of Trade Product Management, Standard Chartered Bank; Mark Evans, Global Head of Trade and Supply Chain, ANZ; Marc Auboin, Economic Counsellor, World Trade Organisation; Jean-Pierre, Chauffour, Lead Economist, World Bank; Mike Quinn, JPMorgan Global Trade, Managing Director; and  Jean-François Lambert, Global Head, Sales and Management Trade and Supply Chain, HSBC. Sanjay Tandon, Head, Trade Services and North Asia Trade, Citi Bank; Kim Christensen, Nordea Bank; Pavel Andrle, member of the UCP Consulting Group.

The major international financial institutions will be represented by Daniel Bolschun, Principal Banker at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Bonnie Galat, Global Head, IFC Global Trade Finance Program; and Steven Beck, Head, Trade Finance, Asian Development Bank; Daniela Carrera Marquis, Chief Financial Markets Division, Inter American Development Bank.

To register for the event, please click here

For further information, please contact:
Whitney Fransch
Tel: +33 (0)1 49 53 28 05
Click here to e-mail