Welcome Reception
Sponsored by: Chartis

The New Global Financial Environment & the Power of Relationships
Sanjiv S. Sanghvi, Executive Vice President - Global Banking Group, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Rock bottom interest rates, deleveraging, delayed access to capital, off-balance sheet risk and regulatory mandates are causing big market shake-ups in the global financial services industry and are impacting trade financing products and services. Will you be paying more for these in the future? Will the same trade finance products/services still be available to your company in this rapidly changing environment?

Join us as Sanjiv Sanghvi shares his insights on how trade finance products/services are being impacted and what we can expect in the future.

Networking Coffee Break
Sponsored by: FCIA Management Company, Inc.

Global Political Risks — How Are You Covered?
In today’s turbulent global business environment, the probability of loss from political risk has increased dramatically. Lenders and investors want indemnification while companies are insisting on products that can be upgraded to match rising/growing risks. Join Angela Duca as she conducts an in-depth look at the most worrisome political risk facing you and your overseas customers. Learn how companies are managing those risks and using political risk insurance to cover:

• Breach of Contract
• Regulatory Changes
• Sales and Supply Contracts along with the traditional risks protected by traditional trade credit insurance policies.

Managing Credit Effectively: Risk Management Processes in Today’s Global Business Environment
Dr. Michael Sauter, Managing Director, GUARDEAN GmbH

Discover why integrated processes are so critical and recognize the value of IT solutions and their effect on risk management. Dr. Sauter will share his vast insight to examine the culture and philosophy of risk management processes and the importance of building strong, solid relationships very early in the customer life cycle in order to achieve a 360-degree view of your customer.

Networking Lunch
Sponsored by: JPMorgan Chase Bank

Doing Business in Sessions - 2 Concurrent Sessions

By participant request, FCIB is proud to introduce a session format designed to maximize your learning experience and provide you with targeted information and insight into those regions of interest to you and your business. The new format will enable you to share best practices with fellow colleagues and to get answers to questions on topics such as the use of open terms, CAD, LCs, payment trends, availability of financial statements, availability of trade credit insurance and working capital condition of customers. We invite you to submit your questions for each of the sessions prior to the Conference by clicking the “Submit Your Question…” link or by clicking the “Question Form” on the right-hand column of this page.

Although unable to join us, Dr. Hans Belcsák, FCIB's World Economy Expert, will share his perspectives and insights with you via a prerecorded webinar! We’ll kick off each session by sharing Dr. Belscák’s regional economic outlook, forecast and commentary. An FCIB panel of member experts will facilitate and lead the discussion on credit-related and country-specific issues relevant to you.

Doing Business in the Americas

While the US economy has been stagnant, Latin America has enjoyed a strong recovery, having come through the recession without lasting damage. One worry is that inflation has edged up in South America. Mexico’s exports are falling in response to reduced consumer demand in the US and reduced US investment in the Mexican economy. The Mexican economy is now facing its greatest challenge since the peso crisis in 1995. Canada’s highly diversified economy automatically gives it some cushioning from external shocks; Canada exports so many natural resources like oil, minerals and timber that its currency tends to track commodity prices. The boom of the last decade has propelled Canada’s dollar to parity with America’s, forcing its manufacturers to become highly efficient to survive. The world’s rising economic tide has lifted Canada higher than most over the past decade, so the question remains whether a falling one could pull it down nearly as far.

Participate in this session to acquire in-depth knowledge of the markets and take advantage of existing opportunities for trade and growth in this region.

Moderator: Luis Noriega, CICP, Vice President, Global Trade Services, JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Panelist:
Ed Frermann, CCE, CICP, Director of Global Credit, Carlisle Industrial Brake & Friction
Gary Gaudette, CCE, CICP, Sr. Treasury Analyst, Hypertherm, Inc.
Cynthia Wieme, CCE, MICM, CICP, Manager, Credit & Collections, Advanced Energy Industries,Inc.
Des de Swart, Vice President & Deputy Global Profit Center Manager, Chartis

OR

Doing Business in Europe

With continuing financial turmoil fanning the European financial crisis, the European economy has entered a new and far more uncertain phase, threatening both European monetary integration and the global recovery. These factors are forcing global credit professionals to carefully examine business dealings in each country. Learn how your peers are managing transactions in this region, given the significant business risks culminating from economic pressure, high debts and currency turmoil.

Moderator: John LaRocca, Director of Global Credit, Hitachi Data Systems

Panelist:
Philip Becker, CCE, CICP, Credit Risk Specialist, Coca Cola Refreshments
Rick Hayes, CICP, Sr. Manager, Worldwide Credit & Collections, Viskase Companies, Inc.
Angela Bradbury, CICP, Group Credit Manager, Innospec Limited and Innospec Inc.
Robert Wanuga, Senior Underwriter, Atradius Credit Insurance

Coffee Break
Sponsored by: Graydon UK Limited

Doing Business in the Middle East and Africa
Political risks, social unrest and high unemployment numbers in the Middle East and Africa continue to dominate the headlines. In this highly-interactive session, an expert group of leaders will share their practical knowledge and strategies to avoid making common mistakes.

Moderator: Walid Tamari, Esq., Tamari & Blumenthal, LLC

Panelist:
Regine Hilgers, Credit Controller EMEA Region, ISP / ASI Ashland Specialty Ingredients
Todd Lynady, Senior Underwriter, Zurich Credit & Political Risk
Mike Miño, CCE
Sybil Shaw, CICP, The Clorox Company

OR

Doing Business in Asia Pacific
From the recent global financial crisis, Asia Pacific has emerged as an anchor of stability and a primary growth driver. However, inflation is set to rise sharply this year in the face of increased oil and commodity prices, contributing to a substantial downward revision in the overall economic growth forecast for the region. Will Asia Pacific’s developing countries continue to drive the global economy in 2012? What new challenges will high food and fuel prices and volatile capital inflows pose for the region? Join us to discover the challenges and opportunities for trade and investment in Asia Pacific.

Moderator: Peter Sobha, CCA, Director of Global Credit/Logistics Polartec, LLC

Panelist:
Angela Bradbury, CICP, Group Credit Manager, Innospec Limited and Innospec Inc.
Larry Marchman, Global Director, Credit & Collections,W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
Rick Hayes, CICP, Sr. Manager, Worldwide Credit & Collections, Viskase Companies, Inc
Joseph Loiacano, Senior Trade Credit Underwriter, ACE Global Markets

Networking Dinner
Sponsored by CreditPointe

Economics that Influence Foreign Exchange
Kevin Hebner, Senior FX Strategist, JPMorgan Chase

Aside from factors such as interest rates and inflation, the exchange rate is one of the most critical determinants of a country’s relative level of economic health. Exchange rates play a key and critical role in a country’s level of trade—core to free market economies—making exchange rates among the most watched and analyzed economic measures. As economic forces change, so do profit levels.

In this session, Kevin Hebner will review currency forecasts, strategies and risk management approaches.

Topics will include:

• The implications of the United States and European debt crises.
• Is the RMB a one-way bet?
• Are commodity currencies an accident waiting to happen?

Join us for this session to gain an expert view of how economics affect the market and contribute to increased FX volatility and risk.

Doing Business in the Emerging Markets
FCIB’s signature roundtable format focuses on emerging markets. Led by a panel of experts, comprising insurers, bankers and global credit executives, we’ll examine the potential rewards and challenges of doing business in emerging markets. These come in two varieties: “overlooked” countries that can rival the BRICs in terms of prosperity and “frontier” countries that are only just beginning to emerge. With the rise of emerging-market companies as a force in global business, this session will explore attractive market opportunities as a result of diminished business risks and increased wealth and financial assets in this region.

Moderator: Mario Zinicola, CCE, CICP, Senior Director of Corporate Credit & Treasury Services Sharp Electronics Corporation

Panelists: Michael R.Dwiggins, Vice President-Structured Trade Finance/Global Banking, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Larry Marchman, Global Director, Credit & Collections, W. R. Grace & Co.
André Python, Jr., Vice President-Underwriting, FCIA Management Company, Inc.
Peter Sobha, CCA, Director of Global Credit/Logistics, Polartec, LLC

Conference Adjourns