OBJECTIVE:

A Management Course in this area should consider the current working activities when compared to the internationally accepted customs and practice, and also assess levels of product knowledge alongside of the ability to meet stringent turnaround times.

APPROACH

A banks international trade activity would normally fall into two distinct areas, namely the provision of Trade Services and Trade Finance.

Trade Services

Nearly every bank in the world has the capability to provide Trade Services C the physical processing of the available trade products C with varying degrees of skill and efficiency. A good Trade Services bank requires staff that are:

• fully conversant with the relevant international regulations
• in possession of substantial product knowledge
• aware of normal business processes
• customer focussed

Where necessary, training packages would cover the following topics:

• Incoterms, Bills of Exchange, Documentary Collections, Documentary Credits, Bank Guarantees, and Forfaiting Techniques.

Trade Finance

To be a good Trade Finance bank, you must first of all have a good Trade Services capability. An essential element of Trade Finance is the ability to look beyond the balance sheet and perform extra levels of risk assessment, based upon a clear understanding of trade flows. A bank wishing to operate in this arena must have:

• Good Trade Service capability
• A receptive and knowledgeable Credit Dept
• Some level of Country Risk appetite
• Staff who can identify and assess trade related risks

Training packages would assume some level of product knowledge and focus on Facility Structuring and Risk Awareness.
Key areas would be:

• Understanding the Trade Cycle, Documents of Title
• Structured Lending, Operating and Maintaining Facilities
• Corporate Risk Assessment, Country Risk Assessment
• Finding the Right Trade Finance Solution.