Agenda

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Welcome to the second day of MENA 2023, brought to you by TXF, Proximo & Uxolo. Today's sessions will also spotlight the insurance market

Hesham Zakai
Managing Director, TXF

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Understanding the geopolitical landscape is key to success in any market. We kick off this session with a risk overview of the Middle East, before inviting leaders in trade credit insurance to discuss how they navigate the Middle Eastern market.

  • Country by country risk assessment
  • How does the trade credit insurance market respond to the Middle Eastern market?
  • What cover is available, and what are the key risks that banks look out for when doing business in this region?
  • What are banks and corporates looking for from trade credit insurance?

Matthew Burnard
Director, Political and Regulatory Risk, Control Risks, Control Risks
Boris Jaquet
Global Head TF&L Distribution, Deutsche Bank
Matthew Beckett
Executive Director, Head of Insurance Placement, SMBC Bank International plc
Jonathan Bell
Editor-in-chief, TXF
Haitham Al Khazaleh
Director of Risk, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

In the contemporary macroeconomic environment countries have become increasingly selective about their financing options. This panel will look at what products and initiatives ECAs are introducing in MENA to help them remain competitive with other sources of finance.

  • Sustainable deals closed by our ECAs, as well as those in the pipeline
  • Developing projects to help diversify the region's economy
  • Tied and untied facilities
  • Collaborating with the region's ECAs

Michal Ron
Chief International Business Officer, SACE
Kenny Kitamura
Chief Representative for the Middle East, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
Eva Steinhaus
Representative of the German ECA in the MENA Region, Pakistan, German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce (AHK)
Juan PUYOL
Deputy Director Large Accounts, CESCE Credit Insurance
Moderator
Anne CREPIN
Head of Export Credit, SFIL

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Grab a coffee, exchange business cards, and prepare for the last sessions of the event

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

As the banking sector moves away from oil and gas, MENA will be under pressure to generate revenue from cleaner projects. The region still has some way to go yet, so how can banks encourage their clients to become more sustainable? This session will consider:

  • How can sustainable projects be better labelled to avoid greenwashing?
  • Does the trend towards ESGs increase or decrease the amount of liquidity in the market?
  • How can the market help to diversify the Middle East's reliance on oil and gas? What role does nearshoring play in this discussion?
  • Will updates to the OECD consensus make sustainable investment easier?
Ali Al Aradi
Superintendent Project Finance, Bahrain Petroleum Company
Muhsin Alrustom
Group Chief Financial Officer, Asyad Group
Zaki Hassan
Finance Director, Crescent Petroleum
Moderator
Rahul Daswani
Group Mangager, Strategy & Programs, Global Treasury & Financial Services, Independent

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

As the country sets its sights on Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is attracting the attention of developers, exporters, and lenders alike. This session considers:

  • The role of sovereign wealth funds in Saudi's burgeoning project pipeline
  • Saudi's needs from the export and project finance markets
  • Landmark projects in green hydrogen that will pave the way for new energy across the globe
Torsten Richter
Director, Treasury & Funding, CEER National Automotive Company
David Johnston
Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright
Moderator
Sean Keating
Editor, TXF

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Thank you for joining us at this year’s MENA event!

Hesham Zakai
Managing Director, TXF

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Use the final networking lunch of the day to catch up with clients and sow the seeds of dealmaking

Update your LinkedIn headshot

As international client meetings are back in full swing, drop in to our photographer's studio to spruce up your LinkedIn headshot. We'll send you the snaps after the event!

Invitation-only workshops

Following its soft launch in 2022, TXF is delighted to host the first MENA Heads of Export & Project Finance roundtable of 2023 during its flagship Dubai conference. This is a behind-closed-doors session, where leaders in MENA's export & project finance space can debate everything from market performance and the growth of regional ECAs, to new projects and talent acquisition. 

Hesham Zakai
Managing Director, TXF
Hesham Zakai
Managing Director, TXF
Alarik D'Ornhjelm
Director - Head of STEF MEA, Deutsche Bank
Mathilde Cottard
Executive Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Moderator
Maninder Bhandari
Director, Derby Group

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Grab a coffee as we prepare for the day

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Welcome to MENA 2023, brought to you by TXF, Proximo & Uxolo. Our opening remarks are brought to you by ADEX, building partnerships across the UAE to directly support the exports of national companies.

Khalil Al Mansoori
Acting Director General, Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX)

As the UAE prepares for COP28, all eyes are trained on the region as an innovator in the energy transition. We explore:

  • The UAE's year of sustainability
  • UAE Vision 2031
  • How the UAE is positioning itself as a leader in the energy transition

HE Raja Al Mazrouei
CEO, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)

MENA's regional ECAs promise to reshape the local economy, with strong institutions in the UAE seeking to bolster local business. This session looks at the role of ECAs in boosting UAE outbound business:

- What's happened in the local ECA space since last year?

- How do the UAE's ECAs compare to other international options?

- How will the UAE's ECAs partner with international ECAs and why will this be important?

Natasha Saleh
Project Manager, Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX)
IVAN PEREA
DIRECTOR, Standard Chartered
Majed Julfar
Director of Trade Credit Insurance and Export financing, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)
Moderator
Manav Futnani
Global Co-Head of Export Finance, HSBC

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

In this interactive session, guests will vote on some of the most pressing topics facing the market today. We compare your answers to our market leading intelligence!

Dominik Kloiber
Co-Founder, Exile Group

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Grab a coffee and get networking!

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Capex is returning to the market, and the project pipeline is burgeoning. We gather leading developers and export finance borrowers from across the Middle East to consider:

  • What kinds of new projects are borrowers and developers working on?  
  • What terms of finance would be most beneficial for borrowers?
  • What are borrowers and developers doing to mitigate their own credit risk?

Nader Ragheb
VP & Group Treasurer, Orascom Constructions

Uxolo: Development Finance

Multilaterals play a key role in MENA’s development. Although it is important that all voices are represented, development does not only occur from the top-down but from the bottom-up. Hear the local DFI perspective:

  • What are MENA's DFIs prioritising?

  • What trends and opportunities are happening at the grassroots?

  • Which MENA countries are experiencing increased investment appetite?

  • How can the industry support local and bilateral DFIs?

Fathima Lijiya
EVP, Head of Project & Corporate Finance, Wholesale & Institutional Banking at Emirates Development Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai
Rudolf Putz
Head Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Moderator
Sean Keating
Editor, TXF

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

MENA is a gateway between the growing economies of Africa, Southeast Asia and the West, providing bountiful opportunities for exporters both into and out of the region. But what do exporters need from the structured finance market to help them succeed? We ask:

  • What do exporters need from local and international banking markets to do business in the region?
  • What support do exporters need from ECAs? Are existing products cutting the mustard, or do ECAs need to become more innovative?
  • What are the main challenges exporters face when seeking financing in the Middle East?
Rushdi Ali
Executive Commercial Finance Director, GE Power
Christian Bockler
Head of Project Finance and Renewables, Jebsen & Jessen Industrial Solutions GmbH
Asim Sufi
Philips Capital Leader, Middle East and Turkey, Philips
Massimo Falcioni
Vice President & Secretary General, Italian Business Council Dubai and Northern Emirates
Moderator
Maninder Bhandari
Director, Derby Group

Uxolo: Development Finance

Middle Eastern countries are increasingly looking to Sub-Saharan Africa as an investment destination. Join this workshop to discuss:

  • Which funds are looking to Sub-Saharan Africa, and what projects are they interested in?

  • How can DFIs help to mobilise Middle Eastern capital into Sub-Saharan Africa?

  • How best do we categorise sustainable and social deals in Africa to ensure capital gets to where it's needed?

Jim Winkler
Vice President & Director, Creative Associates International
Chiamaka Ezenwa
Board Chair, Delphos Impact
RITA RICCIARDI
BUSINESS ADVISOR, Bergs & More
Layali Abdeen
Head of MENA, MIGA - Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
Rahul Chandran
Director, Planet One Group
Farah Lahbib
Credit Manager Group, OCP Group

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Pick up lunch, and keep exchanging business cards!

TXF: Export Finance

ECA collaboration with DFIs is a crucial development across developing markets, notably Egypt and Turkey. This panel will discuss how partnerships between ECAs and DFIs can help mobilise capital into crucial projects:

  • What role will blended finance play in the future of developing markets?
  • Uncovering the challenges around local content requirements and technological transfer
  • The prospect of ECA and DFI cooperation for large scale development projects

Wale Shonibare
Director, Energy Financial Solutions, Policy & Regulation, African Development Bank (AfDB)
Anita Yadav
Senior Advisor, New Development Bank
Christopher Cantelmi
Principal, Natural Resources & Infrastructure, IFC - World Bank Group
Moderator
Alarik D'Ornhjelm
Director - Head of STEF MEA, Deutsche Bank

Proximo: Project Finance

Closed at $300 million in September 2022, the ECI-backed Zarafshan Wind represents Uzbekistan's first utility-scale wind farm. The 500MW project is a landmark for the region, and this case study gathers dealmakers to consider:

  • How will Zarafshan help Uzbekistan meet its goal to derive 25% of its energy needs from renewables by the end of the decade?
  • What challenges did dealmakers have to overcome to bring the project to financial close?
  • What roles did DFI and ECA coverage play in the transaction?
Zishan Iqbal
Director of MLT and Murabaha Solutions, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)
Moderator
Jeremy Barker
Counsel, Clifford Chance

TXF: Export Finance

In the last year, we've seen commodities traders start to borrow on the ECA market. This new trend is taking the market by storm, but what do the deals actually look like? This session will consider:

  • How to effectively structure untied ECA backed debt for commodities traders
  • Which borrowers have capitalised on these deals and what have their experiences been like?
  • Will we see more traders borrowing on the ECA market in 2023?
Mathilde Cottard
Executive Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Suresh Mistry
Head of Non-Banking Distribution, Trafigura Group Pte
Natasha Saleh
Project Manager, Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX)
Moderator
Ralph Ivey
Reporter, Exile Group

Proximo: Project Finance

In the face of considerable challenges, 2022 saw the closing of the landmark Amunet Wind Project Financing. Closing at $522 million with DFI direct lending and ECA wrapping, the transaction paves the way for wind projects across the Middle East & North Africa. This session gathers dealmakers to discuss:

  • What unique challenges did dealmakers face in bringing the project to close?
  • Technical analyses of the financing
  • How will Amunet Wind pave the way for future transactions in the region?
Aqueel Bohra
Senior Director, Project Development, AMEA Power
Hiroyuki Nakashima
Director General, New Energy and Power Finance Department, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
Khurram Saleem
Executive Director -Project & Export Finance, Standard Chartered

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

The energy transition will have varying implications across the globe. So, what does this great shift mean for MENA? This panel will consider the technology, risk allocation, and financing structures required for MENA to transition away from fossil fuels.

  • What role will hydrogen play in MENA's energy transition, and who will take on the new technology risk?
  • Which renewable investments are ECAs stepping into?
  • How can ECAs support the energy transition and the investments around it?

Imran Saeed
Head of Treasury & Corporate Finance- Middle East & Africa, Siemens Energy
Rachida Guermazi
Finance Manager , TuNur Ltd
Catherine Dorgnac
Regional Manager - Middle East, Türkiye & Central Asia, Bpifrance
Cristina Bergomi
SVP, GE Vernova
Moderator
Eid Nagib
Head of Development Structured & Export Finance for Middle East, Europe & CIS, Societe Generale

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Drumroll please... it's time to recognise the leading transactions in the Middle East across export, project, and development finance in 2022!

Hesham Zakai
Managing Director, TXF
Jonathan Bell
Editor-in-chief, TXF

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Stream

Join us for a relaxed networking reception the evening before the event kicks off in earnest. We'll see you at Tamoka Dubai, on the beachfront and just a 3 minute walk from the Ritz Carlton hotel.

Tamoka Dubai 

Al Mamsha Street The Walk, JBR PO Box 26525

Search results

MENA's regional ECAs promise to reshape the local economy, with strong institutions in the UAE seeking to bolster local business. This session looks at the role of ECAs in boosting UAE outbound business:

- What's happened in the local ECA space since last year?

- How do the UAE's ECAs compare to other international options?

- How will the UAE's ECAs partner with international ECAs and why will this be important?

Natasha Saleh
Project Manager, Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX)
IVAN PEREA
DIRECTOR, Standard Chartered
Majed Julfar
Director of Trade Credit Insurance and Export financing, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)
Moderator
Manav Futnani
Global Co-Head of Export Finance, HSBC

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

Capex is returning to the market, and the project pipeline is burgeoning. We gather leading developers and export finance borrowers from across the Middle East to consider:

  • What kinds of new projects are borrowers and developers working on?  
  • What terms of finance would be most beneficial for borrowers?
  • What are borrowers and developers doing to mitigate their own credit risk?

Nader Ragheb
VP & Group Treasurer, Orascom Constructions

Uxolo: Development Finance

Multilaterals play a key role in MENA’s development. Although it is important that all voices are represented, development does not only occur from the top-down but from the bottom-up. Hear the local DFI perspective:

  • What are MENA's DFIs prioritising?

  • What trends and opportunities are happening at the grassroots?

  • Which MENA countries are experiencing increased investment appetite?

  • How can the industry support local and bilateral DFIs?

Fathima Lijiya
EVP, Head of Project & Corporate Finance, Wholesale & Institutional Banking at Emirates Development Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai
Rudolf Putz
Head Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Moderator
Sean Keating
Editor, TXF

Uxolo: Development Finance

Middle Eastern countries are increasingly looking to Sub-Saharan Africa as an investment destination. Join this workshop to discuss:

  • Which funds are looking to Sub-Saharan Africa, and what projects are they interested in?

  • How can DFIs help to mobilise Middle Eastern capital into Sub-Saharan Africa?

  • How best do we categorise sustainable and social deals in Africa to ensure capital gets to where it's needed?

Jim Winkler
Vice President & Director, Creative Associates International
Chiamaka Ezenwa
Board Chair, Delphos Impact
RITA RICCIARDI
BUSINESS ADVISOR, Bergs & More
Layali Abdeen
Head of MENA, MIGA - Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
Rahul Chandran
Director, Planet One Group
Farah Lahbib
Credit Manager Group, OCP Group

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

MENA is a gateway between the growing economies of Africa, Southeast Asia and the West, providing bountiful opportunities for exporters both into and out of the region. But what do exporters need from the structured finance market to help them succeed? We ask:

  • What do exporters need from local and international banking markets to do business in the region?
  • What support do exporters need from ECAs? Are existing products cutting the mustard, or do ECAs need to become more innovative?
  • What are the main challenges exporters face when seeking financing in the Middle East?
Rushdi Ali
Executive Commercial Finance Director, GE Power
Christian Bockler
Head of Project Finance and Renewables, Jebsen & Jessen Industrial Solutions GmbH
Asim Sufi
Philips Capital Leader, Middle East and Turkey, Philips
Massimo Falcioni
Vice President & Secretary General, Italian Business Council Dubai and Northern Emirates
Moderator
Maninder Bhandari
Director, Derby Group

TXF: Export Finance

ECA collaboration with DFIs is a crucial development across developing markets, notably Egypt and Turkey. This panel will discuss how partnerships between ECAs and DFIs can help mobilise capital into crucial projects:

  • What role will blended finance play in the future of developing markets?
  • Uncovering the challenges around local content requirements and technological transfer
  • The prospect of ECA and DFI cooperation for large scale development projects

Wale Shonibare
Director, Energy Financial Solutions, Policy & Regulation, African Development Bank (AfDB)
Anita Yadav
Senior Advisor, New Development Bank
Christopher Cantelmi
Principal, Natural Resources & Infrastructure, IFC - World Bank Group
Moderator
Alarik D'Ornhjelm
Director - Head of STEF MEA, Deutsche Bank

Proximo: Project Finance

Closed at $300 million in September 2022, the ECI-backed Zarafshan Wind represents Uzbekistan's first utility-scale wind farm. The 500MW project is a landmark for the region, and this case study gathers dealmakers to consider:

  • How will Zarafshan help Uzbekistan meet its goal to derive 25% of its energy needs from renewables by the end of the decade?
  • What challenges did dealmakers have to overcome to bring the project to financial close?
  • What roles did DFI and ECA coverage play in the transaction?
Zishan Iqbal
Director of MLT and Murabaha Solutions, Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)
Moderator
Jeremy Barker
Counsel, Clifford Chance

In the face of considerable challenges, 2022 saw the closing of the landmark Amunet Wind Project Financing. Closing at $522 million with DFI direct lending and ECA wrapping, the transaction paves the way for wind projects across the Middle East & North Africa. This session gathers dealmakers to discuss:

  • What unique challenges did dealmakers face in bringing the project to close?
  • Technical analyses of the financing
  • How will Amunet Wind pave the way for future transactions in the region?
Aqueel Bohra
Senior Director, Project Development, AMEA Power
Hiroyuki Nakashima
Director General, New Energy and Power Finance Department, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
Khurram Saleem
Executive Director -Project & Export Finance, Standard Chartered

Plenary: TXF, Proximo & Uxolo

The energy transition will have varying implications across the globe. So, what does this great shift mean for MENA? This panel will consider the technology, risk allocation, and financing structures required for MENA to transition away from fossil fuels.

  • What role will hydrogen play in MENA's energy transition, and who will take on the new technology risk?
  • Which renewable investments are ECAs stepping into?
  • How can ECAs support the energy transition and the investments around it?

Imran Saeed
Head of Treasury & Corporate Finance- Middle East & Africa, Siemens Energy
Rachida Guermazi
Finance Manager , TuNur Ltd
Catherine Dorgnac
Regional Manager - Middle East, Türkiye & Central Asia, Bpifrance
Cristina Bergomi
SVP, GE Vernova
Moderator
Eid Nagib
Head of Development Structured & Export Finance for Middle East, Europe & CIS, Societe Generale

Invitation-only workshops

Following its soft launch in 2022, TXF is delighted to host the first MENA Heads of Export & Project Finance roundtable of 2023 during its flagship Dubai conference. This is a behind-closed-doors session, where leaders in MENA's export & project finance space can debate everything from market performance and the growth of regional ECAs, to new projects and talent acquisition. 

Hesham Zakai
Managing Director, TXF
Hesham Zakai
Managing Director, TXF
Alarik D'Ornhjelm
Director - Head of STEF MEA, Deutsche Bank
Mathilde Cottard
Executive Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Moderator
Maninder Bhandari
Director, Derby Group