FimBank, the specialist trade finance bank, participated in the International Cotton Association’s ‘Open to the World’ conference held recently in Dubai. Joseph Rodgers, who heads the structured trade finance unit of FimBank’s Dubai office, was invited to address the conference by the ICA.

Over the course of the conference, billed as the first cotton conference of its kind to be held in Dubai and which attracted more than 650 delegates from around the world, 10 high profile industry speakers, including Mr Rodgers, took to the stage to deliver a range of presentations focusing on some of the key issues affecting today’s cotton industry - from price volatility and its causes, to the current financial challenges faced by the players in this industry.

Mr Rodgers’ presentation focused on the important role of structured trade finance in facilitating and expanding international trade, especially between emerging and developed economies, and with particular emphasis on how to address the latent high financial, including working capital, requirements of the cotton industry.

The International Cotton Association, which operates on a non-profit basis, has more than 350 members, including some of the world’s major cotton companies and affiliate industry firms. Much of the world’s raw cotton is traded under ICA Bylaws & Rules.

FimBank is a specialist in structuring pre and post shipment finance especially for soft and hard commodity transactions. The bank applies its technical knowledge and experience in emerging markets to offer innovative trade finance solutions that are tailor-made to its client’s financing needs.

For further information about the FimBank Group one may visit www.fimbank.com.