Agenda

The IfTI Global Symposium: Fostering Economic Development in a World of Change discussed prospects and practical solutions for how public and private actors can support innovation, trade and economic development in a disruptive global environment. In times of economic uncertainty and high market risk, it was crucial to examine financial solutions and policies that drive prosperity. Due to the magnitude the coronavirus has reached and the impression it has left on economies around the globe, it was vital to assess economic approaches in order to stabilise finances in governments and businesses worldwide. Renowned speakers presented unique perspectives from various aspects of global finance and policymaking.

19:00     Reception and Dinner
               Hotel Liberty, Grabenallee 8, 77652 Offenburg
               Volker Schebesta, State Secretary, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport

08:30     Bus pick-up Offenburg Hotels to Campus Gengenbach

09:00     Registration and Coffee
               Offenburg University, Campus Gengenbach
               Klosterstraße 14, 77723 Gengenbach

09:30     Chair’s Opening Remarks: Fostering Growth in Times of Crisis
               Prof Andreas Klasen, Head, IfTI, Offenburg University

09:40     Keynote Speech
               Volker Schebesta, State Secretary, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport

09:55     Berne Union Welcome Address
               Beatriz Reguero Naredo, COO, CESCE and President, Berne Union

10:05     Setting the Scene: Supporting Businesses in Times of Crisis
               Kirstine Damkjær, CEO, EKF Denmark’s Export Credit Agency
               Simon Edmonds, Deputy Executive Chair, Innovate UK
               Dr Marion Jansen, Director of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
               Dan Riordan, President PRCB, AXA XL

10:50     Morning Refreshments and Networking

11:15     Financing Solutions for Africa's Transformation
               Dr Rebecca Harding, CEO, Coriolis Technologies
               Prof Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank
               Annette Ssemuwemba, Deputy Executive Director, WTO EIF
               Louis Taylor, CEO, UK Export Finance

12:00     Academic Interventions

               Prediction of Claims and Machine Learning in Export Credit Finance
               Prof Mathias Bärtl, Offenburg University
               Dr Simone Krummaker, City, University of London

               Impact Investment - FDI as a key driver to achieve the SDGs by 2030
               Juri Suehrer, IfTI Researcher and Senior Strategist, Government of Dubai

12:30     Policy Interventions

               COVID-19 Policy Responses for Science and Innovation
               Sandra Planes Satorra, Innovation Policy Analyst, OECD

               Innovation in the context of the SDG (Climate Change, Biodiversity and Circular Economy): The Swiss Toolbox
               Dr Karine Siegwart
, Vice Director, Swiss Federal Office for the Environment

13:00     Group Photo

13:15     Networking Lunch hosted by Deutsche Bank       

14:15     Development and Trade Finance: Convergence and Collaboration
               David Drysdale, Head Export Credits Division, OECD
               Prof. Andreas Klasen, Head, IfTI, Offenburg University
               Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO ITFC, Islamic Development Bank Group          

15:00     Accelerating Innovation: Policy Approaches and Financing Tools
               Massimo Falcioni, CEO, Etihad Credit Insurance
               Reimund Felderhoff, Co-Founder, tr8fin             
               
Jens Heitmann, Head of Division, Euler Hermes
               Jan Sasse, CEO, Tesi Finland
               Janusz Wladyczak, CEO, KUKE

15:45     Afternoon Refreshments and Networking    

16:15     Financial Services in Heightened Uncertainty        
               Jonathan Joseph-Horne, Global Co-Head of Structured Export Finance, SMBC
               Johannes Schmidt, Head Financial Advisory, Siemens Financial Services
               Werner Schmidt, Global Head Structured Trade & Export, Deutsche Bank
               Dr Philipp Wackerbeck, Partner, Strategy&

17:15     End of Day 1 with bus pick-up Campus Gengenbach to Offenburg Hotels

19:00     Reception and Dinner
               Hotel Liberty, Grabenallee 8, 77652 Offenburg

08:30     Bus pick-up Offenburg Hotels to Campus Gengenbach

09:00     Coffee
               Offenburg University, Campus Gengenbach
               Klosterstraße 14, 77723 Gengenbach

09:10     Chair’s Opening Remarks
               Prof Andreas Klasen, Head, IfTI, Offenburg University

09:15     Innovation Lab 1
               Innovation as a catalyst for internationalisation and SME growth
               Abdulmajeed H. Alomrani, Innovation Director, Monsha'at
               Philipp Lemmerz, Director, PwC

              Innovation Lab 2
               How to Transform the Cross-Border Payments Space in Africa through
               Innovation

               Dr Robert Ochola, Director, Afreximbank

              Innovation Lab 3
               Achieving a Global Level Playing Field and Sustainable Economic Growth
               Simultaneously

               Christine Lund Andersen, Senior Advisor, EKF
               Mariane Søndergaard-Jensen, Director, EKF
              
               Innovation Lab 4
               How NDBs incorporate Climate Risks into Strategy, Governance and
               Risk Management
               Jennifer Loewen
, Director, IFCL

10:15     Morning Refreshments and Networking

10:45     The Need for Trade Policy Reform after the COVID-19 Crisis
               Xiana Margarida Méndez Bértolo, Secretary of State,
               Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism

11:00     The Strategy Panel: Innovation, Industrial Development and Trade
               Avag Avanesyan, Deputy Minister, Armenian Ministry of Economy
               Ambassador Dr Eric Jakob, Director, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
               Astrid Bronswijk, Head of Export, Dutch Ministry of Finance
               Prof Andreas Klasen, Head, IfTI, Offenburg University       
               Nina Kopola, CEO, Business Finland

12:00     Chairman's Closing Remarks
               Prof Andreas Klasen, Head, IfTI, Offenburg University

12:15     Lunch

13:00     End of Day 2 with bus pick-up to Offenburg Hotels/Central Station