MUFG were recently a headline partner of the TXF Global Commodity Finance & Sustainable Natural Resources Conference and awards in Amsterdam, a major event for commodities trading and financing experts.
Six members of the ECA, Commodity Finance & Structured Trade Finance (ECSTF) team led MUFG's delegation at the event, including Atakan Akkaya, Head of Commodity Finance, Francois-Xavier Reignier, Head of ECA and Structured Trade Finance, and Sandie Hessing, Head of Structured Trade Finance Origination.
ECSTF played a major role in two deals that won awards in the Top 10 Deals of the Year at the event: A USD 2.5 billion Pre-Export Finance Facility for Azule Energy (the ENI & BP Angolan JV) in which the bank was Co-underwriter and the Structured Trade Finance team acted as Documentation Coordinator, and a USD 5 billion Initial Margin Facility for Vitol where the bank was Initial Mandated Lead Arranger and Underwriter. MUFG also won two other awards for the Trafigura USD 3 billion ECA Facility covered by German ECA Euler Hermes, as well as for a Borrowing Base Facility in favour of Agri-trader Olam done by MUFG's Commodity Finance team in Singapore.
Atakan Akkaya was a panel speaker on the keynote financing panel, exploring topics such as digitalisation, innovation, evolving support from the lenders, ESG strategies and sustainable finance. Sandie Hessing was a panel speaker on the 'Stages for Change: A Work in Progress in the Industry' panel, which focused on women and changes in the industry over the years. Topics covered included how to attract and retain diverse talent and bridge the gender gap in the commodities financing space.
Sandie Hessing, said,
"This event was a fantastic opportunity to network with key stakeholders from the industry and offered the chance to discuss its pressing issues, ranging from Energy Transition and commodity supply to diversity within the industry."
ECSTF set up a new Commodity Finance Desk in Amsterdam in 2022, headed by Natalia Kasyanova, Head of Commodity Finance MBE. To celebrate this milestone, ECSTF hosted a client reception on the first evening of the event, where the CEO and President of MBE, Harm Bots, welcomed MUFG clients from the industry.
Harm Bots commented,
"This event was a great opportunity to meet our clients face-to-face after the one-year anniversary of the Amsterdam Commodity Finance desk. The new desk has been paramount in improving MUFG's services to our European clients through better proximity to them and their markets.
This helps us to be closer to our clients during volatile markets and even better positioned to respond to their needs. I look forward to continuing this close relationship with clients in the EU market."