Taking stock of the last two years

The beginning of a new year is sometimes a good ocassion to take count of what one has been doing and to evaluate past actions and the way forward.
The last two years have been intense. We took on the challenge of raising the profile in Latam and Spain of The London Institute of Banking & Finance and this assignment has involved revisiting countries and contacts in around 400 banks and institutions in the regions.
We have called on banks and institutions in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Spain and Uruguay; attended two CLACE conferences, two FELABAN annual assemblies; and made a number of presentations in some countries.
Looking forward to 2018!!!

UK Department for International Trade Latin America and Caribbean Regional Conference

On 28th November, 2017 I was honoured to have been invited to attend the UK Department for International Trade Latin America and Caribbean Regional Conference (DIT LATAC), held in Lima, with DIT Heads of Trade and Investment and DIT Managers from specific sectors and LATAC countries.
As part of the conference, I was invited to be part of a panel, together with representatives from Diageo, GSK and Intertek, for an informal discussion on how we worked with DIT; how DIT could help do more business; and the challenges we found in LATAC markets.
A very interesting event.
Patricio Fernandez

51st FELABAN Annual Assembly, Miami

Between the10th and the 14th, November 2017, I represented The London Institute of Banking & Finance at the 51st FELABAN Annual Assembly, that was held in Miami.

Some interesting presentations, amongst them:

- Economic Perspectives for Brazil in 2018: Challenges and Opportunities

- What Is The Role Of The Banking Industry Within The Global Climate Change Agenda?: Challenges And Opportunities

- International Trade Finance - Current And Future State - How It Will Affect Latin America?

- Digital Transformation Of The Banking Industry

As always, a great opportunity to meet friends and colleagues and establish new relationships.

Pura Vida (Pure Life)!! and Financial Education in Costa Rica

Pura Vida (Pure Life) has become an everyday form of salutation in Costa Rica and is also a reminder that this small Central American country accounts for 5% of the world's biodiversity!

In October, 2017, I received a very warm welcome, when I had the pleasure of addressing a group of banking representatives, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of the British Embassy, at an event we organised on behalf of The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) and the National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Costa Rica.

We organised the event in order to present LIBFs Trade Finance Certifications, namely, Certificate for Documentary Credit Specialists (CDCS®), Certificate for Specialists in Demand Guarantees (CSDG®) and Certificate in International Trade and Finance CITF®), designed in partnership with the ICC. It was also announced that ICC in San José would become LIBFs exam centre, for these certifications, in Costa Rica.

It was a very rewarding experience and very glad to see so much interest in LIBFs educational offering and in particular its Trade Finance Certifications.

My thanks to Maria Claudia Jiménez, Executive Director of ICC, Costa Rica; Pablo Ledezma Boschini, President of the Banking Commission; Yorleny Araya, Administrative Assistant and Hector.

Until next time, Costa Rica!

LIBF presentation at ICC, Costa Rica