The Annual Meeting of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Banking Commission gets underway in Jakarta this week. This major forum gathers the world’s who’s who of the trade finance industry and provides participants with exciting opportunities throughout its duration.

Here are 5 things we can expect at the meeting:

1. Networking with industry leaders  

The list of speakers and delegates at the Annual Meeting reads like the Who’s Who of the trade finance world; gathering close to 600 trade experts, banking professionals, business leaders, lawyers and government officials all under one roof. And with a range of periphery events, in addition to the main plenary and breakout sessions, the Annual Meeting provides many opportunities for the greatest minds in trade finance to network and discuss the key issues at hand.

2. Engaging speeches and lively debate

A platform for debate and development, the Annual Meeting will feature a series of high-level keynote speakers, and dynamic panels. Speakers at the Jakarta meeting include: Mari Pangestu, former Minister of Trade of Indonesia; Marc Auboin of WTO; Steven Beck of ADB; Cherie Nursalim, Vice Chair, GITI Group, Singapore and Chairman, United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network-Southeast Asia; Mirza Adityaswara, Senior Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia; and ICC Banking Commission Chair Daniel Schmand.

3. A “pick ‘n’ mix” format

Entitled “The Future of Trade Finance: Traditional, Technological, and Transformational”,  the meeting can be shaped around participant agendas. The structure of the event – including a mixture of plenary and breakout sessions – allows delegates to pick and choose which panels and discussions they attend, depending on areas of interest, and level of technicality.

4. An insight into the future of trade finance  

Discussions at the 2017 Annual Meeting will address topics such as: rulemaking in trade; trade flows, corridors and supply chains; blockchain and distributed ledgers; and even CEO perspectives on trade, economic development and growth. Particular focus will be placed on the digitization of trade and trade finance practices – aiming to advance discussion on the rules, standards, and practices of trade finance, and how it can support the growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

5. Turning eastwards

Taking place in Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, with top-class speakers from Asia and a focus on Asian trade, Asia will be at the very heart of this year’s Annual Meeting. We will look at the significance of multilateralism and the state of trade negotiations in Asia-Pacific – detailing, in particular, the implications and opportunities provided by the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

ICC wishes to thank the following Annual Meeting global sponsors for their support: Afreximbank, Bank of China, Bank Mandiri, BCA, BNI, Bureau Van Dijk, Danamon, ITFC, Mastercard, Misys, Standard Chartered and Surecomp.

To learn more visit Banking & Finance