FEX: Reversing the brain drain

The younger generation of the export finance community is yet to hold the keys to the ECA manor. With much of the knowledge and talent in the industry – and deal origination – coming from practitioners with over 30 years’ experience, TXF’s Future of Export Finance (FEX) initiative is key to shifting the industry’s clout from the ageing demographic to the next generation. And, the international network continues to grow apace with new chapters being established all over the world.

Below is an update of the latest news and activity from across the FEX community:

Finland

• FEX Finland is an industry‑driven initiative inspired by the the Future of Export Finance communities in other countries. Its purpose is to strengthen export finance capabilities and support cross‑border trade and growth.
• FEX Finland was launched in March 2026 with 30+ initial members from exporting companies, banks and the Finnish ECA Finnvera. FEX Finland is open to everyone working with export credits or export finance and new members are welcomed from all companies irrespective of their size, the Finnish ECA and its associated organizations, banks, law firms and any other organization with an interest to strengthen and develop the export finance capabilities of Finland.
• FEX Finland’s peer‑to‑peer network offers informal mentoring and networking opportunities to help professionals and companies expand in global markets. Members with longer experience in export finance are encouraged to provide mentoring and support to their peers who are new to the market or working in companies with less experience from export credits.
• Events are organized by Finnvera, exporters and banks for sharing information among network members. 
• Jussi Haarasilta (Executive Vice President, Large Corporates, Finnvera) from the Finnish ECA, Marika Toikka (Director, Global Trade and Customer Finance, Andritz) and Tuomas Haapakoski (chairman, Finance Working Group, Technology Industries of Finland) representing Finnish exporting companies manage FEX Finland’s external relationships and coordination with other FEX Chapters. 

UK

• FEX UK is a network of ~200 professionals in ECA Finance from banks, ECAs, law firms and recently extended to corporates 
• Launched in 2018, we aim to offer educational and networking opportunities to industry juniors and new joiners, and more generally promote careers in Export Finance
• We run regular events for members such as panel sessions with industry experts, roundtables, workshops, networking events, webinars and social meet-ups
• There is a Working Group of 6-8 members elected annually along with Chair/ Co-Chairs (currently led by Anna Elliott and Emily Kate (“EK”) Gray), who are responsible for organising the FEX events
• FEX UK is led by 2 Co-Presidents (Jini Wang, Fanny Amet since 2020), who manage the global relationships with external stakeholders, coordinate with other FEX Chapters and assist the Working Group as/when necessary 
• Examples of our recent events include:   
  1. Panel/Networking event “Export Finance in an Era of Strain: Navigating Fiscal Pressures, Trade Barriers & Global Disruptions” in Sept 2025
  2. Online webinar in collaboration with TXF:  TXF ESG Data and a Green and Social Financing Case Studies in December 2025
  3. Panel/Networking event "Financing the Defence Industry in 2026: Demand, Risk & Opportunity" in March 2026
• If you are interested in joining FEX UK as a member or as part of the next Working Group, please contact Jini Wang (jini.wang@tdsecurities.com) or Fanny Amet (fanny.amet@ca-cib.com) for more information.

 France

• FEX France is a network of 85+ professionals active in Export Credit Agency (ECA) finance, including representatives from banks, ECAs, multilateral lending agencies (MLAs), and law firms.
• Launched in January 2025, FEX France is a free-to-join Export Finance industry association aiming to provide educational and networking opportunities to young professionals and new joiners to the industry in the French banking market. 
• A group of three permanent Presidents provides strategic leadership, manages FEX’s relationships with external stakeholders, and supports the Working Group in organizing events.
• A Working Group of 4–5 members (including one representative from each professional category) is responsible for the origination and execution of FEX events throughout the year. The Working Group is renewed annually. Those events include panel discussions with industry experts, workshops, a Christmas dinner, and networking events. Our objective is to host 2–3 educational sessions and 2 networking events each year.
• To become a member of FEX France, individuals must meet the following criteria: Be a professional working in the ECA industry and hold a position up to Vice President level within banks (or equivalent), with a maximum of 10-15 years of professional experience.
• If you are interested in joining FEX France as a member or as part of the next Working Group, please contact veronica.camacho@gruposantander.com, mathieu.lemouel@natixis.com and pierre.gouedard@bofa.com

GCC

• Launching FEX GCC: Empowering the Next Generation of Export Finance Professionals in the GCC
• Following its global success across the UK, Europe, and Asia, Future of Export Finance (FEX) is expanding its reach to the GCC, marking an exciting new chapter for the region’s export finance community. The initiative introduces an informal, free-to-join platform designed to connect junior professionals across banking, legal practice, export credit agencies, and the broader export sector. FEX GCC aims to create a dynamic forum where emerging talent can exchange ideas, share industry insights, and build meaningful professional networks, while upholding strict standards of confidentiality and compliance with competition regulations.
• FEX GCC is led by its Co-Presidents (Bagyasree Nambron and William Hsu), who manages the global relationships with external stakeholders, coordinate with other FEX Chapters and will assist the Working Group as/when necessary including being part of the first Working Group.
• The first FEX GCC Working Group is already taking shape, supported by leading industry participants including CACIB and Saudi EXIM Bank, with foundational support from Bagyasree Nambron, Bracewell LLP and William Hsu, Citibank. This strong institutional backing reflects a shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of export finance professionals across the GCC.

To join please contact any one of the working group members listed below:

• Bagya Nambron: bagya.nambron@bracewell.com 
• William Hsu: william1.hsu@citi.com 
• Alexandre Jeanrot: alexandre.jeanrot@ca-cib.com

FEX NL

• FEX NL is a (free-to-join) network of ~65 professionals in ECA Finance from banks, the Dutch ECA Atradius, law firms and some (large) corporates.
• The Dutch FEX community was originated in 2019 following the success of similar initiatives in Germany and the UK. One of the community’s primary goals is to bring Export Finance professionals together from various backgrounds to explore and discuss the Future of Export Finance. We run regular events for members such as panel sessions with industry experts, roundtables, workshops, networking events and webinars.
• FEX NL is led by 2 Presidents (Maaike Jannink & Lily Zandstra, both working at the ING Export Finance Team), who do the leadership, manage the global relationships with external stakeholders, coordinate with other FEX Chapters and originate the FEX events. We aim to organize at least 2 events per year (at different companies).
• We are looking for a new Co-President and for some new members who would like to organize a new FEX event. If you are interested, feel free to reach out to Maaike Jannink (Maaike.jannink@ing.com) 

FEX DACH 

• The FEX Germany network registers significant growth in 2025 by expanding to include Austria and Switzerland, thereby becoming FEX DACH and its two subchapters for banks and exporters. This expansion resulted in a community of more than 130 members from exporting companies, banks, DACH ECAs, and various associations. FEX DACH is open for young talents in the field of export finance, welcoming new members with an interest in export finance in the DACH region (noting 3 members as limit for financial institutions).
• Events are regularly organized by the members for exchange and discussions among network participants. Highlights included the first FEX DACH Conference, "FEX meets Exporter" events with major German exporters, and a "FEX meets Politics" in Berlin with political decision-makers. Many more events are planned throughout 2026 and into 2027, such as the second FEX DACH Conference in Vienna in April and the continuation of the "FEX meets Exporter" series.
• The FEX DACH Bank Chapter recently saw a successful handover of its presidency. We extend our sincere gratitude to Albina Rosenkranz, Alexander Franke, and Kevin Ly for their outstanding work and leadership over the past two years, which significantly contributed to the network's growth and numerous successful events. The new presidency, comprising Angie Dorschel, Sebastian Ricken, and Patrick Becker, will now, together with Matthias Wiedenmann, the President of the FEX-Exporter side, be responsible for driving the exciting projects in the FEX community further.
• If you have questions, please contact us: sebastian.ricken@akabank.de, angie.dorschel@fib-ag.com, patrick.becker@dzbank.de, matthias.wiedenmann@voith.com

Interested in finding out more?