Over a 30+ year career, Maëlia has developed a deep understanding and worldwide experience on export credit guarantees, dealing with exporters, banks and foreign buyers on commercial and financial projects.

She is in charge of international relations and represents Bpifrance Export Insurance in many conferences, technical workshops, ECAs bilateral meetings, OECD and EU matters. She works on business development and creation of new products for banks and exporters (SMEs and Key Accounts) along with their communication, she manages the rating of foreign companies and banks.

Previously she was Head of Division of Key Accounts (energy and nuclear power, telecom, space, project finance, engineering, buildings, public works and capital goods), Head of Division of Geographic Desks (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania), Head of Division of Paris Club Rescheduling Agreements, Head of Certification ISO 9001 project for the State Guarantees Department, Head of clients requests, quality and statistics department.

She has worked in all the geographic departments of the State Guarantees Directorate as well as in the Military Affairs Department.

With 22 years’ DFI and Multilateral experience in Africa, Benjamin is the Chief Underwriting Officer at the African Trade Insurance Agency, a position he has held since July 2020.

He has 12 years’ experience in the insurance industry and has been involved in underwriting transactions across several sectors such as energy, mining, telecommunications, manufacturing and infrastructure for banks, developers, investors and contractors. For 4 years, he was a Senior Underwriter and exhibited leadership in many of the initiatives developed at ATI including RLSF (an energy liquidity facility), a credit wrap solution for African sovereigns and bank portfolio structures for SMEs.

Keenly dedicated to Africa’s development agenda, Benjamin has been an active participant in the Berne Union since 2012. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering, a Master of Science Degree in Construction Management, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration as well as a Post Graduate Certificate in Project Planning and Finance.

A leading expert on export credit policy matters, Isabel manages US EXIM international engagements across a spectrum of institutions, including OECD, Berne Union, G7/G12/G20 and, the International Working Group on export financing.

Isabel joined the Export-Import Bank of the United States in 1992 and has in the intervening years supported or represented the bank in negotiations and international engagement on a broad range of export credit topics including energy finance, content, anti-corruption, data, outreach and environmental issues.

She is one of the primary authors of US EXIM Competitiveness Report to Congress, a chief publication on export credit competitiveness and in 2011, she co-authored a contribution for the OECD publication entitled “Smart Rules for Fair Trade: 50 years of Export Credits”.

At the Berne Union Isabel has contributed to a range of efforts, including Management Committee Restructuring, Prague Club integration; Data Task Force and Outreach Task Force.

Isabel earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from la Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina in 1991. In 1997, she earned a Master of Arts in International Finance and Transactions from the School of Public Policy, George Mason University.

Edie is the Director of Underwriting Development, Financial Risk Solutions, at Liberty Specialty Markets, a London-based subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. Based in Washington, DC, her role is to expand relationships globally with export credit agencies, development finance institutions and multilateral organizations.

From 2007-2015 Edie served as Director of the Operations Group of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the political risk insurance arm of the World Bank Group. Prior to joining MIGA, she held various senior level positions at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) from 1991 to 2007, including Vice President for Insurance.

Edie has been involved in the Berne Union for more than 15 years, representing OPIC (USDFC), MIGA and currently Liberty Specialty Markets. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and Latin American studies from Princeton University, and a master’s degree in international affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Edie was a Fulbright Scholar at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia.

Katarzyna has been an executive board member in KUKE S.A. (Polish ECA) since June 2016

She is responsible for Risk Underwriting, IT, Change Management,Policy Underwriting, Debt Collection and Claims.

In particular she has been personally responsible for leading the change management around KUKE's digitalisation.

Before joining KUKE she was a Business Developer in the payments industry, responsible for Central and Eastern European countries. She also worked in delivering IT services as a business analyst for banks and interbank institutions, including central banks and clearing houses.

EGAP Czech Republic| Director International Relations Department Josef has been the Director of the International Relations Department at EGAP since 2015. He is the head of the delegation representing the Czech Republic in the EU and the OECD and generally manages EGAP's international relations, including Berne Union affairs.

Before joining EGAP, Josef held various positions in the areas of External and International relations. He has experience as a Chair of the Council Working Group during his diplomatic service for the Czech Republic at the Permanent Representation to the EU.

Yuichiro Akita is NEXI’s General Manager, International and Strategic Policy.

Prior to joining NEXI, he worked for MUFG for 7 years in corporate finance and cross-border project finance at the bank. Since he joined NEXI in 2003, he was appointed to lead underwriting teams, in the sectors such as infrastructure, aircraft, power and mining for over 10 years.

He also had various managerial experiences at corporate planning divisions covering strategic planning and international relations. He has served as a negotiator in the matter of OECD and engaged in governmental policy coordination during his secondment to Cabinet Secretariat of Government of Japan.

Through his career at NEXI, he has actively developed NEXI’s international relations, through expansion of reinsurance business with ECAs, promotion of regional cooperation in Asia and Pacific region by hosting BU RCG CEO meeting in Tokyo and bilateral meetings, and strengthening of relationships with African multilateral agencies.

He holds an MBA from Manchester Business School, MSc in Development Finance from SOAS, University of London, and LLB from Hokkaido University. He is a member of the Japan Society for International Development.

Niek is the Head of Business development at Atradius Dutch State Business N.V., the Amsterdam-based Export Credit Agency of the Netherlands. His role is to manage a team of business developers and underwriters with a focus on expanding relationships with Dutch exporters, trade sector organizations, financial institutions and governmental organizations active in the field of Dutch export promotion.

Niek is also Deputy Manager of the SMEs and Business development team, one of the two underwriting teams within Atradius Dutch State Business.

Prior to joining Atradius Dutch State Business, Niek was managing the Dutch claims department of NCM, the predecessor of Atradius Netherlands.

Niek has been involved in the Berne Union since 2015, attending the Spring Meetings and AGMs and some of the Specialist meetings.

Niek holds a master’s degree in international business administration from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands and participated in the Erasmus exchange program spending half a year studying at the University of Leuven, Belgium.

Jean-Paul is Deputy CEO of Credendo STN, responsible for Sales, Marketing and IT, since April 2014.

Prior to this he has held a nomber of other positions within Credendo, including Head of Sales and Account Management, Team Head of a mixed group of underwriters and commercial managers. Prior to this he worked as an Office Manager at Bacob Bank.

He holds a degree in International Marketing management from the University Diepenbeek and is a qualifed commercial engineer with a degree from the University of Antwerp.

Amal Jaradat is the Deputy Director General at Jordan Loan Guarantee Corporation. She started her work alongside JLGC in August, 2013 as a JLGC Project Manager with International Finance Corporation (IFC). During the project time frame, she was in charge of managing the industrial finance department. By November, 2017 she was assigned to be in charge of managing export credit insurance & domestic sales dept. Prior to joining JLGC, she had 17 years of banking experience at the Bank of Jordan; her career progressed as she was promoted to various positions, leaving as the Retail Credit Review Officer/ Assistant Manager. Mrs. Jaradat is the representative in multiple conferences, annual meetings and workshops inside & outside of the country. Amal Jaradat is currently a member of the steering committee (Project Sponsor) for the digital transformation for JLGC. Additionally, she is member in the GET ON BOARD (The Next Generation of FEMALE BOARD MEMBERS) 2nd Cohort Advisors. Furthermore, she is a trainer in the field of SMEs at Institute of Banking Studies.