May 17-19, 2009 • Princesa Sofia Hotel • Barcelona, Spain







Speaker Biographies

  Amadeu Blasco is a partner at Eversheds Lupicinio. Having completed his law degree graduating from the University of Barcelona, Amadeu also has a Juris Doctorate in American Law from the School of Law of the University of Puerto Rico and a Masters in International Business Law from the Washington College of Law, American University. He also completed his MBA at the IESE Business School. Amadeu’s area of expertise is Insolvency Law, and he is a member of the Turnaround Management Association and INSOL Europe. Amadeu has advised creditors and debtors in several out-of-court debt restructuring cases, and in many voluntary and required insolvency proceedings, particularly in the automotive and airline industries. In 2003, he founded Blasco & Advocats Associats and he has rendered advice, among other things, on restructuring procedures and in particular, turnaround, and insolvency procedures. Prior to that he was a legal consultant for the World Bank Washington D.C. during which time he participated in the implementation of the then new Mexican bankruptcy legislation. Amadeu is bilingual in Castilian and Catalan and he has a high standard of English.
     
  Dr. Hans Belcsák is President of S. J. Rundt & Associates and is the publisher of “Rundt’s World Business Intelligence Briefs” - “Rundt’s Financial Executive Country Risk Alert” and ” FX-PRO Foreign Currency Forecasts.” He holds a Doctorate in Jurisprudence and Political Economics. His firm ranks among its clients the top names among multinational corporations and banks in Europe and North and South America, the Middle East and Asia. He is a regular contributor of articles to international trade & financial journals and has made extensive contributions on foreign exchange strategies, and country risk assessment to several books on international finance. Dr. Belcsak is the Chairman of the International Council for the American Management Association, a consultant for the Management Center Europe in Brussels, and an advisor to a regional governor of the Russian Federation. He is a much sought-after keynote speaker on global developments and has been a frequent lecturer and conference chairman for the American Management Association in North & South America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia. He continues to provide ’Intelligence Briefings’ for corporate CEO’s worldwide. Dr. Belcsak is a past member of the Board of Directors of the FCIB-NACM Corporation and continues as regular contributor to NACM’s Business Magazine.
     
  Aart Bos’ background includes twenty years of business and management expertise, including seventeen years in international credit, finance, receivables and working capital management. He worked for multi-nationals such as Akzo Nobel, Uniqema (ICI), CSC and International Flavors and Fragrances, Novartis and PwC. He is an active supporter of FCIB, having served as Chairman of its Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Industry Groups.
     
  Larry Coltman is the Managing Partner in the niche debt recovery firm of solicitors Coltman Warner Cranston LLP. He deals with commercial dispute resolution and insolvency matters including contested insolvencies primarily on behalf of creditors. Large retention of title claims are a regular feature of his work. He also deals with policy disputes in the credit insurance industry. He has been involved in a number of insolvency actions against directors and partners in insolvent businesses. His clients include several major PLCs as well as U.K. and U.S. - based manufacturers exporting goods throughout the EU. Larry is currently the Chairman of the UK Institute of Credit Management, representing nearly 9,000 members in the credit industry in a high-profile role and will hold office for 2 years until September 2010. He is a Rotarian. He frequently lectures at London Metropolitan University for the ICM.
     
  Regine Hilgers, Credit Controller for the EMEA Region, ISP Technologies, Cologne Germany is a regular delegate at FCIB conferences in Europe, attending for the first time in 2004. Before commencing her career with ISP as European Credit Controller, Regine was Team leader for UPS in the Billing and Accounts Receivable Department. During this time, she studied Economics at the DAA in Dusseldorf. In 2008, Regine joined the German Association for Credit Management and attended a Course as Certified Credit Controller.
     
 

Raimond Honig is the founder and managing partner of Credit Management Instituut BV in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. He also holds several management and consultancy positions. His highly practical and critical approach has enabled him to work in a refreshing and result-oriented manner while serving in different sales and marketing positions and in his period as an interim manager. Raimond has developed many interactive workshops and training courses in Credit Management and debt collection. At the end of 2004, he published his first book. Debt collection, how do I talk my money out of his pocket discusses all facets of the broad field of debt collection. In 2006 his second book, Credit Management, a Profession or a Myth? followed. Now he is working on his next book about Strategic Credit Management.

He gained extensive experience in corporate service, working his way up from sales employee to sales director and starting his own company in 1993. After years of managing a medium-sized Credit Management Consultancy firm he took the development path, seeing it as his mission to get people thinking and moving. He does this through workshops, presentations, training courses, speaking engagements and personal coaching plans. His style is characterised by respectful confrontation, i.e. challenging individuals to achieve the best to their ability. His motto in life: We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give (Winston Churchill) reflects his own attitude.
     
 

Ashok Kampani, Credit Manager at ABB Switzerland, started his career at the sharp end, spending 5 years as a customer sales representative for Ingersoll Rand. Dealing with technical queries and negotiating letters of credit introduced him to the complex world of export credit in 1986. Having worked his way up to Credit Manager, Ashok was appointed as Operations Manager in 2003. At this point in his career, the company decided to migrate the Trading Company function from Switzerland to Ireland with Ashok leading the transfer of the trading company activity for the Infrastructure division. Infrastructure division represented USD 1.1 Billion sales. In addition to his primary function of Credit and Risk Management, Ashok also managed a staff of 34 people.

Ashok has been directly responsible for managing the entire International Credit portfolio with an average receivable of USD 200 Million spread across the world. Currently and after spending some time doing charity work in India, in 2007 Ashok joined ABB Switzerland as Credit Manager. He is presently in the process of writing a new credit policy and restructuring the credit department. The position also involves direct responsibility of receivable management from all credit aspects for a division with USD $2 Billion turnover and an average outstanding receivable of $300 Million.
     
  Nick King, FACP, MICM, Finance & Credit Manager, EMEA, NACCO Materials Handling Group Ltd., UK Mr. King has enjoyed 25+ years experience in international credit and is currently Finance & Credit Manager for Europe, Middle East & Africa for forklift manufacturer, NACCO Materials Handling Group Ltd (Hyster & Yale Forklifts). He is a member of both the Institute of Credit Management in the UK and FCIB (Finance and Credit for International Business), sitting as Chair Elect of the Board of Directors, becoming Chairman of the Board in 2010. He also serves as a member of the FCIB European Advisory Council, and serving as an Expert panellist in Barcelona, Dubai, Brussels, Madrid and Istanbul at their conferences. He has contributed to a number of articles for the Credit Industry and has spoken at the number of Conferences around Europe and Middle East. He Chaired the Export Stream at the recent Credit, Collection & Risk Conference, in London. He has also served as a member of the judging panel for the last three years for The Credit Today Awards. Mr King is passionate about Credit and advancement of the Industry through professionalism and Training. His ambition and aim is to see Credit Professionals on the Board of Directors influencing company policy and strategy, as is the credit profession in the US. He wants to put Credit Management firmly on the Map. He believes 2009 will bring Professional Credit Mangers into their own right during this difficult global financial crisis.
     
  Marc Lempérière, Associate, Eversheds LLP (Paris), was admitted to the New York Bar in 2001 and subsequently admitted to the Paris Bar in 2002. Specialising in bankruptcy and pre-bankruptcy proceedings, Marc assists both companies and creditors. He has developed specific expertise in assisting foreign creditors in recovering their debts from French debtors subject to insolvency proceedings. He also regularly acts for corporate raiders in their submission of open bids to take over the assets of companies in difficulty. Marc handles all stages of any disputes that may arise as a result of insolvency proceedings and has expertise in defending managers and shareholders in personal liability disputes following insolvency proceedings.
Examples of recent advice include :
  • Recovering a tax credit from the liquidator of a French bankrupt company on behalf of the co-guarantor of the company’s debts.
  • Assisting a client in the automotive sector with the acquisition of assets of various companies through the presentation of a plan of assignment of the assets before the French commercial court (Tribunal de Commerce).
  • Advising a French company in its negotiations with its sole shareholder under an “ad hoc” mandate in order to secure additional financing.
  • Advising a UK company in administration on the consequences of this procedure for its French establishment.
  • Defending a UK company in administration on the preservation of the real estate assets held by its French subsidiary.
  • Assisting an Italian clothes company in the recovery of its debt from a French debtor.
  • Advising a major US publisher in the preparation of the declaration of cessation of payment of its French subsidiary.
  • Advising a UK IT company in expertise proceedings concerning its possible liability following the liquidation of its former French subsidiary.
  • Advising Bavaria Industriekapital on the restructuring of 2 companies (Fonderies Aluminium de Cléon and Fonderie du Poitou), under pre-bankruptcy proceedings (mandat ad hoc).
     
  Lydia Marshall is a multi-lingual French and American dual national. She has more than 20 years of credit management experience covering both European and worldwide markets, in a variety of industries. She is a Fellow of the UK Institute of Credit Management and a member of the French ‘Association des Credit Managers et Conseils’ (AFDCC). Lydia joined ITT in 2006 upon inception of the European Shared Service Centre. She has built a Centre of Excellence, in order to ensure the successful roll-out of the credit management function of the many ITT European business units. Prior to joining ITT, Lydia worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers for seven years, as Principal Consultant, leading teams on site, on pan-European cash generation and process reengineering projects.
     
  Heleen Rijkens is the Business Development Manager at Omni Bridgeway. Heleen has over 10 years of experience as restructuring lawyer and emerging market specialist. Before joining Omni Bridgeway, Heleen was a lawyer at the firm Loeff Claeys Verbeke (now Allen & Overy / Loyens & Loeff), in Rotterdam, from 1993 until 1996. In 1996 Heleen moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil where she worked as a lawyer with the international law practice of Price Waterhouse (now Price Waterhouse Coopers). In 1998 she moved to Cape Town, South Africa to join the South African private investment company Citadel, where she was a relationship manager and investment advisor. Heleen is a Dutch national. She obtained a Masters in Law from Leiden University in 1993. Her languages include German, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
     
  Neil Ross serves as a Senior Vice President of AIG Europe (UK). After leaving University he joined Trade Indemnity (now Euler Hermes) where he became an Underwriting Manager responsible for the Export Portfolio. In 1994 he joined Hiscox where he established trade credit at Lloyds. He became lead underwriter for the Trade Credit market facility. Neil left in 2000 to join AIG UK where he now heads up trade credit insurance for the UK and Ireland. He has played a leading role in the establishment of AIG Trade Finance, and is the Chairman of AIG Trade Finance Ltd.
     
  Rosemary Taft-Milby is the managing partner of the Litigation & Defense Practice Group of Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., L.P.A. and is located in the Cleveland, Ohio office in the United Stated. She earned her B.A. with honors in Political Science from the University of Louisville in 1978 and her J.D. from the University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law in 1983. A member of the American, Kentucky, Ohio, Cleveland and Ohio Women’s Bar Associations, Ms. Taft-Milby is licensed in Kentucky and Ohio and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court (Northern District of OH, Eastern & Western Districts of KY), the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Claims and the U.S. Supreme Court. Ms. Taft-Milby is certified as a Creditors’ Rights Specialist by the American Board of Certification and is AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. She currently serves on the North American Advisory Council for FCIB and the Board of Directors for the American Board of Certification. She serves on the Commission on Women in Law of the Cleveland Bar Association and is a member of Women in the Profession and Litigation sections of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Fannie Mae Retained Attorney Network. In 2004, Ms. Taft-Milby was named as a YWCA Woman of Professional Excellence and from 2004-2007 she was named an Ohio Super Lawyer by Cincinnati Magazine.
     
  Kyriacos Theodorides is a partner in the firm of George Y Yiangou & Co, Cyprus Kyriacos and in charge of the Litigation and Court Department. Kyriacos heads a team of lawyers with specialisations in Banking and Insurance law and Civil and Criminal litigation. He has extensive experience in handling the structuring of and acting as a legal advisor to public entities, private companies, banks, factoring bodies and insurance companies. He also has experience in drafting commercial contract agency agreements and banking documentation. Kyriacos is a member of the Board of the Cyprus Bar Association and represents the Cyprus Bar Association to the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE).
     
  Jacques Vincken is the Global Credit Manager for Shell Chemicals and Shell Gas (LPG). Jacques Vincken has worked in the Finance function of Shell for over 24 years in various businesses (Upstream, Chemicals, Downstream) and has extensive experience in Commercial Finance. He has had overseas assignments in various Shell divisions and companies. In his current role as Global Credit Manager, Jacques has successfully standardised the Credit processes of Shell Chemicals on a global basis. He managed to dramatically decrease the working capital and has made the organisation a cash conscious environment throughout. Jacques received the CEO Awards in 2007 and 2008 for his success in the Credit and Contract management process. He is a strong believer in professional credit management supporting businesses in their growth strategies and giving added value. The newly launched Chemicals Credit Strategy is the most recent success, leading the Credit organisation within Shell Chemicals towards the professional arena. Jacques is an active member of various external Credit Associations namely, FCIB, the Institute of Credit Management, and the European Chemicals Credit Association. He also serves as an active board member and chairperson within some of these organisations and is a frequent speaker on Credit Management topics at various conferences around the World.
     
  Dr. Thomas Voller was admitted as an attorney in 1982. Dr Voller’s legal training includes time spent in the United States and England before setting up his own practice in 1987 in Frankfurt-am-Main. Dr. Voller represents domestic and foreign firms both in and out of court and in all areas of business law including international debt collection. He is authorized to represent clients before all German Local, Regional and Higher Regional Courts. Dr. Voller has his focus in national and international Commercial and Corporate Law including the respective training as special attorney for these areas of law. In addition, he is also active as mediator in the area of dispute resolution outside of a legal procedure following the respective training as attorney mediator (DAA). Dr Voller is founder of Consulegis-Collect, now known as EuroCollectNet, Lawyers. This network covers Europe with one lawyer per country giving reliable connections in debt collection and related legal matters. He also acts for Credit Insurers and Banks.
     
  David Weidinger is the Senior Director of Credit & A/R for The McGraw-Hill Companies, a premier provider of information and products in financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education and Business Week. David coordinates a team of 120 credit, collections and receivable professionals dealing with McGraw-Hill’s Education and Information & Media divisions. He previously spent 13 years with DuPont, most recently as DuPont’s Global Credit Manager overseeing DuPont’s worldwide receivables portfolio. His background includes years of international business and management expertise in varying financial roles. He has lived abroad for nine years, seven of which involved finance and credit management in Central and Eastern Europe. David holds an undergraduate business degree from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from Thunderbird. David is also the current FCIB Chairman and on the National Association of Credit Management (NACM) board.
     
  Martine Zimmermann, CICP, has enjoyed 30 years experience in International Credit Management and Credit Risk Insurance. Before joining Roche, Martine held different positions in Credit Management and Countertrade at Ciba-Geigy, Switzerland. Martine is now in charge of Roche’s Credit Risk Insurance scheme worldwide, supporting the sales and marketing organisations when starting new business activities in high risk countries, in addition to special projects on debt collection.