The 13th Annual Syndicated Loans CEE Conference

1:15PM Registration and welcome lunch

2:15PM Chairperson's opening remarks

2:30PM Keynote address on CEE’s economic and financial challenges

3:00PM Examining strong local liquidity in CEE: Where do opportunities lie for international banks?

• Are cash-rich corporates content with relationship-driven deals?
• What cross-selling potential do syndicated loans offer in the current climate?
• For how long can refinancings continue to generate better covenants and pricing?
• When will lenders descend the credit curve to expand their business?

3:45PM Afternoon refreshments and networking break

4:30PM Improving perception of Russian DCM risk: How could this impact the post-sanctions environment for CEE?

• The impact of sanctions on international lenders’ risk management profiles
• How will ‘pent-up’ demand from Russian corporates manifest itself in a post-sanctions environment?
• How will the future composition of Russian borrowers and lenders change?
• Analysing the interplay between dollar, euro and rouble financing going forward

5:15PM What do CEE’s borrowers seek from lenders in an ever more aggressive pricing climate?

• Do different sectors favour new entrant lenders?
• How are borrowers continuing to generate more favourable covenants?
• Eurozone negative rates and LIBOR floors

6:00PM Chairperson’s closing remarks followed by drinks reception

9:15AM Morning refreshments

9:45AM Chairperson’s opening remarks

10:00AM Pre-payment financing & PXF structures: How will this deal structure impact CEE?

• How dependent are CEE’s borrowers and importers on the success of pre-payment deals?
• Does this bypass of the loan market portray an evolving or declining lending landscape?
• What can European lenders learn from oil trader-influenced lending structures?

10:45AM Outlook for CEE sectoral challenges: Agriculture, Real Estate, Telecoms & Utilities

• What are the big growth areas for cross-border transactions?
• Building relationships in local jurisdictions: Where can borrowers benefit most from international banking expertise?
• PPP financing: What are the regional sectoral opportunities?

10:00AM Chinese capital in CEE: How will Asian investment live up to expectations?

• How do new entrants establish arranger mandates in an already overbanked region?
• What are the challenges of putting balance-sheet to use
• Do post-sanctions secured transactions favour new entrants?
• Utilities, infrastructure and agriculture: What are the challenges facing different sectors?

10:45AM How will recent instability impact pricing and tenors for Turkish FIs and corporates?

• Can Turkish banks finance corporates effectively as they expand and acquire?
• Is there a ‘mismatch in maturity’ for Turkish corporates and FIs?
• Changing borrower access to liquidity and the role of international banks given political upheaval
• Turkish infrastructure projects: How do local and international banks compete for business?

11:30AM Morning refreshments and networking break

12:15PM CEE regional and sectoral roundtable discussions

Each table will focus on a different core CEE economy and asset class, hosted by a different industry expert. Delegates can tailor their conference, and choose which table they join, enjoying diverse networking opportunities

• Czech Republic & Slovakia -  Antonin Pospíšil, Head of Syndicated Loans and Debt Placement, CSOB

• Multilaterals & ECAs - Michael Emery, Head of Syndications, IFC

• Romania - Simon Dayes, Partner, CMS

• Russia - Ben Dobson, Director, Structured Trade & Export Finance, Deutsche Bank

• Real Estate - Michael Weitersberger, Head of Real Estate Finance, Raiffeisen Bank International

• Schuldschein - Jan-Martin Nufer, Director, Treasury & Funding, Borealis AG

1:30PM Networking lunch

2:45PM To what extent is Acquisition & Leveraged Finance driving syndications in CEE?

• Why have institutional investor-driven acquisitions lagged behind in CEE, and how best to stimulate it?
• Borrower-friendly LBOs as a driver for deal volume
• What debt instruments are CEE’s acquirers most active in?

3:30PM Understanding NPLs and restructurings: Exploring distressed debt appetite in peripheral CEE markets

2:45PM Schuldschein in CEE: Are corporates attracted by a diverse investor base and simplified documentation?

• Could shifting borrowers’ needs facilitate greater demand for Schuldschein?
• Building globalised investor demand for CEE debt
• Must documentation become more simplified & standardised?

3:30PM End of Stream

4:00PM Chairperson’s closing remarks followed by close of conference