My first exposure to trade finance related matters was in cocoa beans operations with Jacobs Suchard back in 1985. Thereafter I spent some 7 years with UBS in the trade finance department and had the benefit of a very good education. From there I switched to BHE (Bank fuer Handel und Effekten) spending 7 very happy years with them as LC team leader, moving to the front office as relationship manager as also correspondent banking. Then I was approached by Glencore to take over their trade finance desk in Baar, Switzerland. From there I moved on to Marc Rich Investment & Co. AG (now MRI) to run their trade finance desk. My final port of call has been Kolmar Group AG when one of their board members asked me to consider running their trade finance desk. Since 2006 Kolmar has become like a second family to me. When I passed my LL.M in international trade law I was enabled to change my role and move into the handling of bank relationships, company registrations, quasi-legal matters and many more things as well. As I am almost daily confronted with trade finance matters of a more technical nature my skills have not been allowed to rust away.