Michelle Knowles is the Pan Africa Head of Trade Finance Product and Governance. During her 23 years in the Banking industry, Michelle has spent the major part of her career in International Trade at Standard Bank, First National Bank and the Absa Group, holding several different roles and responsibilities. Michelle has a Master’s Degree in Business Leadership with an elective in e-Business and has completed the SAFEX Registered Persons examination for Bond market, Equity market and Future markets. In addition, she holds a certificate in Business Psychology and human behaviour, completed numerous leadership and trade finance courses, and is currently a member of the Institute of South African Financial Markets.

Some of her key achievements include being nominated deputy chairperson for TSAG user group for Europe, Middle East and Africa in 2011 and Co-Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Bank Payment Obligation Consulting Group in 2012. She is a member of the global advisory committee for Factors Chain International 2020. She is also a regular speaker at conferences and contributes to articles on the topic of Trade Finance.

John Collis is a co-founder of the Trade Flow Funds and holds the position of Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and Head of Compliance for the innovative digital trade finance fund solution and investment opportunity.

As well as overseeing the development of Trade Flow's General Terms and Conditions of Business and working with leading Counsel on the enforceability, John has overseen the classification of the specialist intellectual property developed and acquired by TradeFlow and its licensing; and has worked with insurance underwriters and external lawyers on the legal aspects of the Fund’s risk matrix and specifically with reference to bulk commodity transactions and their exposure to multiple jurisdictions.

John is a commercial lawyer with extensive expertise in regulatory, compliance, fund management structuring, as well as transactional matters.

John has operated his own law firm since 2003, specialising in international commercial work. John has written and lectured about the rule of law, Eurasia Economic Union, CSTO, and International Commercial Enforcement. Before becoming a lawyer, John worked for Ernst & Young. He was educated at Oxford University and is Chairman of Hertford College RFC.

Premeshin Naidoo is the Head: Middle East & Asia at Absa CIB