EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA SETS UP NEW AND FIRST FINANCING BRANCH IN SINGAPORE, FORECASTING BILLIONS IN NEW LOANS FOR ASIA, ASEAN AND OCEANIA COMPANIES

- Singapore branch to help EDC grow annual loan bookings to USD 4 billion by 2021 - Potential to partner with commercial banks in syndicated financing facilities for Asian companies to support their trade-focused businesses - New branch office to support and augment current representations in Jakarta, Mumbai, Delhi, Beijing and Shanghai   SINGAPORE, March 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada’s dynamic export credit agency, today announced its new and first global branch outside of Canada, in Singapore. EDC’s new branch will bring its global-scale financing business closer to projects and companies across Asia, ASEAN, and Oceania by negotiating and underwriting its financing from Singapore. The new Singapore branch is expected to play an important role in doubling EDC’s loan bookings by 2021, when it hopes to be providing over USD 4 billion in new commercial financing annually. EDC’s focus will be developing financing relationships with corporations and project owners across the region that may already have Canadian suppliers, or where there is potential for future Canadian supply. EDC can also support Canadian foreign investment and foreign investment into Canada where there is a direct link to Canadian exports. In addition, EDC will actively pursue opportunities to partner with commercial banks within club and syndicated financing facilities of select corporations across Asia and Oceania. The ASEAN market is of particular interest for EDC’s Singapore branch, with its fast growing economies and more than 625 million people. “ASEAN is a dynamic region that is growing at a phenomenal rate, and growing ASEAN companies need capital to support their growth aspirations and trade focused business,” said Bill Brown, Regional Vice-President, Asia, EDC. “EDC offers Asian corporations a stable, global-scale financier with a long-term partnership horizon. Not only do we provide financing, but we can help your company reduce costs, be more productive, and more innovative by introducing Canadian technology and expertise.” Mr. Brown is located in Singapore and will be responsible for all of EDC’s activities in the market. Singapore was chosen for EDC’s first global branch given its top ranking for ease of doing business, educated workforce and being Asia’s financial, commercial, and transportation center. In the past five years, EDC helped facilitate nearly CAD 13 billion in business between companies based in ASEAN and Canada, through the entire range of its financial solutions. Key sectors of interest for EDC in the ASEAN market are infrastructure (including energy and clean technology), extractives (mining, oil and gas), with additional interest in information and communications technology, light manufacturing, and transportation (automobile production, aerospace, and rail). “Canada’s expertise in these sectors could spur greater trade between what ASEAN wants and what Canada is very good at providing,” said Mr. Brown. “The countries are a natural fit due to both having an abundance of natural resources spread out over a large geographical area.”  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=28759