Singapore partner leads discussions on navigating challenges in international trade at GTR Asia 2026
Penningtons Manches Cooper trade and marine partner Max Lim will this week speak at GTR Asia, described as ‘the premier gathering for the Asia Pacific trade community’, which will be attended by delegates from across the commodities, structured trade and commodity finance, fintech and treasury sectors.
Max regularly acts in matters relating to the sale of a wide variety of goods, across the full trade lifecycle. He is renowned for his successful track record advising banks and market participants on their most complex problems.
Opening proceedings on Wednesday 9 September, the second day of the conference, Max will be a key member of a panel exploring the challenges facing commodity market participants and financial institutions. As global trade corridors realign and many multinational corporations shift away from prioritising investment in China, they are diversifying business into economies such as India, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Max’s fellow panellists for the session include Deepa Kumar, head of APAC Country Risk at S&P Global Market Intelligence and journalist and broadcaster Michelle Martin.
Among the topics for consideration will be the steps market participants can take to safeguard physical supply chains from legal defaults or sudden trade policy shifts; structuring cross-border agreements and managing jurisdictional risks in high-growth markets; and the use of granular risk intelligence, maritime metrics and trade data.
Joining Max at the conference, which is expected to draw over 1,500 attendees, will be Penningtons Manches Cooper partners Grant Eldred and George Mingay, specialists in banking and finance and international trade and commodities respectively, who have a long track record of supporting clients in the region.
Says Max: “My aim during the panel session is to provide a practical blueprint for navigating the challenges faced in today’s market environment, from the pre-contract stage through to effective enforcement strategies should a dispute arise. I’m also looking forward to sharing my experience on specific issues that arise at the interface between sale contracts and shipping. It promises to be an insightful discussion and one which we hope will provide valuable perspectives to delegates.”
Penningtons Manches Cooper’s participation in GTR Asia coincides with the 30th anniversary of the founding of its Singapore office, an important milestone as the firm continues to develop its full service, international offering in the region.