Guidance

The role of our Export Finance Managers

Updated 26 September 2024

1. How Export Finance Managers can help

Export Finance Managers are regional representatives of UK Export Finance (UKEF). They are local points of contact for exporters and businesses with export potential and can provide information on:

• payment methods and risks
• the types of finance available
• trade finance (pre and post-export)
• credit insurance
• foreign exchange risks

Speaking to an Export Finance Manager will help you get a better understanding of your export finance requirements and, where possible, they’ll identify an appropriate solution to support your export transactions.

Export Finance Managers will talk you through relevant UK Export Finance products and services and can assist in the preparation of an application. They are also able to discuss private market options and often refer exporters to insurance brokers and credit insurance companies.

1.1 Our export finance solutions

Our export finance solutions are usually in the form of short term support (trade finance) or long term support (export credit).

Trade finance

These solutions are typically most relevant to exporters pursuing lower value, higher volume contracts, including SMEs. UKEF is committed to supporting UK exporters by:

• reducing or removing the risk of non-payment to overseas buyers
• helping to support a cash bond to fulfil contractual obligations
• assisting working capital requirements

If a UKEF trade finance solution is appropriate, the Export Finance Manager will liaise with your bank in order to facilitate their access to our support. If your bank is not able to assist, our Export Finance Managers may be able to suggest alternative banks or trade finance providers.

Export credits

Supporting finance for overseas buyers of UK exports by:

• providing guarantees to banks on the loans they give to overseas buyers to purchase goods and services from the UK
• direct lending to overseas buyers so they have the funds to purchase goods and services from the UK

These solutions are typically most relevant to exporters pursuing higher value, lower volume contracts.

2. How to contact an Export Finance Manager

Find your nearest Export Finance Manager. Then get in touch by telephone or email. The initial consultation will usually focus on identifying your business’ export finance needs. This will help our Export Finance Manager understand your trading relationships and related risks, and provide an initial indication of the options for export finance support in the private market and, where applicable, from government.

3. Information you’ll need to provide

In order for our Export Finance Managers to provide appropriate assistance you’ll need to provide information on your:

• trading relationships
• export needs
• standard financial information about your business (including audited and management accounts)

Our Export Finance Managers will also need details of the contract terms of your relevant export transactions, including terms of trade, and organisations and markets traded with.

4. The implications of seeking Export Finance Manager assistance

There is no cost to exporters for seeking assistance from an Export Finance Manager.

If an exporter successfully applies for a UK Export Finance product, any fees charged by UK Export Finance will depend on the product in question. Additionally, separate charging arrangements may arise between an exporter and its own professional advisers.

Whilst Export Finance Managers are able to provide general export assistance, it is important to note that they neither recommend nor advise on particular transactions, products, services or providers. They also do not advise on specific contractual matters. In reaching decisions on export transactions, therefore, an exporter should continue to use its existing professional advisers such as its bank, accountant or legal adviser.

Assistance given by Export Finance Managers is provided without liability. So far as is permissible under English law, UK Export Finance excludes all liability whatsoever for the assistance provided.

Any information provided by an exporter to an Export Finance Manager, and all discussions and correspondence relating to the exporter’s needs, will be confidential and will not be disclosed by UK Export Finance to any third party except:

• to banks, other trade finance providers, insurance brokers,insurance companies or other export related institutions for the purpose of identifying potential solutions to support the exporter’s export transactions
• in accordance with its obligations at law (including under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004) or its obligations to Parliament as a Government Department, and
• to UK Export Finance’s external legal advisers and other Government Departments. If UK Export Finance discloses such information to its external legal advisers or any other Government Department, it will notify those legal advisers or that other Government Department of the terms on which that information has been provided.

Further details of how UK Export Finance handles third party information.