International & correspondent banking

The International division is in charge of Banque Libano-Française Group’s relationships with its extensive network of correspondent banks. It supports the various divisions and entities of the Bank in terms of analyzing and following up counterparts and sovereign risks and ensures that the group always has the best conditions for interbank and international transactions. It coordinates with the group’s other entities to provide transaction banking services such as cash management, check clearing, foreign exchange as well as local and international securities brokerage.

By pro-actively managing correspondent banking relations, the International Division maintains credit lines with a large number of international banks. Such a wide correspondent banking network allows the Bank to adequately cover the needs of its clients, both in terms of availability of confirmation lines and in terms of rates and conditions applied to our international transactions in trade finance, payments, check clearing, brokerage services or other transactions.

The trade finance confirmation lines were strengthened in 2005 when the Bank joined the Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP) of the International Finance Corporation, becoming first an issuing bank and later a confirming bank in the program. The Bank was the second in the region and the first in Lebanon to join the program. The GTFP gives the Bank a competitive advantage in international trade finance transactions, enhances the correspondent banking network and improves the conditions and transparency of trade finance activities.

The International Division also has business development objectives. It is active in risk participation, forfeiting and structured trade activities, pre and post-export finance, as well as participations in international financial institutions’ syndicated loans, an activity which has been growing substantially at Banque Libano-Française. The International Division is also in charge of the Group’s international expansion starting with the Abu Dhabi Representative Office, which covers BLF Group’s activities in GCC countries.

The International Division has structured several cross border transactions and long term borrowings from international financial institutions, such as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the European Investment Bank, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), as well as other multilateral and international institutions such as the Arab Trade Financing Program the Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation.
The International Division is continuously looking for high caliber individuals who want to broaden their career objectives and participate in BLF Group’s international expansion.

BLF established, in 2012, a branch in Iraq in addition to a Representative Office in Nigeria.

For any additional information, please call Mr. Maurice Iskandar on extension 1465 or send an email to maurice.iskandar@eblf.com.

Banque Libano-Française boasts one of the most extensive correspondent banking networks among other Lebanese banks, with more than 400 relationships, more than 100 of which are very active.

With such a strong network, Banque Libano-Française is able to provide its clients with efficient transactions at very competitive costs. Some of our relationship banks are listed below: