Mitigating risk in a highly volatile trading environment is a top priority for every company, which is why training solutions provider Metro Minds has tailored its service offering to meet the varied demands of the market. “We have partnered with reputable companies in the industry not only to create awareness but also to educate traders on the risks they face – many of which are related to finance,” says Metro Minds MD Juliette Fourie.
“Our programmes are customised to the needs of our clients and run as workshops or formalised programmes. Topics like incoterms, trade cycles, finance in freight, insurance and best practice principles in trade are usually key areas of focus.” Providing innovative solutions to traders is a top priority, says Fourie. “Large disbursements with extended payment terms put extreme pressure on agents. Traders increasingly push for lower prices when negotiating solutions which puts the entire cycle under pressure. Agents are pushed to provide not only trade but also finance solutions,” she points out.
Understanding the activities and key functions of a trader’s business is key to creating solutions that mitigate risk. Metro Minds offers a variety of courses – from supply chain programmes and workshops to SCOR, CIPS and Sapics offerings – which deal with the full scope of traders’ and agents’ procurement and logistics activities. “Knowing and understanding these activities helps to create solutions,” says Fourie. “Through our association with institutes like CIPS, Da Vinci and End2End Supply Chain Academy, we believe we cover the full scope of the trading environment.”
