Mizuho Bank had an invaluable opportunity to engage with the dynamic community of international trade finance leaders and partners at The Global Trade Review (GTR) Asia 2025 event, held on 2-3 September 2025.
The event served as a platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and building stronger connections across the industry. As a Gold Sponsor, we were well placed to interact with corporates, understand their priorities and challenges, and explore how we can deliver meaningful, value-adding solutions.
Mizuho underscored its commitment to advancing the future of trade finance. “This is an event where we connect with a lot of our peers, not as competitors but as partners and collaborators – exchanging thoughts, perspectives and ideas about the industry,” said Ashutosh Kumar, Managing Director, Head of Global Transaction Banking, APAC.
Supporting clients through supply chain transitions
Speaking on the panel entitled “Supply Chain Strategy: China Plus One or diversification by design”, Ashutosh highlighted the crucial role banks play in enabling large-scale supply chain transitions amidst today’s volatile economic environment.
As production hubs move beyond China to fast-growing ASEAN markets such as Vietnam and Thailand, multinational companies are increasingly adopting China Plus One and diversifying their supply chains. These moves are designed to reduce reliance on a single market and strengthen resilience against disruptions caused by pandemics, rising tariffs, or geopolitical uncertainty.
With decades of experience supporting Japanese companies in their market expansions and supply chain transitions, Mizuho understands the complexities of financing and enabling these shifts. Our role goes beyond structuring trade finance solutions – we also provide trusted guidance, connect clients to new suppliers, and support the broader value chain as companies establish themselves in new markets.
Building resilience in a new trade landscape
Today’s global trade environment is shifting from a just-in-time approach to a just-in-case model, as businesses prioritize resilience and risk management. With the rise of geopolitical uncertainties, many companies are rethinking their supply chains to mitigate potential bottlenecks and delays.
Mizuho is committed to being more than just a financial provider. Managing Executive Officer and Head of Global Transaction Banking Unit – Tsutomu Yamamoto shared his thoughts: “It is not enough to be just an industry player. Mizuho would like to be a trusted partner in this entire trade finance ecosystem. Sponsoring this event symbolizes our strong commitment in driving the industry forward, fostering innovation and providing a platform for our clients and partners so that they can connect and solve the challenges of tomorrow.”
By combining our financial expertise, deep industry experience, and long-standing trust built with our customers, Mizuho Bank will continue to strengthen our role as a trusted partner in global trade finance. Together with our clients and partners, we will continue shaping the future of trade – building more resilient supply chains, fostering knowledge-sharing, and creating long-term value for the future.