Commodity Trade and Structured Finance Expert Witness
Mr. Karagah has held senior leadership positions within international banking groups, including ING Group and BNP Paribas in Geneva and Paris, as well as BB Energy Group, a global commodity trading company. He is recognised for his expertise in trade and structured finance, transaction banking, structured working capital solutions, liquidity optimisation, risk management solutions, and cross-border financing structures.
Mr. Karagah formerly served as Global Head of Trade Finance at BB Energy Group in London, where he led the group’s global trade finance platform across Europe, the Middle East, USA, Africa, and Asia. In this role, he structured and implemented bilateral and syndicated trade finance facilities, expanded and diversified banking and insurance relationships globally, and implemented liquidity optimisation and risk mitigation solutions supporting international commodity trading activities. He also served as Global Head of Compliance & Bank Documentation, overseeing the compliance activities, regulatory processes, credit insurance arrangements, and banking relationship across multiple jurisdictions.
Prior to BB Energy Group, Mr. Karagah spent more than 13 years with BNP Paribas in Geneva and Paris, including as Team Head for Commodity Trade Finance, EMEA, and Senior Relationship Manager.
During this period, he managed teams covering major commodity clients across the Middle East and Africa and originated and structured cross-border trade and structured finance facilities across the oil, gas, metals, and soft commodities sectors. He worked closely with credit, compliance, treasury, risk and legal teams to structure trade and structured facilities, and liquidity management and risk mitigation solutions.
Earlier in his career, he served as a Relationship Manager in Commodity Trade Finance at Banque Bruxelles Lambert (Suisse) SA, part of ING Group, where he managed and developed a commodity finance portfolio across Russia, the CIS, and Europe.
Mr. Karagah is currently the Founder and Director of JM&K Consultancy Ltd, a London-based advisory firm specialising in trade and structured finance, transaction banking. He advises corporates, commodity traders on the structuring and implementation of financing solutions, including receivables finance, borrowing base facilities, prepayment structures, supply chain finance, inventory financing, and risk mitigation strategies. Throughout his career, Mr. Karagah has worked extensively with international banks, credit insurers, export credit agencies, commodity traders, and corporate treasury teams on complex financing transactions and strategic funding initiatives across developed and emerging markets.
Mr. Karagah began his career in Geneva in private banking and portfolio management support roles with Banque du Crédit Agricole (Suisse) SA and International Capital Bank before moving into commodity trade finance at Alcari SA.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Production Management from the University of Geneva.
EXPERTISE
Commodity Trade & Structured Finance
Transaction Banking & Working Capital Solutions
Trade Credit Insurance & Risk Mitigation
Liquidity & Treasury Optimization
EDUCATION
University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland
Bachelor’s Degree in Finance & Production Management
WORK HISTORY
SEDA Experts
Senior Advisor
2026-Current
JM&K CONSULTANCY LTD
Founder & Director
Senior Advisor – Structured Trade & Commodity Finance
2018-Current
BB ENERGY GROUP
Global Head of Compliance & Bank Documentation
2017-2018
Global Head of Trade Finance
2012-2017
BNP PARIBAS SA / BNP PARIBAS (SUISSE) SA, Geneva, Switzerland
Team Head - Commodity Trade Finance - EMEA
2006-2012
Senior Relationship Manager - Commodity Trade Finance EMEA
1998-2006
BANQUE BRUXELLES LAMBERT (SUISSE) SA – ING GROUP, Geneva
Relationship Manager – Commodity Trade Finance (Russia, CIS & Europe)
1994-1998
ALCARI SA, Geneva
Commercial Assistant
1992 – 1994
INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL BANK, Geneva
Assistant Portfolio Manager
1992
BANQUE DU CRÉDIT AGRICOLE (SUISSE) SA, Geneva
Assistant Portfolio Manager
1990 – 1992
Contact
Jean-Michel Karagah
1185 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
+1 646-626-4555

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