Michael Bickers is managing director of BCR Publishing, a UK specialist publishing company dedicated to the provision of in-depth market information on areas of business finance, particularly factoring and supply chain finance, through books, the Internet (factorscan.com) and global factoring conferences. He is author of 12 editions of Factoring in the UK, a market report and guide to the factoring industry in the UK; editor of nine editions of World Factoring Yearbook (published annually by BCR since 1996); publisher of the World Supply Chain finance Yearbook 2010 and 2011 (published by BCR); Editor of Equipment Leasing in the UK (HMSO, 1995); Editor of Venture Capital in the UK (HMSO, 1996); Series Editor, International Business Intelligence Reports (published by the Stationery Office Ltd, 1997 – 10 titles including International Trade Finance, Credit Insurance in the UK and Europe, Securitisation in Europe; Editor and joint author of A Review of Global Trade Finance and the Effects of the Current Financial Crises on Emerging Markets, A report commissioned by the World Bank, December 2008; and creator of factoring news and information portal, www.factorscan.com, published by BCR. His views, opinions and findings have also been printed in leading newspapers and journals.