Our Story
Our Story
After a career of 20 years in the international finance sector as a lawyer and a banker, Edwin Sieswerda decided to spread his wings to start a new adventure. Building his own business, he’s focused on connecting exporters and importers of capital goods and supporting their projects by raising export finance.
Once the first clients came on board, Edwin realized that he could help them not just by connecting them to a wider network of international traders and raising the actual export finance needed, but also by assisting them in becoming compliant with the terms and conditions imposed by banks and with the rules and regulations imposed by governments.
Edwin opened an office in Athens, started scaling up operations in Amsterdam and initiated a (re)branding process which resulted in Atal.
Atal obtained its first equity stake in a Dutch exporter.
Atal set up its recruitment and placement business of compliance experts and became preferred supplier of one of the main leading Dutch banks.
Atal created a joint venture with Next Health Digital Solutions to develop (ICT) projects in healthcare, agriculture, and education.
We have a global presence.
We’ve built a global network of alliances that enable us to accelerate the international trade of capital goods and services. Our network quickly gives us real time insight around the political, commercial, legislative and compliance risks, as well as strategic steps needed for successful international trade.
Our global presence makes us work with parties from various cultures and we choose to adapt to their needs and customs so that we build long-lasting partnerships and expand their businesses cross-border.
We have a global presence.
We built a global network of alliances, that enable us to accelerate the international trade of capital goods and services. Our network quickly gives us real time insight around the political and commercial risks, legislative risks, compliance risks and strategic steps needed for successful international trade.
Our global presence makes us work with parties from various cultures and we choose to adapt to their needs and customs in order to build long lasting partnerships and expand their businesses cross-border.
Our Values
CREATIVITY
We eat complexity for breakfast!
We structure innovative financing schemes and related project implementation in a way that adds value to our client’s business. We also create new business projects from scratch. We are open minded and flexible, working with various cultures across the globe.
DEALMAKING
We make things happen!
We are creative warriors, relish challenges and work hard to close our deals on time and with top quality. We excel in creating transactions while creating a win-win for all parties. We’re pragmatic, down to earth and aware of what’s going on around us.
RELIABILITY
We are a trustworthy partner!
We foster collaboration and by working together we contribute to sustainable economic growth. We challenge ourselves and deliver positive results consistently. As your partner, you will always find strength and support in us.
VERSATILITY
We thrive to adapt to a fast-paced and changing world.
We work with clients from various cultures and adapt to their different needs and customs in order to build long lasting partnerships and expand their businesses.
TRANSPARENCY
The first building block to a successful alliance is honesty!
We see the big picture and understand that transparency expands alliances, increases productivity, and strengthens innovation.
OUR VISION
Become the worldwide leading company in export finance and compliance, which supports and contributes to the well-being of future generations.
OUR MISSION
Sustainable cross-border economic development by creating new business opportunities.
OUR VISION
Become the worldwide leading company in export finance and compliance, which supports and contributes to the well-being of future generations.
OUR MISSION
Sustainable cross-border economic development by creating new business opportunities.
Team members
Our people are creative and experienced professionals with an entrepreneurial mindset standing at the forefront of export finance and compliance.
Partner - Founder
Edwin Sieswerda
After more than 20 years of experience in the international finance law and global banking fields in 2017, Edwin decided to build his own company, Atal. His vision was to bring together exporters and importers in capital goods and connect them on one single, global platform.
Furthermore, by applying the knowledge of export finance, corporate structuring and compliance, Atal delivers real added value for exporters, importers, and the related economies.
Edwin’s genuine interest in solving the financial needs of his clients has transformed him in a real business partner, who spends time and understands the distinctive needs of his clients and the markets they’re performing in.
Director
Fernanda Ruiz
After an MSc as a chemical engineer, Fernanda joined a premium international financial consultancy firm in 2014 as a financial analyst for turnaround management for Latin America. In 2019, Fernanda completed her MBA at Erasmus University and started working for Atal. She is in charge of guiding the clients through the process of export finance by working closely together in an open-minded and flexible way that will facilitate the success of the deal. Fernanda is a trustworthy partner that is driven by overcoming challenges and making things happen.
Compliance Manager
Lorenzo Bicker
Lorenzo acts as compliance advisor for Atal’s clients and the various projects Atal is involved in. Lorenzo also trains Atal’s compliance officers. He has extensive expertise in compliance advisory accrued while working for leading Dutch banks and via different independent projects. He holds a Master of Law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is a certified compliance specialist.
Partner
Dimitrios Samialis
Dimitris heads Atal in Greece.
Dimitris started his career in the insurance sector for almost 20 years ago. In addition, by exercising his entrepreneurial spirit, in 2013 he started his own company, which soon became one of the best performing poultry companies in Greece. Both as an insurance specialist and with an entrepreneurial mindset, Dimitris knows how export finance can accelerate the growth of a business. Dimitris connects Greek companies to Atal’s network of exporters to create new business opportunities financed by export finance.
Partner
Paul Canellopoulos
Paul focuses on accelerating the growth of the Greek companies through connecting them to Atal’s global network in international trade.
Paul started his career in New York in a premium international insurance firm. Until 2019, Paul served as Deputy General Manager and Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of AIG. Currently, Paul is a board member of the American-Greek Chamber of Commerce and owns several companies.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration & Political Science from Connecticut.
Careers
Do you want to join us?
A career at Atal means belonging to an entrepreneur-driven culture that embraces new perspectives to create new opportunities and make things happen.
We believe our greatest asset is our people. We value each other and we bring great value as a team.
How we are?
We seek opportunities to create new business using our expertise and we do not stop until we
reach the end line. If we see a problem, we solve it.
What you see is what you get – plain and simple. We always focus on solutions and not on the
problems.
For us, the sky is the limit! We seek solutions and we don’t stop till we achieve the best
possible result.
We know when to press the Play button and when to switch it off.
We are warm and welcoming. We are team players.
