Future Leaders
Whitepapers

What was your job title and company when you joined the Future Leaders Class?
When joining the BAFT Future Leaders Class of 2020, I had just completed my traineeship within Credit Suisse’s FI department, and had assumed responsibility for an emerging markets FI portfolio. As a junior RM, I was predominantly looking after the MENA region, thereby working closely with the bank’s (Commodity) Trade Finance teams.

What is your current job title and company you work for?
Presently, I work for Zürcher Kantonalbank, Switzerland’s second-largest, albeit lesser-known universal bank. In my role as Vice President of Financial Institutions, I predominantly look after the FI groups in North America, Benelux and selected African markets.

What has the BAFT Future Leaders Program meant to you and your career?
It’s been a highlight, both from a professional, but also a personal perspective. Our group’s topic being somewhat more technical, it offered an excellent opportunity to acquire a deeper understanding of an issue that had been gaining topicality in the transaction banking industry. More generally, the program has been a springboard to broaden and complement my network. Lastly, being a part of the Future Leaders class has been a lot of fun.

Anything else you want to share about the program or BAFT?
I highly recommend it. If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be to develop and maintain your network with your Future Leaders colleagues during the program and also after graduation. With the FI and trade finance community being a ‘small world’, the BAFT Future Leaders network can prove to be a valuable resource beyond just the immediate term.

What was your job title and company when you joined the Future Leaders Class?
Head of Northern Europe, Transaction Services Financial Institutions, NatWest

What is your current job title and company you work for?
Managing Director, Banks Coverage Transaction Banking, NatWest

What has the BAFT Future Leaders Program meant to you and your career?
The fundamental impact at the time of joining the program was an increase in exposure to a multitude of opportunities outside of my direct responsibilities at NatWest. This included expanding my professional network with ambitious peers at a similar seniority level across the industry, determined to become significant contributors to the Transaction Banking agenda, specifically in regions and with institutions I had less day to day interaction. This was further enhanced with networking opportunities with and insights from global senior leaders focused on nurturing future talent, demonstrating a truly open and collaborative approach in supporting the leaders of tomorrow. The program itself exposed me and other Future Leaders to consider key topics affecting the industry through the demanding project work, which had the combined effect of enhancing industry knowledge but also further enhancing my professional network in seeking SME input to deliver the project. Since completing the program and by staying involved in BAFT, the exposure to an enhanced network as well as the opportunity to be involved in the debate on key topics affecting our industry, have provided a solid foundation to progress my career at NatWest, most recently taking on global responsibility for our FI Transaction Banking relationships. Fundamentally, the Transaction Banking community relies on strong collaboration, trusted relationships, diversity of opinion and a drive to improve and innovate global payments and trade, for which the Future Leaders Program provides the perfect introduction. I’m extremely grateful to BAFT for providing these opportunities, and to NatWest for sponsoring me into the program, and am confident that my application to contributing to our industry in this way has had a very strong and positive impact on my career.

Anything else you want to share about the program or BAFT?
Looking back, I can’t deny the program itself was also tremendously fun and delivers a lot of the key positives of working in Transaction Banking. Opportunities to meet new people, experience new cultures and geographical locations, impact the future of the real economy, and make new friends. It’s been a pleasure staying involved in BAFT and given the level of change and transformation in all aspects effecting our industry I’m looking forward to further developing my knowledge and supporting the talent of tomorrow in a similar way.

What was your job title and company when you joined the Future Leaders Class?
Senior Manager at Deloitte

What is your current job title and company you work for?
Managing Director at Deloitte

What has the Future Leaders program meant to you and your career?
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have graduated from BAFT’s inaugural Future Leader’s program seven years ago. It was an incredibly inspiring program that not only provided insights into the current issues facing transaction banking, but also helped me create meaningful business relationships (and friendships!) across the industry and the world.
As a former BAFT Future Leaders graduate, I am also thankful for the opportunity to be part of BAFT’s leadership as a member of the BAFT’s Board of Directors and ExCo. But my greatest appreciation comes from the chance to mentor and sponsor subsequent classes of BAFT Future Leaders, who I am very proud of to see graduate.

Anything else you want to share about the program or BAFT?
I consider the BAFT community to be my family, full of friends, colleagues, coaches and mentors I plan to carry with me throughout my career. BAFT is an incredible organization that brings together a network of professionals and leaders that are here to shape the presence and future of transaction banking, while tackling some of the most pressing industry challenges such as geopolitical forces, economic and trade sanctions, regulatory changes, supply chain disruptions, digitization and other innovation trends.