Events

John Baranello is the North American Head of Trade Finance Product Management at Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets whose responsibilities include the design, creation and implementation of local and global Supply Chain & traditional Trade Finance products, associated training and marketing, and related technical and regulatory compliance. He is the Chair of BAFT’s Supply Chain Finance Committee and former Chair of the New York/Metropolitan Division of the BAFT Documentary Letter of Credit Committee. He has been involved in the review and advisory stages of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP), the International Standard Banking Practices (ISBP 745), International Standby Practices (ISP98), & the Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees (URDG 758) – being the first to commercialize these rules in the United States. Recognized by the FBI for his work in Trade Finance, Mr. Baranello has assumed numerous trade advocacy roles most recently with the Global Supply Chain Finance Forum.

As director of cargo marketing for the Port of Los Angeles, Eric Caris is responsible for marketing, sales, and promotional programs designed to attract and retain shipping business to the Port. A significant activity involves the negotiation of container terminal leases in collaboration with the Cargo and Industrial Real Estate Division. On the efficiency side, Cargo Marketing plays an integral part of implementing the Port Optimizer™ program, which provides supply chain stakeholders with added visibility to the supply chain.

Merlin Dowse is an Executive Director and a Global Product Manager within the Core Product team. In this capacity, Merlin leads a global team responsible for the management of digital solutions and innovation available to the clients of J.P. Morgan across the globe. Merlin previously held the position of Global Product Manager for the Portfolio Management Group within Global Trade at J.P. Morgan. In this role he led the digitization efforts of both the internal and external processes supporting the distribution of all trade finance assets. Prior to this, while based in London, he was managing the EMEA Trade product set for the Corporate client segment, where he worked on various initiatives such as the Bank Payment Obligation, SWIFT for Corporates whilst also helping expand J.P. Morgan’s global footprint. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Merlin worked in various capacities in the Trade Services department at Rabobank in the Netherlands. Merlin has been involved in numerous industry-wide initiatives and was recently appointed as Vice-Chair to the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) Banking Commission and he is also the Sponsor of the Commercialisation Working Group under the auspices of the ICC Digital Standards Initiative (DSI).

Raja Hafeez is Vice President, Global Trade Services Division of Frost Bank, San Antonio, Texas. Raja has been with Frost for the last 11 years and is a key person for GTS initiatives and expansion.   Raja brings more than 25 years of banking experience in different roles and levels from multiple banks and countries. He has a solid network with other bankers in the region, Asia and Europe.  Raja holds the Certified Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS) designation from BAFT. He earned a Bachelor degree in Business & Finance and MBA in Global Management & Entrepreneurship University of Houston. In addition Raja is Chairperson of BAFT (Bankers Association for Finance & Trade) Trade Finance West Coast Regional Committee and member of BAFT Trade Finance Central Committee.

Adam Klauder is a senior director in Guidehouse’s Global Investigations and Compliance practice. He is a seasoned compliance executive, attorney, and senior leader with a proven track record of guiding financial institutions and corporations through complex compliance investigations and structural reorganization. Adam has an extensive background in developing overall compliance strategy, directing high-profile global sanctions, export controls, and anti-corruption investigations, and providing strategic guidance on the build-out of corporate compliance functions.

Patrick J. McArdle, a Partner in the Financial Crimes practice, has more than twenty years of experience in regulatory compliance, consulting and law enforcement. He specializes in Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, fraud prevention and forensic accounting investigations. Patrick was a regulatory enforcement investigator which required him to conduct highly sensitive and complex specialized investigations involving violations of bank regulations, illegal activities and suspicious transactions. This work necessitated Patrick to develop and test numerous BSA/AML compliance programs. 

Ms. Mary Ann McCarty is with PNC Bank and has over 38 years of experience with trade products. She currently manages the Standby Operations for PNC which includes management of all aspects of syndications. Mary Ann’s expertise is with Standby Letters of Credit and is very involved with risk management issues. She is currently an active member of the BAFT National Standby Letter of Credit Committee.

Subha Srinivas is a project management and Documentary Credit Specialist with 17+ years of overall experience in International trade finance operations, Compliance, AML, Business Analysis in Banking Operations and technology related projects. Proven experience in managing multiple teams and handling complex trade process functions (Issuance, Advising, Negotiation- Document examination, Payment, Collections) across different geographical regions and time zones. Subha proficiently manage operations and project teams and has gained international experience through extensive travel for training and migration projects. She currently is the Vice Chair for West Coast BAFT committee and a member of National Committee for BAFT.

Michael Grizzanti is a Vice President at Bank of America, N.A. and has over 27 years of experience in Global Trade Operations. He is currently the Senior Operations Consultant for US Standby Operations in Scranton, PA with additional consulting responsibilities for Canada, Mexico and the EMEA regions. Prior to his consulting role, he managed the US Standby unit for 15 years. He is currently an active member of the BAFT National Standby Letter of Credit Committee.

Sam Jebamony, based in Chicago, is the Manager for Standby LC Operations at JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.
 Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase in June 2009, Mr. Jebamony has headed International Trade Operations departments at various major domestic and international banks. With 30+ years trade product and operations experience, Mr. Jebamony has been an active participant in national and regional Standby LC Committees and is a member of the Council on International Standby Practices (CISP).

Mr. Kim Manchester brings his extensive background in international banking to the global financial services industry. While based in both Hong Kong and Singapore, Mr. Manchester held senior regional and global positions in corporate banking, institutional banking and capital markets for one of the world’s largest emerging markets financial institutions. Mr. Manchester returned to Canada in 2003 and founded ManchesterCF. Based in Toronto, the practice provides financial crime risk management training programs and advisory services to financial institutions and public-sector agencies. The most successful training programs from ManchesterCF include the Financial Crime Training series for international banking and the FINTEL series for financial intelligence units.

Ukamaka Okpara is a Trade Finance Practitioner with over thirteen years of expertise in Trade Finance Operations. Her experience in this market includes product coverage on Documentary Collections, Export Letters of Credit, and has honed her skillset to become a subject matter expert (SME) on Standby Letters of Credit and Guarantees. Ukamaka has attained the following accreditations: Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist, Certified Documentary Credit Specialist, Certified Specialist in Demand Guarantee and most recently a Certificate in Risk Management from York University, Toronto, Canada.

Edward Stoltenberg is a Director for Treasury and Trade Solutions, Global AML Risk, serving as an AML resource to the Trade Business. In his current role, he is responsible for all AML aspects of the Trade AML program, working with stakeholders across the three lines of defense. Mr. Stoltenberg was selected to lead the embedding of machine learning into operations processes to detect Trade Based Money Laundering, and Sanctions red flags. Due to the successes of the before mentioned, Mr. Stoltenberg embarked on several exploratory projects to implement machine learning in areas such as vessel behavior and Military Dual Use goods. Mr. Stoltenberg joined Citi in 2014, leading Citi’s Horizontal AML Risk Assessments, conducting reviews in areas of higher AML risk, including Trade Finance. Prior to his work in financial services, Mr. Stoltenberg served as an Armor/Cavalry Officer in the United States Army.

Yeganeh Alebrahim is a Group Manager at Global Trade Finance Operation at TD Securities. She leads the Commercial Letters of Credit and Documentary Collections Unit across TD Canada regional offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver as well as the Commercial LC unit in the United States and supporting TD Trade Finance Operations in Singapore. She started her Trade Finance career after her MBA in International Business and Marketing and has been in the field for 12 years. She obtained her CDCS, CSDG, CTFP throughout her career. Previously Yeganeh has been a Trade Advisor at National Bank of Canada. Prior to joining NBC she was a Trade Advisor at BNP Paribas with a focus on Oil and Gas industry Standby Letters of Credits.

Michael Evan Avidon is a partner in Moses & Singer LLP, a NYC law firm, where he Co-Chairs its Banking & Finance Practice Group. He is widely recognized for his knowledge of letters of credit (LCs), lending, and secured transactions. Mike’s practice emphasizes: secured and unsecured lending; trade finance; supply chain finance; discounting; LC reimbursement agreements; participation agreements; receivables purchase and payables agreements; electronic contracting; outsourcing and white label agreements; and LC disputes and litigation. His work involves standby, direct pay, and commercial LCs, and demand guarantees. His clients include money center banks and other financial institutions.

Buddy Baker is entering his 47th year of working with letters of credit and with people who work with letters of credit.  This time has mainly been spent in employment with banks that actively finance international trade, like ABN AMRO, The First National Bank of Chicago, and 5 more banks that no longer exist, but he also spent 3 years with Atradius Trade Credit Insurance, and a couple of years working as a freelance consultant to banks and exporters.  In late 2016, he returned to banking to join Goldman Sachs, where he serves as an internal expert on deals and problems involving letters of credit, based in Chicago. Mr. Baker has written numerous magazine articles and several books on how letters of credit work, including the Users’ Handbook to Documentary Credits under UCP600 (ICC Publication No.694); designed online training and certification programs for credit managers and bankers, including the standby letter of credit modules for the ICC Academy; and frequently speaks at national meetings of bankers, credit managers, and lawyers, like this one. He also serves as US delegate to the ICC Banking Commission.

Mr. Frank Fortes is the Senior Trade Finance Expert, responsible to provide legal advice on complex trade finance transactions and training on Trade-based money laundering & sanctions. Mr. Fortes has 14 years of extensive experience in the Trade Finance industry that has been predominantly acquired during his tenure in France and Canada within the HSBC Group. Prior to joining the Toronto-Dominion Bank, he held various senior positions as Legal Counsel at HSBC France or Manager of the International Guarantees Unit of HSBC Canada. He holds a Master's Degree in International Business Law and is also CITF (Certificate in International Trade and Finance) and CSDG (Certificate for Specialists in Demand Guarantees) certified.

Normand Girard is Director, Global Trade Operations for BMO. He is responsible for the Bank’s processing of all trade finance products in North America and Europe as well as process oversight in Asia. Mr. Girard has 35 years of experience in Global Trade Operations at BMO. During his career with the Bank, he has covered every role in Import, Export, Standby Letters of Credit and Collections as well as integral operations leadership roles throughout the evolution of BMO’s trade finance business. He has been Chair of the BAFT Southeast Committee from 2011 to 2017. He is a Certified Documentary Credit Specialist and currently Chair of the BAFT National Commercial Letter of Credit Committee since 2017.

Jeremiah Glock comes to us with over 50 years of experience in Global Trade Operations, with 25 years at Citi in various positions. For the last 14 years he has been one of Citi’s Global Trade Advisors, assisting with providing guidance in all functions of Letters of Credit (Advising Commercial / Standby L/C’s and Examination of Documents), Import and Export Collections, Reimbursements and Compliance and Potential Risk items. Mr. Glock is CDCS (Certified Documentary Credit Specialist) certified and also represents Citi as the Vice Chair on the Southeast Letter of Credit Committee which includes the Collection Committee.

Michael Grizzanti is a Vice President at Bank of America, N.A. and has over 27 years of experience in Global Trade Operations. He is currently the Senior Operations Consultant for US Standby Operations in Scranton, PA with additional consulting responsibilities for Canada, Mexico and the EMEA regions. Prior to his consulting role, he managed the US Standby unit for 15 years. He is currently an active member of the BAFT National Standby Letter of Credit Committee.

Ms. Mary Ann McCarty is with PNC Bank and has over 38 years of experience with trade products. She currently manages the Standby Operations for PNC which includes management of all aspects of syndications. Mary Ann’s expertise is with Standby Letters of Credit and is very involved with risk management issues. She is currently an active member of the BAFT National Standby Letter of Credit Committee.

Ukamaka Okpara is a Trade Finance Practitioner with over thirteen years of expertise in Trade Finance Operations. Her experience in this market includes product coverage on Documentary Collections, Export Letters of Credit, and has honed her skillset to become a subject matter expert (SME) on Standby Letters of Credit and Guarantees. Ukamaka has attained the following accreditations: Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist, Certified Documentary Credit Specialist, Certified Specialist in Demand Guarantee and most recently a Certificate in Risk Management from York University, Toronto, Canada.

Glenn Ransier is the SVP Head of Documentary Trade and SBLCs with Wells Fargo Bank. He is currently a Technical Advisor assisting the production of official Banking Commission Opinions for the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, France. He also has delegation experience at the ICC and at the International Organization for Standardization. Mr. Ransier has been an involved member of BAFT for decades and was most recently the Chair of the Oil and Commodity LC Working Group in 2015.

Lelia Savory is Senior Vice President, Product and Servicing Manager for the International Department at First Horizon Bank. She has performed various roles in trade services for over 25 years and is now responsible for the team that processes trade finance and foreign exchange related transactions. She is a Certified Documentary Credit Specialist, outgoing co-chair of the BAFT Regional Bank Council, and past Chair of the BAFT Southeast Letter of Credit Committee.

Ms. Kristine Siebel retired in 2022 after 45 years in the Letter of Credit world. At retirement she was a Vice President at Societe Generale in their Trade Finance Group, previously she had been a Senior Credit Officer for Royal Bank of Canada responsible for their Captive Reinsurance Business in New York. Prior to joining RBC, Ms. Siebel was Assistant Vice President and Standby Letter of Credit Risk Officer for JPMorgan Chase Bank in New York. Ms. Siebel began her career in Trade Services with JPMorgan Chase’s predecessor bank Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company. Ms. Siebel has extensive experience in both the issuance and the risk aspects of Standby Letters of Credit. She has been a member of the BAFT North American Standby Letter of Credit Committee since its inception in 1994 and was the Chair of the committee until her retirement. At this time she is also an Honorary Member of BAFT.

Having started his career as a document examiner under Commercial Letters of Credit with the then ABN Amro, India, he is now heading the Trade Guarantees Expertise Desk with the Trade Finance Competence Centre of BNP Paribas, Brussels, Belgium. With 10+ years of his exciting journey in traditional Trade Finance he has had the opportunity to don several hats. Some of his previous positions include Senior LC Officer, BNP Paribas Montreal, Canada, Trade Finance Trainer for SBLCs and Commercial LCs, Client Service Manager - Trade Finance CIBC, Montreal, Canada. His most recent accomplishment is the title holder of the “ICC Belgium Registered Trainer of the Incoterms® rules 2020.

Donald Smith has over 43 years of experience in letters of credit starting with the UCP 222. He is retired from Citibank New York and is currently President of Global Trade Advisory, a Charlotte NC based consulting firm focused on training in the traditional trade products, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. He has been a member of the US delegation to the ICC Banking Commission since 1998, chaired the ICC’s Uniform Rules for Forfaiting drafting group, co-chaired the International Standard Banking Practices drafting group, was a member of the group which produced the International Standby Practices ISP98. He has been a member of BAFT and its predecessor organizations since 1982, a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and chaired the national Letter of Credit Committee and the Annual Conference several times.

Subha Srinivas is a project management and Documentary Credit Specialist with 17+ years of overall experience in International trade finance operations, Compliance, AML, Business Analysis in Banking Operations and technology related projects. Proven experience in managing multiple teams and handling complex trade process functions (Issuance, Advising, Negotiation- Document examination, Payment, Collections) across different geographical regions and time zones. Subha proficiently manage operations and project teams and has gained international experience through extensive travel for training and migration projects. She currently is the Vice Chair for West Coast BAFT committee and a member of National Committee for BAFT.

Ms. Marilyn Williams is a graduate of Concordia University, Montreal, QC. with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Graduates Studies in Instructional Administration and a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers. She has over 26 years of experience with Trade Finance Operations in a number of Leadership roles. During her tenure with the organization she has worked as a Business Consultant, accountable for business controls and compliance related activities. She has also supported Operational Risk Management for Business Banking. With her passion coupled with her dedication for Trade, she has held the position of Senior Manager Trade Finance Operations; providing leadership for the Division. She is currently working on Special Projects/training supporting Trade Finance. Marilyn is a member of the BAFT South East/West Workshop Planning Group and BAFT South East Letter of Credit Committee.