Launched in 2015, the 2025 Future Leaders class includes 40 individuals from 17 countries representing a variety of disciplines within transaction banking around the globe.
WASHINGTON — BAFT, the leading global financial services association for international transaction banking, today announced its Future Leaders Program class of 2025. Now in its tenth year, the program recognizes upcoming talent in the global transaction banking industry.
This year’s pool of applicants who were nominated by their respective institutions broke last year’s previous record. The selected class of 2025 includes 40 individuals from 17 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, MENA and Africa, representing a variety of disciplines within transaction banking.
The class of 2025 was divided into five project teams tasked with addressing current industry issues, including artificial intelligence threats for trade finance fraud, accelerating cross-border real-time payments across major corridors, BRICS, operating model for corresponding banking, and an update on the almost 300 graduates from the program.
BAFT board and regional council members serve as project sponsors and future leader alumni support the teams as mentors. The class will meet in person at the BAFT Europe Bank to Bank Forum in March and will graduate at the BAFT’s Global Annual Meeting in May.
“Over the last decade, this program has recognized and facilitated the continued growth of some of the top talent in our industry,” said Tod Burwell, president and CEO, BAFT. “The participants have a unique opportunity to expand their knowledge of industry topics outside the scope of their day-to-day responsibilities and provide insights that collectively lead to innovative approaches.”
BAFT congratulates the following individuals who were selected to this year’s program:
- Elif Seray Akin, ING Bank
- Adel AlZarooni, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
- Mafalda Arnaud, Société Générale
- Viktor Bakkioui, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB)
- Ayush Bhandari, Crown Agents Bank
- Peyton Boles, First-Citizens Bank
- Daranee Bolger, NatWest
- Saad Chemseddine, BNP Paribas
- Kevin Chu, RBC Capital Markets (Royal Bank of Canada)
- Maximillian Chua, Standard Chartered Bank
- James Deneault, TD Securities
- Olivia Ellis, BNP Paribas
- Laura Ernst, StoneX
- Serena Fazzini, UniCredit
- Harrison Gutman, PNC Bank
- Gentiana Halimi, Banka Kombetare Tregtare Kosove
- Jeronimo Hernandez, Bank of America
- Ajay Joshi, Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank
- Tina Kim, JPMorgan Chase Bank
- Srushthi Kshirsagar, ANZ Bank
- Tapiwa Kuipa, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)
- Carmen Landeras Cabrero, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking
- Audrey Lees, HSBC Bank
- Xiaosu (Charles) Liang, American International Group (AIG)
- Yuriy Lobanov, Commerzbank
- Carlos Martínez Illán, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA)
- Wan Chung Arick Ng, Bank of America
- Awuzhaer Nijiati, ING Bank
- Abigale Ning, Standard Chartered Bank
- Oskar Nordlander, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB)
- Álvaro Ocampo, Banorte (Banco Mercantil del Norte)
- Israel Ortigas, Bank of New York
- Heidi Pun, ANZ Bank
- Carmen Maria Ramirez Ortiz, Asian Development Bank
- William Rattray, JPMorgan Chase Bank
- Renan Reinoso, SMBC
- Erik Rost, Citi
- Elena Rozas, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking
- Christopher Selfe, Barclays
- Yang Wu, Bank of China
Learn more about BAFTs Future Leader Program here.
About BAFT
BAFT, the leading global financial services association for international transaction banking, helps bridge solutions across financial institutions, service providers and the regulatory community that promote sound financial practices enabling innovation, efficiency, and commercial growth. BAFT engages on a wide range of topics affecting transaction banking, including trade finance, payments, and compliance.
BAFT Media Contact:
Mike Townsend
Senior Director, Public Relations
[email protected]
+1 (202) 663-5471
