ORLANDO, FL – BAFT (Bankers Association for Finance and Trade) has announced its 2026-2027 Board of Directors at its Global Annual Meeting held on May 6. The meeting brought together global leaders in the transaction banking industry to help guide the association’s strategic direction and advance the interests of the international financial community. As part of the gathering, the next slate of the BAFT Board was announced.
Nick Smit, ING, will continue to serve as Chair of the Board for the 2026-2027 association year. He will be joined by Michelle Knowles, ABSA, as Vice Chair, along with Miriam Ratkovicova, Deloitte, as Secretary/Treasurer and a distinguished group of board members representing global leading financial institutions.
“I greatly appreciate the vote of confidence from the BAFT community. It is encouraging to see BAFT thrive as an independent, leading payments and trade association,” said Smit. “This year we strengthened our governance and financial foundations, while also achieving record engagement across our events and working groups. Member participation and meaningful value delivery remain at the heart of what we do.”
The 2026-2027 BAFT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS:
- Chair: Nick Smit, ING
- Vice-Chair: Michelle Knowles, ABSA
- Secretary/Treasurer: Miriam Ratkovicova, Deloitte
- Past Chair: Suresh Subramanian, BNP Paribas
- CEO: Tod Burwell, BAFT
DIRECTORS:
- Ashutosh Kumar, Mizuho
- Angelia Chia, Asian Development Bank
- Dean Sposito, Deutsche Bank
- Rogier van Lammeren, Lloyds Banking Group
- Andy Arduini, Huntington
- Ricardo Velazquez, Banorte
- Oscar Sanz-Paris, CQUR
- Rana Beydoun, Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Alice Azevedo, Banco Fomento Angola
- May Wafa, JPMorgan
- Eddy Almonte, Bank of America
- Patrick Devilbiss, CGI
- Rob Hostler, Citi
- Brian Gordon, Commerce Bank
- Marissa Adams, HSBC
- Dyanne Carenza, Scotiabank
- Priyamvada Singh, SMBC
- Paolo Giuseppe Muzzarelli, UBS
- Tom Lickiss, Wells Fargo
- TJ Raguso, Zions Bank
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About BAFT (Bankers Association for Finance and Trade)
BAFT is the leading global industry association for international transaction banking. Bringing together financial institutions, service providers, and the regulatory community, BAFT provides thought leadership, advocacy, education, and a platform for collaboration to promote sound financial practices that foster innovation, efficiency, and commercial growth. The association engages in a broad range of issues affecting transaction banking, including trade finance, payments, and compliance, helping members navigate a rapidly evolving global landscape. For more information about BAFT, visit baft.org, or follow BAFT on X (Formally Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube.