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BAFT Releases 2021 Annual Review (Digest)

Published on September 7, BAFT is pleased to officially announce the release of the BAFT 2021 Annual Review (Digest).

BAFT celebrated its 100th Anniversary in June 2021, giving us an opportunity to appreciate the impact the organization has had on the industry over the past century, and consider how we move forward to the next.

The pandemic continued to impact our daily lives and how we conducted business, with a seemingly permanent impact on how we work, how we connect, and how we prioritize. Digital adoption accelerated in order to keep commerce flowing, and as humans, we adapted. BAFT hosted more than 5,000 people at our virtual programs, greatly increasing the connectivity across the globe. We launched a new website, produced more white papers than ever before, developed new online training programs, and hosted the largest class to date in our Future Leaders Program. Our advocacy has successfully moved forward issues related to the LIBOR transition, supply chain finance and other topics of interest.

As we navigate through the pandemic-triggered transformation, we look forward to developing more educational opportunities, newer ways to connect our global community, and continued advocacy and thought leadership. We appreciate your continued support and engagement.

To read the BAFT 2021 Annual Review (Digest), click here.

BAFT Media Contact:
Blair Bernstein
Director, Public Relations
[email protected]
+ 1 (202) 663-5468

BAFT and Afreximbank Deliver Virtual Training Workshops on Correspondent Banking in Africa

BAFT and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) announce the launch of a series of training workshops for African respondent banks to enhance their ability to obtain and maintain correspondent banking relationships.

CAIRO/WASHINGTON – African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and BAFT today announced the launch of a series of training workshops for African respondent banks to enhance their ability to obtain and maintain correspondent banking relationships.

The first round of workshops, to be held virtually July 27-29, 2021, is primarily geared toward compliance and risk management staff, as well as transaction banking business line and credit officers from private sector and central banks across Africa.

In the current context where access to correspondent banking services is becoming increasingly costly due to heightened regulatory expectations, particularly in relation to Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing, the three-day training sessions will provide an overview of important elements to be considered by respondent banks when establishing new correspondent banking relationships. Attendees will participate in in-depth discussions on respondent best practices for due diligence, maintaining relationships, and working with money service businesses and fintech companies.

Afreximbank has identified BAFT as a strategic partner in this initiative, utilizing the BAFT Respondent’s Playbook, the industry leading approach to capacity building.

“We are thrilled to launch such an important capacity building initiative in cooperation with Afreximbank in markets deeply affected by correspondent banking de-risking,” said Tod Burwell, BAFT President & CEO. “We hope that participants gain new knowledge and insight on ways to strengthen relationships with correspondent banks.”

“As part of Afreximbank’s Correspondent Banking and Trade Services Strategy, we have been supporting banks in our member states to have access to international banking market by providing them with trade finance lines and Advisory Services. Improving the capacity of African banks to enable them to access correspondent banking services is also key part of our mandate and capacity building is a major activity in this regard,” said Denys Denya, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President in charge of Finance, Administration and Banking Services.

About Afreximbank

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. The Bank deploys innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. At the end of 2020, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at US$21.5 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$3.4 billion. The Bank disbursed more than US$42 billion between 2016 and 2020. Afreximbank has ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A-), Moody’s (Baa1) and Fitch (BBB-). It is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.afreximbank.com.

Follow Afreximbank: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

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.

To learn how your organization can access BAFT’s Respondent’s Playbook Training or for additional training or educational topics, please email [email protected].

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BAFT Announces 2021 Ambassadors of the Year at Global Annual Meeting

Officially announced at BAFT’s 100th Anniversary celebration, BAFT is pleased to recognize the following individuals for their tireless commitment and contribution to the association.

WASHINGTON – In an endeavor to publicly acknowledge individuals from member organizations who have volunteered their time and worked tirelessly with the association throughout the previous calendar year; BAFT annually awards select members with the BAFT Ambassador of the Year Award.

Ambassadors of the Year, are individuals nominated by BAFT staff. Potential recipients are chosen by the BAFT Ambassador of the Year Committee following nomination submissions from BAFT staff. Awardees are then selected from the list of potential nominees following a weighted voting process.

Officially announced at BAFT’s 2021 Virtual Global Annual Meeting on June 9, BAFT is pleased to recognize the following individuals for their invaluable assistance provided to the association throughout the past year and for helping to continually drive the mission and objectives of the association forward.

Jeremiah Glock, Vice President & Trade Advisor, Citi
Rebecca Liao, Co-Founder, Skuchain
Henry Pfeiffer, Executive Director, Global Trade Product Management, J.P. Morgan
Barry Tooker, Chief Product Officer & Global Head of Product Management, iSoftware4Banks

We would like to thank the awardees for their time and commitment. Each has contributed substantially to an array of BAFT priorities including trade finance, payments, LIBOR and distributed ledger technology. Recipients’ awards will be mailed to them in lieu of an official awardee ceremony.

About BAFT
BAFT is the leading international financial services association whose membership includes large global and regional banks, service providers, and fintech companies headquartered around the world. BAFT provides advocacy, thought leadership, education, and a global forum for its members in transaction banking, including international trade finance and payments. For nearly a century, BAFT has expanded markets, shaped policy, developed business solutions, and preserved the safety and soundness of the global financial system. Learn more at www.baft.org.

BAFT Media Contact:
Blair Bernstein
[email protected]
+ 1 (202) 663-5468

BAFT 2021 Q1 & Q2 In-Person Events Pivot to Virtual

BAFT has continued to monitor the impact of COVID-19 globally, as well as solicit feedback from various members across different regions. Although some countries have started lifting restrictions, several have not, and some cities that started to ease restrictions have delayed further phased re-openings. Policies on travel vary by country and each institution.

The health and safety of our members, attendees, and other stakeholders have always been our primary concern. Given the levels of uncertainty, and with input from our regional councils, the BAFT Board of Directors has approved the recommendation to pivot all planned BAFT in-person events through July 2021 to virtual events.

For questions on event updates, please email [email protected].

BAFT Announces Future Leaders Program Class of 2021

Now in its sixth year, BAFT’s Future Leaders program, recognizing upcoming talent in the global transaction banking industry, announces the Class of 2021.

WASHINGTON — BAFT, the leading global financial services association for international transaction banking, announced today its Future Leaders Program Class of 2021. Now in its sixth year, the program recognizes upcoming talent in the global transaction banking industry.

Nominated by their respective institutions, the class of 2021 includes 36 individuals from 21 countries across six continents representing a variety of disciplines within transaction banking. Arguably the most geographically diverse slate in the history of the program, there are nine member institutions participating for the first time and two new countries, Bahrain and Zambia, represented in the Class of 2021.

This year’s group will be divided into five project teams to address current industry issues including transaction banking post COVID-19, commodity trade finance, sustainable finance, faster payments, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

“I have been fortunate enough to participate in some form in the Future Leaders program since its inception,” said Stephanie Wolf, managing director and head of global financial institutions, governments and business banking, global transaction services, Bank of America and a class of 2021 BAFT Future Leader sponsor. “I can think of no better way to improve industry thought leadership than to let more junior members of our teams propose solutions to the industry’s most pressing problems and opportunities.”

The class of 2021 will start their program virtually in January 2021 and will conclude at BAFT’s 2021 Virtual Global Annual Meeting in June 2021. Several future leader council members will support the current class as mentors, joining BAFT board members who will again serve as project sponsors.

“We’re excited to have the largest and most geographically diverse Future Leaders class since the inception of the program,” said Tod Burwell, president and CEO, BAFT. “During this time when everyone is more isolated due to the pandemic, we hope that the virtual engagement on the projects will allow for a fresh level of interaction that is enriching to the participants.”

BAFT congratulates the following individuals who were selected to this year’s program:

Hanan Hassan Moalim Ali, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation
Yasseen Alsharif, Arab Bank
Hanna G. Atallah, Housing Bank for Trade and Finance
Linda Bader, Wintrust Financial Corporation
Boris Bajic, Danske Bank
Thomas Banks, Lloyds Banking Group
Ahmed Bayoumi, Export Development Bank of Egypt (EBE)
Clement Berthou, Societe Generale
Caroline Brown, Wells Fargo Bank
Bruno Campos, Bank of America
Antonio Crespo, Nordea
Alexia Dackberg, Swedbank
Madlena Demirchian, Commerce Bank
Natalie Harold, NatWest
Christophe Hatt, BNP Paribas
Aaron Jennings, BNY Mellon
Elmira Jubanyshkaliyeva, Barclays
Mukuka Bwalya-Katowa, FNB Zambia
Zakir Khanmammadov, Kapital Bank
Rufus Kin Yan Lam, HSBC
Ryan Lastra, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Thao Hanh Le, ING Bank
Yvonne Lim, UBS
Aline Perico Lima, StoneX
Sepideh Malekpour, Surecomp
Jocelyn Tong-Palmer, ANZ Banking Group
Pauline Pang, MUFG Bank
Rachel Parks, Derivative Path, Inc.
Abir Paul, BMO Capital Markets
Sara Pianigiani, Standard Chartered
Grzegorz Pojnar, Santander Bank
Joshua Randolph, PNC Bank
Theresa Donnelly-Staerk, Deloitte
Xi-Ping Tan, Deutsche Bank
Ruben Valentino, Banorte
Mouli Vasan, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

BAFT Media Contact:
Blair Bernstein
[email protected]
+ 1 (202) 663-5468

The Baft Crystal Ball Series Recording

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