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An Exclusive Event for Senior-Level Transaction Banking, Trade and Payments Professionals
Join us for our inaugural event in Africa, the BAFT Africa Bank to Bank Forum in Nairobi on Thursday, May 22. This exclusive event, held in conjunction with GTR East Africa, will bring together senior-level transaction banking and industry professionals from across the region to discuss the latest trends and challenges in transaction banking, trade, and payments, with a special emphasis on the African market.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from industry experts and network with your peers at this invite-only forum. Find out more about the agenda today.
How to Attend
The BAFT Africa Bank to Bank Forum is a free, invitation-only. Seats are limited, so RSVP as soon as possible using the link you received in your invitation email.
If you did not receive an invitation but would like to attend, please contact [email protected] and we will get back to you shortly.
Through our partnership with GTR, you receive a special rate to attend GTR East Africa as follows:
Registration for GTR East Africa is optional and separate from the BAFT Africa Bank to Bank Forum. Check the Register tab for additional details.
All Times are in East Africa Time (EAT)
13:00 - 14:00
14:00 - 14:30
Tod Burwell
President & CEO
BAFT
14:30 - 15:00
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to boost intra-African trade, enhance economic integration, and drive industrialization by reducing trade barriers and harmonizing regulations. Afreximbank’s Africa Trade Gateway (ATG) accelerates these objectives through digital solutions like PAPSS, MANSA, and ATEX, which streamline trade, reduce transaction costs, and enhance market access. By enabling seamless local currency payments through PAPSS, strengthening compliance via MANSA, and expanding market opportunities with ATEX, ATG provides the digital infrastructure necessary to improve financial access, reduce trade barriers, and optimize supply chains, ultimately unlocking AfCFTA’s full potential. This session will highlight how businesses, financial institutions, and policymakers can leverage AfCFTA and ATG to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation and create new trade opportunities.
15:00 - 15:35
We will explore the complex relationship between African trade finance and its importance in achieving the UN SDGs, the availability of USD liquidity on the Continent, and the impact of evolving global regulations. The conversation will highlight the ongoing challenges African banks face, the importance of sustainable economic growth in Africa, and the opportunities for international collaboration to promote sustainable trade finance on the continent. Join us for a thought-provoking dialogue on the intersection of the above, what various industry bodies are doing in this space, and what solutions they are proposing to tackle the root causes of the trade gap in Africa.
Moderator
Darryn Faure
Institutional Trade Finance
Investec
Panelist
Duarte Pedreira
Global Head of Trade & Working Capital Finance
Crown Agents Bank
15:35 - 15:50
15:50 - 16:20
Speaker
Niron Rampersad
Divisional Executive – Trade
Nedbank
16:20 - 17:00
Evens BLE
Senior Relationship Manager for Financial Institutions, Africa, Cash-Clearing Services
Societe Generale
17:00 - 17:30
Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of payments. Join us for an engaging session on the future of payments, where we will explore how new technologies are revolutionizing the way we conduct transactions. We will delve into comprehensive approaches and innovative digital solutions that cater to evolving customer needs. Discover the digitalization strategies that are shaping new routes and building seamless experiences for our customers. The session will provide insights into how banks can harness digital advancements to create efficient, customer-centric payment systems for the future.
Speaker
Charles Kiarie
Head of Visa Direct, Eastern Africa
Visa
17:30
Speaker
Tod Burwell
President & CEO
BAFT
17:30 - 18:30
The 2025 BAFT Africa Bank to Bank Forum is an invite-only event with limited seating.
Registration is complimentary but invited guests and GTR East Africa attendees must RSVP to reserve a seat.
How to RSVP for the Event
Registration for GTR East Africa is optional and separate from the BAFT Africa Forum. However, through our partnership, BAFT Africa Forum attendees receive a special rate to attend GTR East Africa
Tod Burwell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of BAFT. Prior to being promoted to CEO, he served as the Senior Vice President of Trade Products with oversight of all trade-related initiatives including the Global Trade Industry Council, Trade Committees, and other strategic initiatives of the organization. Mr. Burwell has over 25 years of trade, supply chain and cash management experience as a banking practitioner, as well as serving as a consultant to global corporations and suppliers of strategically integrated trade solutions. Prior to joining BAFT, Mr. Burwell was a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase and held senior global management roles responsible for trade operations, launching the logistics business and managing global product sales for trade finance and logistics management.
Derryn is a dual qualified English and South African lawyer, having extensive experience as a banking / trade lawyer both in private practice law firms, as well as financial institutions in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Trade transactions in emerging markets are Derryn’s key area of expertise. With her in-depth legal knowledge and acute understanding of the nuances of emerging market trade finance, she is skilled at structuring and executing complex trade transactions, as well as being responsible for risk distribution as part of her portfolio management responsibilities.
Join us for BAFT’s exclusive regional banking forum for senior-level transactions bankers and financial services professionals in East Africa.
The 2025 Africa Bank to Bank Forum is an invite only gathering of 150+ senior-level executives and heads of transaction banking, trade, payments, compliance, innovation and sustainability, and additional thought leaders in the industry who are located in or have responsibilities for the East African market.
The 2025 Africa Bank to Bank Forum, held in conjunction with GTR East Africa 2025 Nairobi, will bring together industry leaders and decision-makers from across the region to discuss the latest trends and challenges in transaction banking, trade, payments, compliance, innovation, and sustainability.
For additional information, please contact:
Matthew Kaitz
Director, Business Development
[email protected]
+1 (703) 200-9071
The 2025 BAFT Africa Bank to Bank Forum is held in conjunction with GTR East Africa 2025 Nairobi. The BAFT Africa Forum immediately follows the networking lunch on May 22 (day 2 of GTR East Africa).
JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi (Grand Ballroom)
JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi (Grand Ballroom)
PRH5+VMC, Chiromo Ln
Nairobi, Kenya
+254 719-010 888
Interested in sponsoring the 2025 Africa Bank to Bank Forum? We can tailor your sponsorship package to meet your goals.
To discuss your sponsorship options, please contact:
Matthew Kaitz
Director, Business Development
[email protected]
+1 (703) 200-9071
© 2025 BAFT (Bankers Association for Finance and Trade)
