Events

2025 Asia Bank to Bank Forum

Overview
Register
Program
Speakers
Sponsorship
Venue

Overview

An Exclusive Event for Senior-Level Transaction Banking, Trade and Payments Professionals

The 2025 BAFT Asia Bank to Bank Forum, an exclusive gathering for senior leaders in transaction banking, will be held on September 2, 2025, in Singapore, in conjunction with GTR Asia.

This complimentary, invitation-only forum offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with industry peers and thought leaders. Throughout the afternoon, expert speakers will delve into the most critical issues in transaction banking, trade, and payments today – from geopolitical shifts and cross-border trade challenges to payments and financial infrastructure changes, industry transformation, and regulatory and policy changes, with a special spotlight on the Asian market.

How to Attend

The BAFT Asia Bank-to-Bank Forum is a free, invite-only event. Seats are limited for this complimentary event. An RSVP is required to guarantee your seat. Respond to your exclusive invitation today.   

Did you not receive an invitation but are interested in attending? Please contact [email protected], and we will get back to you shortly. 


As a bonus, receive a special rate to attend GTR Asia 2025 Singapore as follows: 

  • Non-financial corporates, including exporters, importers, manufacturers, distributors, traders, and producers of physical goods: Complimentary Corporate Pass 
  • All other institutions not mentioned above, including banks, financiers, and consultants: 10% discount on the GTR registration rate 

Registration to GTR Asia is optional and separate from the BAFT Asia Forum. Please complete the GTR special rate form and choose ‘BAFT’ in the Event Partner field to avail of the special rate. 


Program

September 2, 2025
September 2, 2025

All Times are in Singapore Time (SGT)

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Pre-event Networking Afternoon Tea/Coffee

Sponsored by

Barclays

2:00 PM - 2:20 PM

Welcome

Craig Weeks
SVP, Trade
BAFT

2:20 PM - 2:50 PM

Opening Session

Sopnendu Mohanty
Group Chief Executive Officer, Global Finance & Technology Network
Advisor, FinTech Group, Monetary Authority of Singapore

2:50 PM - 3:25 PM

Unpacking the Geopolitical Shifts: Boosting or Undermining the Inter-Asia Trade and Growth?

Current geopolitical tensions, including U.S.-China tariffs and evolving trade policies, are driving structural shifts in global supply chains and trade flows. This session will explore whether these dynamics are creating headwinds or new momentum for intra-Asia cooperation and trade growth. Speakers will assess how banks and businesses can strategically respond to rising fragmentation, shifting trade corridors, and global policy uncertainties. With a focus on Asia’s role in the new trade landscape, the discussion will highlight risks, opportunities, and strategic positioning for financial institutions.

3:25 PM - 4:00 PM

Regulatory and Policy Landscape Amid Global Polycrisis

This session explores how global polycrisis—geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, and technological disruption—are reshaping the financial system. It will examine the evolving roles of capital, compliance, and sustainability in a rapidly changing risk landscape. Panelists will also address the rise of alternative forms of value like stablecoins and CBDCs, and their implications for trust, stability, and regulatory coherence. The discussion aims to offer insights on balancing innovation, inclusion, and systemic resilience.

4:00 PM - 4:20 PM

Networking Break

4:20 PM - 4:55 PM

Global Payments at Crossroads: Aligning Policy, Technology, and Market Forces

As the global community works toward the G20 Roadmap for enhancing cross-border payments, this session will assess the progress made and the challenges faced, particularly in emerging markets. Experts will examine how regulatory fragmentation could hinder the efficiency of cross-border payments and explore how modern technologies like APIs, DLT, and CBDCs present both promise and risk in addressing these structural frictions. The discussion will also highlight the importance of coordinated policy advocacy and the role industry bodies like BAFT can play in setting global standards and fostering collaboration across the ecosystem.

4:55 PM - 5:30 PM

Battle of the Innovators - Trade vs Cash?

If you had to prioritize investment, where should it go? A light-hearted debate on innovation within the trade finance and cash management space. Panelists will discuss how each discipline has transformed and embraced new technologies, past, present, and along with opportunities for the future.

Trade Corner
Sofia Hammoucha
Global Head of Trade and Working Capital
Standard Chartered

Dr. Tom James
Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer
TradeFlow Capital Management Pte Ltd

Payments Corner
Greg Kavanaugh
Managing Director, Global Product Head, Global Core Cash Management
Bank of America

5:30 PM

Closing Remarks

Craig Weeks
SVP, Trade
BAFT

Register

RSVP Today 

The 2025 Asia Bank to Bank Forum is a special invite-only event with limited seating.

Registration is complimentary, but invited guests and GTR Asia 2025 Singapore attendees need to RSVP to reserve a seat.

To RSVP, please click the link you received in the email invitation. If you did not receive an invitation but would like to attend the Forum or have questions about the GTR special rate as a BAFT Forum attendee, please contact [email protected] and we will get back to you shortly. 


Registration to GTR Asia is optional and separate from the BAFT Asia Forum. However, BAFT Asia Forum attendees receive a special rate to attend GTR Asia 2025 Singapore as follows:

    • Non-financial corporates, including exporters, importers, manufacturers, distributors, traders, and producers of physical goods: Complimentary Corporate Pass
    • All other institutions not mentioned above, including banks, financiers, and consultants: 10% discount on the GTR registration rate

Please complete this special rate form and choose ‘BAFT Asia Bank to Bank Forum’ or ‘BAFT’ in the Event Partner field to avail of the special rate.


 

Speakers

September 2, 2025
September 2, 2025
Sofia Hammoucha
Sofia Hammoucha
Global Head of Trade and Working Capital
Standard Chartered

Sofia Hammoucha is the Global head of Trade and Working Capital at Standard Chartered Bank, based in Singapore. Prior to this role, Sofia was the head of risk for Transaction Banking. Before joining SCB in July 2022, Sofia spent 22 years in BNP Paribas in multi-cultural environment across several roles with responsibilities in Risk management, internal audit, business development & strategy, leadership and change management in Europe and Asia Pacific. Her most recent position was the head of Transaction Banking business for ASEAN, based in Singapore, leading a team of 70 cash management and trade finance specialists across sales, implementation, clients servicing and product development. In 2020, the Asset magazine named Sofia “Transaction Banker of the year” in Asia Pacific, recognizing her relentless search for the best solutions for clients in South-East Asia and beyond.

Dr. Tom James PhD, M.A.
Dr. Tom James PhD, M.A.
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
TradeFlow Capital Management Pte Ltd

Dr. Tom James is a globally recognized authority in commodity and energy markets, financial services, and fintech innovation. A pioneering fund manager, published author, and space tech entrepreneur, he has spent over 35 years shaping international trade, investment strategies, and risk management. With extensive board experience, including leadership roles in public companies, Dr. James continues to drive transformation and innovation at the intersection of technology, finance, and global trade in order to help reshape markets, unlock new opportunities, and drive global economic growth. Innovation in Commodity Markets & Trade Digitization In 1998, Dr. James revolutionized commodity trading by designing and launching the first online, digital ID-secured trading platform for commodity swaps, enhancing trade security and global access.As Co-Founder & Chief Architect of TradeFlow Capital, he spearheaded the creation of the world’s first AI-powered, digital supply chain fund, dedicated to solving the SME commodity trade finance gap. Since 2016, TradeFlow has facilitated billions in global trade, unlocking growth for SMEs worldwide.

Greg Kavanaugh
Greg Kavanaugh
Managing Director, Global Product Head, Global Core Cash Management
Bank of America

Greg Kavanaugh is a managing director and head of Global Liquidity Investment Solutions and Revenue Management for Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Transaction Services. Kavanaugh joined Bank of America in May of 2007 to lead the Treasury Services Revenue Management group and added Global Liquidity responsibilities in early 2008. Before joining the firm, Kavanaugh was head of Liquidity and Investment Products, Commercial Client Solutions for JPMorgan Chase.

Sopnendu Mohanty
Sopnendu Mohanty
Group Chief Executive Officer, Global Finance & Technology Network Advisor
Fintech Group, Monetary Authority of Singapore

Sopnendu Mohanty is the Co-Founder and Group CEO of the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), a global advisory and investment firm. At GFTN, he leads innovative strategies that drive development and transformation in the financial sector through four operating arms: Forums, Advisory, Platform, and Capital. He served the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as its first Chief Fintech Officer for nearly a decade, establishing Singapore on the global map as a leading center for innovation in the financial sector and a dynamic hub for fintech development. He continues to advise MAS on technology and innovation. He currently serves on several boards, including the board of A*STAR, Singapore’s leading public sector agency dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and technological innovation. Before his leadership role in the public sector, he spent nearly two decades at Citigroup. He is credited with developing many public goods, including the notable PayNow, Singapore’s digital public infrastructure for payments. He conceptualized the globally well-known Singapore Fintech Festival and its global network of forums; today, the GFTN forum is the world’s largest convenor of tech, policymakers, and the financial sector community. Mr. Mohanty has co-authored several patented works in digital finance and received numerous industry accolades. He advises governments and various institutions on policies and implementation strategies for innovation, infrastructure, and ecosystem development in the financial sector.

Craig Weeks
Craig Weeks
Senior Vice President, Trade
BAFT

Craig Weeks is the Senior Vice President – Trade for the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT). Craig is also a Transaction Banking subject matter expert for Fitch Learning and an Executive Practicum Adviser of the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative of North Carolina State University. Craig served as SVP and Manager of the International Banking Group of US Bank as well as serving at Citibank and JPMorgan as Global Trade Sales Head for both institutions. Craig worked for Continental Grain Company, in New York, as Assistant Treasurer for Bank Relations, and in Geneva, Switzerland as Trade Finance Risk Manager. Craig has a Masters of International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management (Glendale, AZ) and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickinson College, (Carlisle, PA) where he is an Emeritus Trustee. Craig also studied at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Medellin, Colombia). Craig was a board member and former Chair of the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT). Craig is a Disaster Services volunteer for the American Red Cross Serving Western North Carolina and an avid hiker and golfer. He and his wife Lorraine reside in Weaverville, NC USA.

FAQ's

Sponsorship

Sponsorship Opportunities

Join us for BAFT’s exclusive regional banking forum for senior-level transactions bankers and financial services professionals in Asia.

The 2025 Asia 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 Asian market.

The 2025 Asia Bank to Bank Forum, held in conjunction with GTR Asia 2025 Singapore, 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.

Options


Platinum Sponsor – SOLD OUT

  • Network with top international transaction banking leaders in a smaller setting
  • Opportunity to participate on the program planning and drive Forum content
  • Keynote Speaking opportunity in the conference program
  • Seven invitations to this invitation-only Forum
  • Logo on conference website, conference marketing, and sponsor thank you slide
  • One-page flyer for the registration table
  • Pre- and post-conference attendee list (name, title, email)

Gold Sponsor –  2 More Available 

  • Network with top international transaction banking leaders in a smaller setting
  • Opportunity to participate on the program planning and drive Forum content
  • Speaking opportunity in the conference program
  • Five invitations to this invitation only Forum
  • Logo on conference website, conference marketing, and sponsor thank you slide
  • One-page flyer for the registration table
  • Pre- and post-conference attendee list (name, title, email)

Networking Afternoon Coffee/Tea Sponsor SOLD OUT

  • Recognition as Networking Lunch and Evening Reception sponsor
  • Network with top international transaction banking leaders in a smaller setting
  • Five invitations to this invitation only Forum
  • Logo on conference website, conference marketing, and sponsor thank you slide
  • One-page flyer for the registration table
  • Pre- and post-conference attendee list (name, title, email)

Networking Break Sponsor – 1 Available

  • Recognition as Networking Break sponsor
  • Network with top international transaction banking leaders in a smaller setting
  • Three invitations to this invitation-only Forum
  • Logo on conference website, conference marketing, and sponsor thank you slide
  • One-page flyer for the registration table
  • Pre- and post-conference attendee list (name, title, email)

Supporting Sponsor – 3 Available

  • Network with top international transaction banking leaders in a smaller setting
  • Three invitations to this invitation only Forum
  • Logo on conference website, conference marketing, and sponsor thank you slide
  • One-page flyer for the registration table
  • Pre- and post-conference attendee list (name, title, email)

For additional information, please contact:

Matthew Kaitz
Director, Business Development
[email protected]
+1 (703) 200-9071

Venue

 

Singapore

The 2025 BAFT Asia Bank to Bank Forum is held in conjunction with GTR Asia 2025 Singapore.

Marina Bay Sands


Sands Expo & Convention Centre
10 Bay Front Avenue
Singapore 018956
+65 6688 8888


Sponsors


Interested in sponsoring the 2025 Asia 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