Conference Programme

This high-level session will focus on the forces shaping trade across Central and Eastern Europe, addressing how inflation, interest rates and geopolitical developments are influencing trade flows, liquidity and risk appetite. This session will provide a macroeconomic lens to understand the opportunities and challenges for trade finance in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

This session will explore shifting trade flows and emerging corridors beyond Central and Eastern Europe, placing the region within the context of a changing global trade landscape. Speakers will share their perspectives on where the strongest opportunities are forming for banks and insurers, highlighting cross-regional dynamics, evolving risk appetite and practical implications for trade finance strategies.

• Liana Keserić, CEO, Raiffeisenbank Croatia

Liana Keserić

CEORaiffeisenbank Croatia

Liana Keserić began her career at Raiffeisen Bank in the then Transaction Services Sector. She soon took on her first managerial position as Head of the Client Relations Department for Transaction Services, and in 2015, she joined the RBA Management Board as the person responsible for IT, Security, Operational Services, Process and Project Management, as well as Procurement and General Affairs. When she was elected President of the RBA Management Board in 2020, Liana Keserić became the first woman to hold that position in one of the major banks in Croatia. Her third term, which began in 2024, only confirms Liana’s success at the helm of Raiffeisen Bank, during which she led the bank through its largest project in history – the transition to the euro. The focus of this term remains on customer satisfaction and employee care, which are at the core of Raiffeisen Bank’s operations in Croatia.

• Richard Waite, Managing Director, Credit Risk Solutions, Howden

Richard Waite

Managing Director, Credit Risk SolutionsHowden

Richard is Managing Director at Howden, where he leads a team specialising in the use of Credit Risk Insurance to structure bespoke credit and counterparty risk solutions across the full suite of banking products, covering both single transactions and portfolio structures, with a particular focus on bank/non-bank financial institutions clients.

He joined Howden in 2020 following a 20-year international banking career, most recently as European Head of Financial Institutions at Bank ABC. Prior to this, he held a Director role within HSBC’s Project and Export Finance team, structuring and syndicating large value trade lending, commercial, and ECA-backed transactions, and earlier held roles at OCBC Bank and WestLB focused on forfaiting and emerging markets loan trading.

C-suite leaders from across the trade finance ecosystem will share their perspectives on the forces reshaping the industry. From global events and regulatory change to evolving client expectations, this session explores how banks, insurers and fintechs are adapting their strategies and operations. Expect candid insights, practical approaches and forward-looking perspectives on where the market is headed – and what to watch out for today.

• Zubin Bagwadia, Global Head of Institutional Clients & Asset Distribution, Global Trade Solutions, HSBC

Zubin Bagwadia

Global Head of Institutional Clients & Asset Distribution, Global Trade SolutionsHSBC

Zubin Bagwadia is the Global Head of Institutional Clients and Asset Distribution for Global Trade Solutions at HSBC. Based in London, he leads a global team of sector experts in sales and distribution to deliver trade finance solutions and facilitate commerce for their clients. Prior to this he was Head of Commercial Banking Sales. Zubin has 25+ years of experience in various leadership roles in Trade Finance, Metals Trading, Retail Banking and Wealth Management, across India, Indonesia and the UK. He has a degree in Political Science and Sociology. Zubin lives with his wife, son and daughter in London and is passionate about cooking and tennis.

• Anthony Wadsworth-Hill, Co-founder, Chief Business Officer & Deputy CEO, Mercore

Anthony Wadsworth-Hill

Co-founder, Chief Business Officer & Deputy CEOMercore

Anthony Wadsworth-Hill is Co-founder, Chief Business Officer and Deputy CEO of Mercore Group, where he leads the firm’s commercial strategy and oversees the development of its trade finance business and digital platform.

Mercore Group operates across two complementary business lines. Through Mercore Capital, the firm provides structured working capital solutions – including trade, receivables and supply chain finance – to SMEs and corporates, with a focus on cross-border transactions and emerging markets. Alongside this, Mercore Digital delivers MLETR-aligned digital trade solutions, enabling the execution and management of digital negotiable instruments to support faster, more efficient global trade. Mercore has been recognised with multiple industry awards, including Global Trade Review’s Best Fintech Newcomer and Deal of the Year.

Prior to Mercore, Anthony spent 18 years at Bank ABC in London, where he held senior roles across trade finance and syndications.

• Surath Sengupta, Head of Transaction Banking Products, Lloyds Bank

Surath Sengupta

Head of Transaction Banking ProductsLloyds Bank

Surath is a strategic banking leader with vast and diverse experience in senior positions across the globe, most notably in India, Hong Kong, and the UK. Surath currently leads the Transaction Banking Products team in Lloyds CIB, covering a range of products in Payments, Cash Management, Trade Finance and Working Capital, with a focus on growth through innovation. Prior to this, Surath was on the global board of HSBC’s Trade and Receivables Finance business.

Surath is a board member of the International Chamber of Commerce UK, and the Vice-Chair of the International Chambers of Commerce, Global Banking Commission.

• Natasha Condon, Global Head of Trade Sales, J.P. Morgan

Natasha Condon

Global Head of Trade SalesJ.P. Morgan

Natasha has 20 years of experience in trade finance and working capital solutions for corporates and financial institutions. As the Global Head of Trade Sales and EMEA Trade Region Head within Payments at JPMorgan Chase, her team provides strategic working capital advisory, risk mitigation, sales growth, and digital efficiencies for leading multinationals worldwide.

She was recognized for her ESG advisory work in trade finance in the Women in Fintech Powerlist 2021 and received the 2022 Social Impact Award from Women in Payments. Natasha recently served as Co-Chair of the Bi+ Council, a global JPMorgan employee organization, and is active in business resource groups supporting women and underrepresented minorities.

Previously, she was Global Head of Core Trade at JPMorgan, leading documentary trade products. She also served as Board Observer on fintech Taulia’s board from 2020 to 2022. Before joining JPMorgan, Natasha was Global Trade Sales Head at Citi and a member of its Global Trade Management Committee.

Finalists for the 2026 ITFA Emerging Trade Financier Award will take the stage to present their most innovative trade finance projects. Each candidate will deliver a five-minute presentation, followed by a moderated Q&A. Attendees can engage directly, ask questions and vote for their preferred project. This session celebrates the next generation of trade finance talent, highlighting practical solutions and fresh perspectives shaping the future of the industry.

3 shortlisted candidates

• Charlie O'Mulloy, Chair Emerging Leader Committee, ITFA, Associate Banker, EBRD Trade Facilitation Programme

Charlie O'Mulloy

Chair Emerging Leader Committee, ITFA, Associate BankerEBRD Trade Facilitation Programme

Charlie O’Mulloy is an Associate Banker at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), where he works within the Trade Facilitation Programme supporting partner banks across emerging markets in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Prior to his current coverage, Charlie covered EBRD’s trade portfolio in Central Asia & Mongolia and recently completed a secondment in EBRD’s Risk Management team covering European FIs. Charlie also serves as Chair of the ITFA Emerging Leaders Committee, championing mentorship and knowledge-sharing across the next generation of trade finance professionals.

• Simon Cook, Board Member - Head of Education, ITFA & Partner, Sullivan & Worcester UK LLP

Simon Cook

Board Member - Head of Education, ITFA & PartnerSullivan & Worcester UK LLP

Simon Cook has over 20 years’ experience as an English lawyer in the trade finance market. He started his career at Dentons and after 17 years he moved to Sullivan where he helped establish the London office in November 2013. Simon has worked in a wide variety of banking and finance transactions, including in relation to structured trade finance, trade finance, receivables finance, project finance, invoice discounting facilities and borrowing-base facilities in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the CIS. His work in the structured trade area has involved acting for both lenders and borrowers notably in oil, telecoms, soft commodities and metals sectors with particular experience in Africa and the Middle East where he has worked and travelled extensively. Simon also spent four years living and working in Dubai.

Simon is included for Trade finance in the list of Leading Individuals in the UK Legal 500, 2021 and the list of Ranked Lawyers for Chambers 2021 and recently authored a chapter on Trade Finance in Globe Law and Business’ new book entitled Oil and Gas Trading and various chapters in Thomson & Reuter’s second edition of a book entitled A Practitioner’s Guide to Trade and Commodity Finance. He has also participated in a number of structured trade finance, receivables finance and project finance conferences and seminars throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa over many years.

Simon’s links with ITFA go back many years, including being involved in producing ITFA’s Secondary Market Guidelines and Primary Market Guide. More latterly, he was involved with ITFA’s mentoring programme to try to help those looking to join the trade finance market and was a founding member of ITFA’s Africa Regional Committee in 2017, to which he was re-elected In November 2019. More recently still in October 2021, Simon was delighted to be elected to join the main ITFA board with responsibility for education.

This practitioner-led breakout session will explore how banks and market participants actually use ITFA templates and guidance in live trade finance transactions. Through concrete case examples, the session will examine where standard documentation works well, where it needs to be adapted and how institutions deal with practical constraints such as sanctions language, internal policies and jurisdictional differences.

• Paul Coles, Board Member - Head of Market Practice, ITFA & Managing Director - Funding Relations, Orbian Management Ltd.

Paul Coles

Board Member - Head of Market Practice, ITFA & Managing Director - Funding RelationsOrbian Management Ltd.

Paul Coles has a specific focus on managing, developing and adding to Orbian’s funding relationships for its supply chain finance programmes.

Prior to joining Orbian, Paul was responsible for overseeing the transactional distribution activity that supported HSBC’s Global Trade and Receivables Finance business. He has also been the global coordinator and EMEA head for trade risk distribution at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and previously the trade asset management regional head at RBS NV (part of the legacy ABN AMRO network, where he was in the London-based trade credit distribution team). He started his career in trade finance over 25 years ago at London Forfaiting Company, where he held a variety of roles.

Paul has a BSc in Management Studies from Royal Holloway, University of London and is a member of the Board of the International Trade and Forfaiting Association (ITFA), where he currently chairs the Market Practice Committee.

This practitioner-led breakout session will focus on how FX and local currency mechanisms can close the trade finance gap for SMEs. Practitioners will explore practical, scalable solutions, including hedging and market structures, showing how technology and finance can make local currency trade viable in emerging markets.

• Duarte Pedreira, Global Head of Trade, Working Capital and Structured Credit Solutions, Crown Agents Bank and Board Member - Head of Institutional Relations and Chair of TF COP, ITFA

Duarte Pedreira

Global Head of Trade, Working Capital and Structured Credit Solutions, Crown Agents Bank and Board Member - Head of Institutional Relations and Chair of TF COPITFA

Duarte Pedreira is an experienced banker who has held multiple senior roles within trade finance, transactional banking, credit and political risk insurance and advisory with a special focus on Africa.

Prior to Crown Agents Bank, Duarte worked at Standard Bank Group (both in Angola and South Africa), Caspian Sea Capital and AIG. Duarte is a Board Member of ITFA and Chair of the Trade Finance Conference of Parties (TFCOP). He also lectures at Bayes Business School in London.

This session will examine the fraud risks threatening trade finance operations today – from identity fraud and document manipulation to double financing schemes. Using real-world cases, speakers will show how these risks emerge in both traditional and digital trade flows and where conventional controls fail to keep pace. The session will explore how technology is transforming fraud prevention: AI-driven detection, blockchain verification, automated checks and the integration of eIDAS 2 Trust Services and verifiable identity frameworks that establish new standards for digital trust and compliance. Attendees will gain practical insights into deploying these tools to strengthen authentication, enhance due diligence and build more resilient risk management practices for trade finance.

• Nuria Vegas Sala, Head of Business Development - LATAM region, Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF)

Nuria Vegas Sala

Head of Business Development - LATAM regionGlobal Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF)

Nuria Vegas Sala is Head of Business Development for Latin America (LATAM) at the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), where she has worked since 2018 to promote the adoption of the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) across the region. She previously worked at the European Central Bank and the law firm Uría Menéndez. Nuria holds a Master’s in International Strategy and Diplomacy from the London School of Economics and the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing. She is a regular speaker at international forums on financial transparency, trade, and regulatory topics.

• Raju Singha, Head of Trade Finance Solutions, Intellect Design Arena

Raju Singha

Head of Trade Finance SolutionsIntellect Design Arena

Raju Singha is a Trade Finance and Technology leader with 22+ years of experience in driving operations, product, digital transformation and AI-led innovation. With leadership roles at JP Morgan, TCS E-Serve, and HDFC Bank, Raju has shaped trade finance transformation. At JP Morgan, he led a platform overhaul across 22 countries, improving efficiency by 20% and driving AI-led digitisation.

At Intellect, Raju leads the AI-driven transformation of the Trade and SCF platform using eMACH.ai to build secure, scalable ecosystems and enhance efficiency and customer experience. His leadership drives next-gen intelligent, automated, and compliant trade finance solutions.

• Baiba Miezere, Group Product Development Director, Eastnets Europe SA

Baiba Miezere

Group Product Development DirectorEastnets Europe SA

Baiba is Group Product Development Director at Eastnets, where she leads product strategy across payments, compliance and financial crime prevention. With more than two decades of experience in payments, risk and operational transformation, she works closely with financial institutions to address the growing challenges of fraud, sanctions compliance, AML and trade-related financial crime. Her current focus includes the use of AI, data orchestration and real-time risk intelligence to strengthen compliance and improve decision-making across the trade and payments ecosystem.

• TBA

This session will explore how trade and structured finance are being applied to emerging sectors, from defence and digital infrastructure to energy transition and critical raw materials. Panelists will share practical insights on where commercial opportunities align with policy priorities, the challenges of financing new industries and how ITFA members can play a leading role in driving innovation and growth. Expect real-world examples, strategic perspectives and actionable takeaways.

• Ailsa McNeil, Director, Texel

Ailsa McNeil

DirectorTexel

Ailsa is a Director at Texel and specialises in CPRI for a variety of clients with a particular focus on leading European FIs across a broad scope of asset classes, finding both single risk and portfolio solutions for her clients. She began her career in underwriting at Liberty in 2010 before joining WTW’s Financial Solutions team in 2013 where she led a combination of FI, ECA and trader clients as an Executive Director before joining Texel. Ailsa has also had the opportunity to support her clients in-house as a secondee in SMBC’s insurance team in New York and ABN AMRO’s syndication team in Amsterdam, providing in-depth insight into the client’s perspective and available solutions using CPRI as an insurance distribution tool.

• Geoffrey Wynne, Partner, Sullivan & Worcester LLP

Geoffrey Wynne

PartnerSullivan & Worcester LLP

Geoffrey Wynne is a partner and head of Sullivan & Worcester’s London office and its award-winning Trade and Export Finance Group.

A leading trade finance lawyer, he specialises in trade, structured trade and commodity finance, advising banks, non-bank financial institutions and multilaterals on emerging market transactions. His expertise includes warehouse financing, collateral management, ownership structures and receivables financing.

Geoff works with BAFT, ITFA and the ICC, providing guidance on trade finance documentation and rules. He recently advised BAFT and ITFA on the updated CRR legal opinions covering the suite of English and New York law MPAs.

He is top ranked by Chambers UK – being named the only ‘Star Individual’ for Commodities: Trade Finance (UK-wide) for 2026 – and the Legal 500 UK. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from RFIx in 2024. He edits The Practitioner’s Guide to Trade and Commodity Finance and A Guide to Receivables Finance.

• Hernan Mayol, Board Member - Representative of ITFA Americas, Chair of LARC, ITFA

Hernan Mayol

Board Member - Representative of ITFA Americas, Chair of LARCITFA

Hernan Mayol is General Manager and US Country Head of Banreservas. With over 30 years in trade and structured finance across the Americas, he has financed complex cross-border transactions in energy, infrastructure, supply chain, and emerging sectors, working at the intersection of commercial opportunity and policy-driven mandates throughout his career at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo, Wachovia, Bladex, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

A long-standing advocate for innovation in trade finance, Hernan has advised financial institutions, corporates, and government agencies on structuring solutions for new and evolving industries. His work spans critical raw materials, the energy sector, digital infrastructure, and manufactured components in supply chains. He focuses on identifying where private sector capital and public policy priorities converge to create actionable financing opportunities and greater social impact. He has served in numerous roles at ITFA for over 25 years, currently sitting on the ITFA Board as Americas Representative and Chair of the Latin America Regional Committee.

This session will explore how the current geopolitical environment is reshaping risk appetite across trade credit insurance and reinsurance markets. Panelists will discuss how political uncertainty, sanctions, tariffs and shifting trade corridors are influencing insurers’ capacity, pricing and product availability and how this is filtering through to banks’ ability to originate and structure trade finance transactions. Drawing on broker, insurer and bank perspectives, the discussion will look at where appetite is expanding, where it is contracting and what this means for short-term and longer-tenor trade finance products.

• Antonio Garrocho Giráldez, Associate Director - Lenders Solutions Team Europe, WTW

Antonio Garrocho Giráldez

Associate Director - Lenders Solutions Team EuropeWTW

Antonio is part of Lenders Solutions Team at Willis, where he focuses on supporting banks and lenders in their distribution strategy in the insurance market across a wide range of products.

In this role, he has been instrumental in delivering innovative Trade Credit Insurance (TCI) solutions for both A/R & A/P financing structures. His knowledge in Non-payment Insurance (NPI) and Master Risk Participation Agreements (MRPA) products have served to support Financial Institutions to increase their business in the areas of Trade Finance, Corporate Lending and Structured Finance, among others.

Antonio holds a double degree in Law and Business Administration from Pablo de Olavide University (Seville), further honing his specialization in the financial institution sector with a Master’s degree in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking from the business school, Instituto de Estudios Bursátiles (IEB) (Madrid). 

Education and Credentials

• Universidad Pablo de Olavide (September 2013- June 2019) – Dual Degree in Law and Business Administration.
• Instituto de Estudios Bursátiles (January 2020-  June 2021) – Master’s Degree in Corporate Finance & Investment Banking.
• Sofia Spiers, Head of GTB Distribution, BBVA

Sofia Spiers

Head of GTB DistributionBBVA

Sofia is a Credit Distribution specialist with over 15 years of experience in banking, specialising in insurance and risk distribution. At BBVA, she develops and enhances distribution capabilities within Global Transaction Banking and partners with the wider lending business to deliver insurance-backed credit solutions, supporting risk distribution and capital optimisation.

Her experience includes roles in Capital and Portfolio Management, Credit Risk Insurance, Insurance Advisory, and Corporate Finance across several international banks, with a focus on structuring and distributing risk in complex credit transactions.

• Nishit Kumar, Head of Loan Syndication, Sales & Distribution, Investment Banking, Mashreq

Nishit Kumar

Head of Loan Syndication, Sales & Distribution, Investment BankingMashreq

Nishit has around 23 years of experience in banking and financial services across MENA, India, North America, Europe & Africa, with a primary focus on loan syndication, structured & acquisition finance and trade assets distribution. Nishit has worked in multiple markets including India, Middle East & USA. Prior to joining Mashreq in 2015, he has handled senior level roles in Standard Chartered and ICICI Bank. He has closed numerous transactions for clients, raising over USD 100bn in the public and private markets, across multiple sectors, including Sovereigns, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Shipping, Trading, GREs amongst others

Nishit is a mechanical engineer from IIT Kharagpur, India, and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, India.

• William Whittington, Global Head, Specialty Credit & Mid Term, Allianz Trade

William Whittington

Global Head, Specialty Credit & Mid TermAllianz Trade

I am the Global Head of the Allianz Trade Specialty Credit & Mid Term Line of Business (CPRI equivalent). We have teams across US, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Benelux and Singapore providing a full suite of CPRI products to Banks, Corporates, Traders, MDBs and ECAs, from trade finance, project finance, asset backed finance and leasing solutions.

As ESG standards evolve, banks are looking for practical ways to measure and maximise their social and environmental impact. This session explores ITFA’s Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework from a hands-on perspective. Speakers will share real-world experiences of implementing SROI in banking operations, including the challenges, tools and processes needed to quantify impact, integrate it into financial decision-making and create tangible value for clients, investors and communities.

• Rebecca Harding, CEO, Centre for Economic Security

Rebecca Harding

CEOCentre for Economic Security

Dr. Rebecca Harding is CEO of the Centre for Economic Security and a leading authority on international trade and geoeconomics. She serves in strategic advisory roles including as Chief Economic Adviser to the Defence Security and Resilience Bank Development Group and Head of Investor Relations at Sovereign Resilience Finance.

Harding has built three data businesses in trade, sustainability and economic security. Her career includes positions as Senior Research Fellow at the British Foreign Policy Group, Head of Corporate Research at Deloitte, and Senior Fellow at London Business School. She served as Chief Economist at UK Finance and has advised the UK’s Treasury Select Committee.

She authored “The World at Economic War: How to Rebuild Security in a Weaponized Global Economy” (2025),recommend by the FT’s Martin Wolf as one of the top books of 2025, and co-authored several books on trade and geostrategy, including “The Weaponization of Trade: the Great Unbalancing of Politics and Economics” (2017).

• Arnaud Levasseur, Executive Vice President, Trade Finance, CIB, MCB Group

Arnaud Levasseur

Executive Vice President, Trade Finance, CIBMCB Group

Arnaud Levasseur serves as Executive Vice President, Trade Finance at MCB and Director of MCB Trade Finance Service S.A., bringing deep expertise in international trade, Structured Trade Finance, Supply Chain Finance and almost 20 years of experience within the bank. He holds a Master’s degree in Finance from La Sorbonne Business School and is a Certified Trade Finance Professional accredited by the International Chamber of Commerce, as well as a CDCS advocate with extensive international exposure. In his current role, Arnaud leads Trade Finance at MCB, driving the development of advanced Supply Chain Finance solutions that support clients’ strategic growth objectives and promote long‑term business sustainability for the African continent. He actively represents the bank on the BAFT Africa Council, ITFA Africa Council, and ICC UK.

Supply chain finance is evolving – and not always as expected. This session will explore unconventional structures, region-specific innovations and high-profile failures that are reshaping SCF. Experts will share how technology, new market entrants and creative financing models are unlocking opportunities, managing risk in novel ways and challenging traditional thinking.

• Thomas Dunn, Chairman, Orbian Management Ltd.

Thomas Dunn

ChairmanOrbian Management Ltd.

Thomas Dunn has been Chairman of Orbian since 2006. A graduate of Cambridge University, he spent 16 years at J.P. Morgan in London, Melbourne, Sydney and Tokyo. As Managing Director, he led the bank’s credit activities across the Asia Pacific region. In addition to his role at Orbian, Tom is Chairman of Raglan Capital Limited, an investment company with holdings in financial services, commodities, advanced materials and technology.

• Sebastian Erich, CEO, Erste Group's Factoring & Supply Chain Finance subsidiary, Intermarket Bank AG

Sebastian Erich

CEO, Erste Group's Factoring & Supply Chain Finance subsidiaryIntermarket Bank AG

Sebastian Erich started his corporate banking career in 1990 at CREDITANSTALT in Austria. He worked in sales and risk management in Vienna before moving to Paris, France in 1998 – running corporate business for HVB France. After 2 years in Private Equity he moved back to Austria in 2007 joining Erste Group – as corporate Banker covering various B-1 positions in Corporate Banking. Since 2013 Sebastian is CEO of Erste Group’s Factoring & Supply Chain Finance subsidiary, Intermarket Bank AG.

• Frederick Rugginz, Global Head of Financial Institutions Trade Sales, J.P. Morgan

Frederick Rugginz

Global Head of Financial Institutions Trade SalesJ.P. Morgan

Freddie has recently been appointed Global Head of FI Trade Sales at J.P. Morgan, having joined the firm four years ago. He previously managed the Supply Chain Finance book as Head of SCF Programme Management for EMEA & APAC, and also led the Research & Analytics team, responsible for advising clients on working capital optimisation and macro trends.

Prior to J.P. Morgan, Freddie held various coverage and trade finance positions at HSBC and NatWest, including Head of Western Europe & U.S. Trade Sales at NatWest.

• Kevin Holmes, Product Development Portfolio Lead Head: Trade & Working Capital Africa, Rand Merchant Bank

Kevin Holmes

Product Development Portfolio Lead Head: Trade & Working Capital AfricaRand Merchant Bank

Kevin joined Rand Merchant Bank in February 2024 as Product Development Lead within the Trade and Working Capital Division. He brings with him over 25 years of experience at Standard Bank Group, where he served as Head of Trade and Working Capital Product Management within Transaction Banking.

Prior to his leadership role in product management, Kevin headed the Trade Solutions Structuring team. In this capacity, he was responsible for designing and executing a bespoke range of trade finance and working capital solutions tailored to Standard Bank’s corporate client franchise across the African continent.

Kevin holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Certified Associate of the Institute of Bankers (CAIB). He has also completed the Management Advancement Program at WITS Business School, further strengthening his leadership and strategic management capabilities.

This session will examine whether trade distribution is truly poised for growth under Basel IV and more importantly, whether banks view this shift as an opportunity and have the infrastructure, appetite and strategy to capitalise on it. Experts will discuss what is preventing distribution from scaling today – from regulatory friction to operational challenges – and what needs to change to turn predictions into reality. Is this trade distribution’s moment, or are we still waiting?

• Joel Palmer, Trade Finance Leader, AON Credit Solutions

Joel Palmer

Trade Finance LeaderAON Credit Solutions

Joel Palmer is an experienced Trade Finance leader with over 15 years of expertise across working capital optimisation and trade finance structures. He has held senior roles at major international financial institutions, combining deep technical product knowledge with commercial leadership.

Joel currently leads AON’s global Trade Finance proposition within the Credit Solutions practise, driving structuring, advisory and insurer engagements for Financial Institutions clients. Prior to joining AON, he served as Head of Trade Finance for the UK and EMEA at AIG, where he led a senior underwriting team across the region.

Before AIG, Joel spent seven years at HSBC in a series of senior Trade Finance roles across the UK and Continental Europe.

• Charlotte Hampshire, Director, BPL

Charlotte Hampshire

DirectorBPL

Charlotte Hampshire began her career in the insurance industry in 2011, working in carrier management and operations at Willis Towers Watson. In 2013, she moved into the specialist field of credit and political risk insurance (CPRI).

Since 2016, Charlotte has been with BPL, the world’s leading broker dedicated to CPRI, serving multinational corporations, financial institutions, global investors and public sector agencies. Her role focuses on supporting the strategic utilisation of CPRI for a major European bank, promoting adoption of the product across a broad range of business sectors. She also has responsibility for relationships with development finance institutions working to expand funding and access to capital in emerging markets, alongside prior experience in political risk and investment insurance solutions for corporate clients.

• Khilola Turaeva, Head of Trade Risk Distribution, EMEA, Bank of America

Khilola Turaeva

Head of Trade Risk Distribution, EMEABank of America

Khilola Turaeva is EMEA Head of Trade Risk Distribution at Bank of America, based in London. She has nearly three decades of experience in trade finance and transaction banking, having started her career at Asaka Bank in Uzbekistan, where she held several senior leadership roles. In 2006, she relocated to London to join ABN AMRO/RBS Trade Asset Management. In 2011, Khilola joined Bank of America and established the EMEA Trade Risk Distribution desk, now a key player in the global secondary market. She oversees the distribution of corporate and financial institution trade assets to a global investor base.

• Ramadurai Krishnan, CEO, Global Credit Data Consortium (GCD)

Ramadurai Krishnan

CEOGlobal Credit Data Consortium (GCD)

Krishnan is currently CEO of the Global Credit Data Consortium, where he is recognised as a thought leader in risk and strategy, with a focus on board-level governance and regulatory advocacy. He has a proven track record in board-level governance, strategic transformation, and regulatory advocacy. A recognised thought leader who has shaped industry standards and influenced global regulatory frameworks, particularly in capital management and trade finance.

He has successfully steered organisations through complex challenges, ensuring compliance while strengthening capital resilience. With a  track record that includes influencing global regulatory frameworks, he recently advocated for substantial amendments to Basel 3.1 Final Rules, ensuring alignment between regulation and business practices.

The networking session is one of the highlights of our Annual Conference, giving participants dedicated time to meet with partners

This session will provide an update on ITFA’s advocacy work on the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR), focusing on the treatment of trade credit insurance and loss given default. This hands-on roundtable discussion will explain why the current framework significantly restricts the use of insurance in short-term trade finance and how the proposed amendment could materially change banks’ ability to deploy insured structures. The discussion will cover the legislative timeline, the role of policymakers and what banks and insurers should expect in the coming months.

• David Quehenberger, Global Steering & Innovation Lead, Trade Finance & Working Capital Solutions, Swiss Re

David Quehenberger

Global Steering & Innovation Lead, Trade Finance & Working Capital SolutionsSwiss Re

David Quehenberger is Global Steering & Innovation Lead, Trade Finance & Working Capital Solutions at Swiss Re. In this role, he is responsible for underwriting and portfolio steering leadership for the global trade finance portfolio.

David began his career in 2012 as a graduate underwriter in Swiss Re’s Credit & Surety division and has since worked in Munich, Zurich, and Singapore. His experience spans underwriting, technology, and business development, including roles as Product Owner and as Lead Underwriter TF portfolio solutions.

David is a board member of ITFA’s German Regional Committee and a member of ITFA’s Regulatory Advocacy Working Group. He holds an M.Sc. in Economics from Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich.

• Charlie Radcliffe, ITFA Regulatory Advocacy Committee member

Charlie Radcliffe

ITFA Regulatory Advocacy Committee member

Charlie Radcliffe has more than 15 years’ experience optimising CPRI for European financial institutions, as well as arranging cover for innovative transactions and special situations in developing markets. In July 2025, he was appointed Chief Commercial Officer.

Radcliffe is involved in managing strategic growth across the Group, while working closely and directly with some of BPL’s largest clients. He sits on the Group Board, as well as the board of Berry Palmer & Lyle SAS.

Having started his career at BPL in 2008 focused on German exporters and pure political risk, he took responsibility for developing a key French bank client of the market as well as a number of development finance institutions.

Radcliffe is fluent in German having studied the language at Edinburgh University before obtaining a Masters in Modern Languages from Oxford University. He is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

• Herbert Müller, ITFA Regulatory Advocacy Committee member

This session will examine the growing regulatory challenges facing supply chain finance in Europe, with a focus on AMLA, enhanced KYC requirements and the Late Payments Directive. This hands-on roundtable discussion will discuss how proposed rules could affect supplier onboarding, deep-tier financing and the economic viability of SCF programmes. Drawing on ITFA’s advocacy work with regulators, the session will explore where the real risks lie, what is being done to mitigate them and how banks and fintechs can engage constructively with policymakers.

• Silja Calac, Board Member - Head of Advocacy and Treasury, ITFA

Silja Calac

Board Member - Head of Advocacy and TreasuryITFA

Silja Calac studied in Paris, where she obtained a Masters Degree in International Trade. She acquired her first taste of Forfaiting at BDEI-Credit Lyonnais, Paris as a junior secondary market trader in 1996.

Before taking over the responsibility as Global Head for Trade Risk Management, Forfaiting and Secondary Market at UniCredit in Munich in 2007, Silja worked in Singapore where she assisted in the establishment of a Forfaiting Department within HVB.

In 2015, Silja joined Swiss Re as Senior Underwriter based in Frankfurt, where she had the responsibility to further expand the Surety offer for banks.

Since 2020, Silja has been heading the private debt mobilisation team for global transaction banking (GTB) for Banco Santander in Continental Europe.

Silja is a Board Member of ITFA; Head of Advocacy Group and Treasury. She chaired the German Regional Committee of ITFA from 2010 to 2012. She was also member of the ICC Consultative Commission for the Drafting of the URF and Chairperson of the ICC URF task force until 2014.

• Markus Wohlgeschaffen, Member, Regulatory Advocacy Committee, ITFA

Markus Wohlgeschaffen

Member, Regulatory Advocacy CommitteeITFA

Markus Wohlgeschaffen is Head of Trade Finance & SCF Sales Multinationals at DZ BANK AG. Previously, he was Managing Director at Traxpay GmbH, responsible for the Markets & Sales division. With more than 40 years’ experience across banking and fintech, he is a senior trade and supply chain finance expert and co‑founder of several FinTechs. He gained intercultural experience during eleven years in Japan and Italy. Markus has been active in various industry bodies and is currently engaged at ITFA, where he leads two workstreams—Late Payment Directive and DNI for Germany—within the Regulatory Advocacy Committee. He has also held leadership roles with the Advisory Board of the ICC Banking Commission, BAFT’s Global Trade Industry Council, and the Board of Trustees of Fraunhofer IML in Dortmund, and has advised the Italian state credit insurer SACE. He is a frequent speaker and contributor on trade, supply chains, and digital transformation.

• Christian Hausherr, Director - Business Product Manager Trade Finance, Deutsche Bank

Christian Hausherr

Director - Business Product Manager Trade FinanceDeutsche Bank

Christian Hausherr is the Product Head for structured Trade Finance solutions at Deutsche Bank, bringing to the role over 30 years of experience in Banking, In-house Consulting and Product Management for Cash Management and Supply Chain Finance. Christian spent his career within Deutsche Bank in various divisions and regions, mostly spanning across Europe and the Transaction Banking business. He holds a diploma in business administration from the University of Bayreuth and has worked in Germany, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain, the US, as well as in India and Uganda on Corporate Social Responsibility assignments in the financial and educational sector. Christian contributed to the Standard Definitions for techniques of Supply Chain Finance and authored the open account section of the Wolfsberg Trade Finance Principles. He also acts as the chair of the Global Supply Chain Finance Forum (http://supplychainfinanceforum.org/) and as a technical advisor for the Supply Chain Finance section of the ICC Trade Register.

This session will explore how trade and working capital assets can be originated where financing gaps are greatest and distributed efficiently to banks and asset managers in developed markets. It will highlight the ecosystem of originators in emerging markets and examine how technology enables scalable, transparent and investable trade finance solutions.

• Boris Jaquet, Global Head Distribution, Corporate Bank, Trade Finance & Lending, Deutsche Bank

Boris Jaquet

Global Head Distribution, Corporate Bank, Trade Finance & LendingDeutsche Bank

Based in Frankfurt, Boris is the Global Head of Distribution within the Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank, responsible for a team of more than 15 specialists in the syndication and distribution of loans and trade assets across the globe.

With more than 25 years’ experience, Boris has been leading several landmark transactions, with a specific focus on Trade Flow and EM loans.

Prior to joining Deutsche Bank 20 years ago in London, Boris was part of the loan syndicate team of Société Générale in Paris.

• Aarti Mohapatra, Loan Syndication, Sales & Distribution, Mashreq

Aarti Mohapatra

Loan Syndication, Sales & DistributionMashreq

Aarti has around 17 years of experience in FI trade Distribution and FI Trade Origination handling top managerial assignments with globally reputed organizations in the areas of FI trade, loans market, trade products solutions both in primary/secondary market in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Proficient in establishing appropriate policies and procedures and achieving aggressive growth in volumes, revenues and profitability of bank-to-bank Loans, GTB products and FI Sales.

Aarti has worked with ABN AMRO and Royal Bank of Scotland on initial days of her carrier switching to, National Bank of Abu Dhabi prior to joining Mashreq in 2018.

Aarti has done bachelor’s degree from Sambalpur University in India with Executive MBA from IIM Indore.

• Vipin Vashishtha, Managing Director, Global Head - Trade Asset Sales & Syndications, Financing Risk, Standard Chartered Bank

Vipin Vashishtha

Managing Director, Global Head - Trade Asset Sales & Syndications, Financing RiskStandard Chartered Bank

Vipin Vashishtha is a Managing Director and Global Head of Trade Asset Sales & Syndications, based in Singapore. His primary focus is to facilitate trade finance for Corporate and FI clients by structuring distribution and syndications solutions. Vipin is very actively involved in transforming the way trade finance assets are distributed to / syndicated with banks and alternative investors, including recent initiatives of tokenization of trade assets.

Vipin has extensive experience in Trade Finance space through leadership roles across Trade Distribution, Products, Strategy and Technology & Operations. Vipin is an industry leader in Trade Distribution, and currently the Chairman of Southeast Asia Regional Committee of International Trade & Forfaiting Association (ITFA).

Vipin also carries a strong understanding of clients and businesses from his earlier stints in Corporate and Strategy consulting world, covering a wide set of industries such as Financial Services, Technology, Automotive, Oil & Gas, Logistics, FMCG.

• Jack Robinson, Relationship Manager, Global Trade Debt & Distribution, Bank ABC

Jack Robinson

Relationship Manager, Global Trade Debt & DistributionBank ABC

Jack is a Relationship Manager in the Global Trade Debt & Distribution Team at Bank ABC, where he focuses on the syndication of Corporate, FI and Sovereign trade finance assets in the secondary bank, NBFI and insurance markets for Bank ABC Group. He joined the team in 2022, bringing a strong credit background developed over a decade at the Bank, with prior roles spanning Financial Institutions, Corporate and Real Estate credit analysis. Jack works closely with all Bank ABC units across Europe, MENAT, New York and Singapore for the purposes of portfolio, risk, liquidity, and balance sheet management.

This session will bring together senior trade finance experts to explore how credit committees evaluate complex and high-risk transactions. Focusing on emerging sectors, strategic buyers and challenging markets, the discussion will highlight practical approaches to assessing risk, balancing commercial and operational considerations and making informed decisions under uncertainty. Attendees will gain insights into innovative thinking and lessons from real-world cases that can inform risk management across the trade finance ecosystem.

• TBA

This session will examine the latest trade finance fraud cases making headlines and moving through the courts. The discussion will bring together perspectives from banks, insurers, asset managers and technology providers to unpack what went wrong, how risks materialised and what the rulings mean in practice. Panelists will explore how fraud patterns are evolving, where controls failed across the ecosystem and how legal outcomes are reshaping risk, insurance and operational decisions in trade finance.

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Please note: The post-conference activity is only open to delegates who have registered and paid for the tour.