BAFT announces 2026 graduating class of Future Leaders Program

On 5 May, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT), a global financial services association for international transaction banking, announced the graduating class of its 2026 Future Leaders program. 

The graduates were honoured at an in-person ceremony in Orlando during BAFT’s 2026 Global Annual Meeting, marking the initiative’s eleventh year.

The 2026 class includes 40 emerging talents from 15 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and Africa, selected through nominations by their institutions.

This year’s cohort includes participants from South Korea and Kenya for the first time, reflecting the program’s expanding global reach.

Collaborative projects and focus areas

The Future Leaders collaborated in five project teams addressing a diverse range of timely topics, including the practical applications of Agentic AI, digital assets, the role of non-bank entities in trade and supply chain finance, and leveraging emerging technologies to advance trade financing.

Tod Burwell, BAFT President and CEO, said, “Congratulations to our Future Leaders for the work they have produced. The popularity and success of this Program challenges us to find ways to both expand access while enriching the experience for the participants. We look forward to the continued growth of the program and the leaders themselves.”

The 2026 Future Leaders graduating class features professionals from leading financial institutions worldwide.

• Omar Abdelhamid, African Export Import Bank
• Alejandro Anez, Swift
• Julio Arnao, Crédit Agricole CIB
• Meriem Belabbes, J.P. Morgan
• Leone Bertacchi, BNP Paribas
• Max Chin, Standard Chartered
• Alex Choi, SMBC
• Patrick Crago, PNC
• David John Diaz Fenollera, Banco Santander
• Nico Dohnke, Zuercher Kantonalbank
• Mohammad Escandar, Deutsche Bank
• Omar Farhangyar, Royal Bank of Canada
• Tyler Genton, Deloitte Consulting
• Dana Gordon, Citi
• Reem Haddad, formerly at The Housing Bank for Trade and Finance
• Kathleen Harker, ANZ Bank
• Marvin Jean-Ernest, Crédit Agricole CIB
• Jason Kim, BNY
• Germans Lapins, UBS
• Thuy-Van Le, Société Générale
• Shelby Lee, CIBC
• Susie Macara, Barclays Bank
• María Fernanda Márquez Martínez, Banorte
• Sergey Maslennikov, BNY
• Aboubakar Sidick Meite, African Export Import Bank
• Falk Mueller, Barclays Bank
• Mercy Oladejo, Lloyds Banking Group
• Joel Paulsson, Nordea
• Oliver Pringle, Fifth Third Bank
• Henintsoa Ralaimaro, Trade and Development Bank
• Natalie Roberts, NatWest
• Kasia Rytelewska, ING Bank NV
• Andreas Schaible, Commerzbank
• Gabriella Serafini, Bank of America
• Tom Vessey, Danske Bank
• Teresia Wambugu, Standard Chartered
• Robert Weir, Lloyds Banking Group
• Pepita Prithviraj Whitehouse, StoneX
• Yanshi Helen Wu, Bank of China U.S.A.
• Seung-Eun Yi, BNP Paribas

The Future Leaders program develops upcoming professionals ready to influence the future of global transaction banking.