VIDEO | BAFT CEO: Charting the course for transaction banking in a fractured world - Trade Treasury Payments

• Home
• Blog
• Articles
• VIDEO | BAFT CEO: Charting the course for transaction banking in a fractured world

VIDEO | BAFT CEO: Charting the course for transaction banking in a fractured world

At the BAFT (Bankers Association for Finance and Trade) Global Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, Trade Treasury Payments (TTP) caught up with Tod Burwell, President and CEO of BAFT, to discuss the association’s direction and priorities amidst growing geopolitical and regulatory complexity.

Burwell said, “The theme of the conference this year – innovate, collaborate, elevate – really captures what our industry is facing. There’s more to innovation than just technology. Institutions are having to rethink how they support clients in a time of policy change, economic volatility, and new business risks.”

While BAFT has long served as a hub for global transaction banking professionals, the organisation is now preparing to formally separate from the American Bankers Association (ABA), in order to better cater to BAFT’s increasingly international membership. Burwell said, “Seventy percent of our members are headquartered outside of the United States. Independence allows us to be a geopolitically neutral voice and to engage directly in local markets around the world, without compromising the ABA’s domestic mandate.”

In terms of advocacy and thought leadership, several key topics are guiding BAFT’s agenda in the coming year. Among them: uneven payment regulations, capital requirements for trade finance, and evolving policy discussions around artificial intelligence. Burwell pointed out that regulatory fragmentation (both between jurisdictions and between banks and non-banks) is creating friction at a time when cross-border systems are becoming more interconnected.

On the ground, members are grappling with a wave of geopolitical disruption ranging from tariffs and trade restrictions to shifting supply chains. That uncertainty, however, is also creating opportunity.

Burwell said, “When clients feel uncertain, it’s often when banks can create the most value. It allows them to get closer to their clients and help them navigate risk, whether that’s through guarantees, credit support, or tailored advice.”

BAFT’s message to members and the wider community is to support collaboration, particularly when market conditions are turbulent. Whether through peer exchange, workstreams, or global advocacy, the organisation is doubling down on its mission to bring the industry together.