OUR SPEAKERS
Zena Brake
Credit Director - Middle East at Allianz Trade in the Middle East
Zena Brake is Credit Director for the Middle East at Allianz Trade, bringing extensive expertise in
credit risk management and financial analysis. A CFA charterholder, she has built a strong career
guiding businesses through complex financial landscapes and supporting sustainable growth
strategies. Zena specializes in corporate credit evaluation, risk mitigation, and strategic planning, with a proven ability to strengthen client relationships and deliver impactful solutions. Her leadership and analytical skills make her a trusted voice in the regional financial sector.
Preslav Raykov
Commercial Director & Head of Global Trading at MAGIC FLAME SWISS SA
Preslav Raykov is currently serving as Commercial Director & Head of Global Trading at the global trading arm of Magic Flame Group.
The group is one of the biggest oilseed crushers in Bulgaria and the region and is holding the leading position in the refined vegetable oil segment. Magic Flame Group is having its global trading arm (Magic Flame Swiss SA) which is handling global program of grains and oilseed trading around the globe. Prior to joining Magic Flame Group, Preslav was involved in different commercial leading positions in the commodity trading and shipping area. He is an ex- Cargill, spent 7 years as part of Cargill World Trading Group various divisions, acting as a commodity trading and risk manager. Career started as part of Jefferies Group and Societe Generale Investment Banking team in Sofia
headquarter.
Ahmad Aboud
Group Chief Financial Officer at Ghassan Aboud
Ahmad Aboud is the Group Chief Financial Officer at Ghassan Aboud Holding, a diversified global conglomerate with operations spanning automotive, logistics, hospitality, real estate, healthcare, media, and retail. He has been with the Group since the beginning of his professional career, serving as Group CFO for over 20 years.
With deep-rooted expertise in financial management, strategic planning, and corporate governance, Mr. Aboud has played a pivotal role in shaping the financial architecture of the Group during its rapid regional and international expansion. His leadership has been instrumental in driving sustainable growth and operational efficiency across multiple sectors.
Mr. Aboud holds an MBA in International Business and Financial Management from the University of Wollongong in Dubai, and is a Certified Board Member accredited in both the GCC and Australia, reflecting his commitment to global best practices in financial governance and board leadership.
Ozlem Demirsel
Group Treasurer at Mantrac Group
Ozlem Demirsel is a seasoned Senior Management Executive with over 21 years of expertise in Treasury and Financial Management across the UAE, Turkey, and international markets. She has led group-level treasury, risk management, and corporate finance functions, delivering strong results while minimising financial risks. A CPA-qualified leader, she excels in liquidity optimisation, strategic planning, and developing multicultural teams. And currently GROUP TREASURER, Insurance and Customer Financing Head, Duba Mantrac Group (Africa Caterpillar Dealer), she is the Head of Treasury and is responsible for the three essential treasury domains, namely, cash management, financing, and financial risk management (Foreign exchange, interest rates, commodity risks, etc.) at for the Group and overseeing group Subsidiaries.
Parvaiz Dalal
Managing Director - Global Head Payables Finance - Treasury and Trade Solutions
Parvaiz Dalal is Global Head of Payables Financing. Working Capital continues to be a major focus of our clients, and Citi is an industry leader. Parvaiz integrates our various offerings into a holistic solution across payables vertical for our clients on a global basis. Payables Finance comprises of
Supply Chain Financing, Dynamic Discounting, Open account Draft discounting and various related Financing across payables value chain of Institutional Client Group of Citi clients.
In his last role Parvaiz Dalal was head of Supply Chain Finance for Treasury and Trade Solutions
EMEA. Based in London, Parvaiz lead the business end to end, including the Product, On-boarding and Sales capabilities, working in close partnership with Sales, Coverage and Banking partners.
Parvaiz moved to London in Feb 2015 primarily to uplift SCF business to next level by fully automating and digitizing supplier onboarding and automating the end-to-end flow doubling SCF EMEA business. Prior to this move, Parvaiz worked for five years in Singapore as Trade Head
Asean. Prior to Citi, Parvaiz worked at RBS, Asia as Regional Trade Sales and Business Development Manager for Asia Pacific. He has over 2 decades of banking experience with Citi, ABN-RBS and Credit Lyonnais. His wealth of experience is mostly spent in transaction banking space and has also managed corporate relationships.
Bahaadeen Merhi
Commercial Director & Regional Head of Partnership at Coface
Bahaadeen Merhi is the Head of Underwriting at Coface Credit Insurance. Coface is a multinational trade credit insurance company with direct and indirect presence in more than 100 countries and takes risks in more than 200 countries. Bahaa’s experience spans over 15 years, heading the Risk Underwriting, Credit Information and Policy Underwriting departments. In his roles, he has built Risk Underwriting Models to enhance risk mitigation, as well as Policy Underwriting Rules and Procedures, to strengthen ties with partners and policyholders. Prior to his role at Coface, Bahaa held several senior positions in reputable organizations such as Lebanese Credit Insurer, Obeji Chemicals Group (UAE), Rafco Trading Company, and Al Mawarid Bank. He holds a BS Degree in Business Banking and Finance from the Lebanese American University (2005) and is a certified Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS).
Bharat Gupta
Sr VP & Head – Trade and Structured Finance at Olam Global Agri
Bharat Gupta is a veteran finance professional with more than 30 years of experience across Banking and Commodity Trading Companies. His expertise lies in structuring innovative trade finance strategies for supplier and customer finance that drive profitability, optimize working capital, build asset-light and debt-light solutions. Bharat has built and scaled businesses across Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa markets while working in India, Singapore and Dubai.
Bharat's career spans tenures with Olam Group, Louis Dreyfus Company, Cargill and large global MNC banks. He is currently based out of Dubai, UAE and manages his business as Sr VP and Head - Trade and Structured Finance, Asia and EMEA at Olam Agri.
Larissa Mathea
Vice President, Financial Institutions Practice Leader, MENA, Credit Specialities at Marsh McLennan
Larissa Mathea is the Financial Institutions Practice Lead for the MENA region at Marsh, specializing in credit insurances for banks. She brings extensive experience in trade finance within the Corporate & Institutional Banking segment, with a strong focus on receivables finance, risk distribution and insurance-backed structures. She advises banks across the GCC and wider MENA region on non payment insurance and structured credit solutions. Throughout her career, she managed complex trade finance portfolios and structured cross-border transactions.
Loubna El Chartouni
Vice President, Client Sales Manager, Institutional Cash and Trade,
Middle East and Africa at Deutsche Bank
Loubna El Chartouni is Vice President and Client Sales Manager for Institutional Cash and Trade in the Middle East and Africa. Loubna oversees a diverse portfolio of financial institution clients across the region. Her role focuses on strengthening client relationships by staying closely connected and attuned to their evolving needs, offering proactive and timely support, while identifying growth opportunities. She also leads know-your customer (KYC) processes, supports onboarding, and oversees the end-to-end delivery of products and services – ensuring alignment with regulatory standards and the bank’s risk appetite.
With over 20 years of experience in the banking sector across multiple financial institutions, Loubna has gained significant experience in client relationship management, compliance, anti money laundering (AML)/ countering the financing of terrorism (CTF), and credit and operational risk. Her professional journey spans key regional markets, including the Levant, Maghreb, and West Africa.
Loubna holds an Executive MBA from ESCP Business school as well as a master’s in computer and communications engineering from the Lebanese University. She is a Certified AML Specialist and Certified Global Sanctions Specialist. Trilingual in Arabic, French, and English, she thrives in multicultural settings and is currently based in Dubai, UAE.
Farrukh Siddiqui
Founding Partner, Emerging Capital Management Partners at “EMCMP”
Farrukh has over three decades of experience across the Middle East and Emerging Markets at Senior Executive level across Corporate Banking, Treasury Services and Trade Finance with leading organizations including JPMorgan, FAB, Mashreq Bank and Falcon Group. Farrukh is extremely well known across the entire region after building successful international franchises. He has been a frequent speaker and contributor to many industry conferences spanning the Globe with a keen focus on Emerging Markets and open access to Capital Markets.
Aleem Siddiqui
Head of Finance - Gulf region at MBRF
Aleem Siddiqui is the Head of Finance for the Gulf region with nine years of experience at BRF. Specialising in the FMCG sector, Aleem oversees the treasury functions for the GCC, Latin America, and the Far East. Their current responsibilities also include managing FP&A for the Middle East and Finance Controlling for regional factories. With a solid background in FP&A, finance operations, and revenue management, Aleem is dedicated to optimising financial performance and driving operational excellence across diverse markets.
Michal Ron
Chief International Business Officer at SACE Italy
Michal is the Chief International Business Officer of SACE, holding responsibility for the Overseas Network, 15 offices across the globe.
From 2020 to 2022, Michal was the elected President of the Berne Union, the global association of export credit and investment insurers, where she also served as Vice President from 2014 to 2016.
From 2018 to 2021 Michal acted as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATIDI), where she also held a director position until July 2023. From 2017 to 2020, she served as the first Secretary General of the International Working Group (IWG), a multilateral initiative between OECD and non-OECD countries aimed at setting common rules for official export credit support.
Vinit Mishra
Head of Treasury – Nutrisco (ETG Group) | FCMA, CGMA, CIMA (UK), CTP at ETG Group
Vinit Mishra serves as Head of Treasury at Nutrisco (ETG Group), where he focuses on building resilient and efficient financial frameworks across liquidity management, trade finance, and sustainable finance. With professional certifications including FCMA, CGMA, CTP, and CIMA (UK), he brings a thoughtful and collaborative approach to treasury leadership.
Over the years, Vinit has contributed to several award-winning initiatives, including recognition at the ADAM SMITH Asia Awards for treasury and funding solutions, and The Asset Triple A Award for ESG-focused trade finance. These acknowledgements reflect his commitment to practical, purpose-driven financial strategies.
Vinit is passionate about fostering dialogue within the treasury community and sharing insights that help organisations navigate complexity and change with confidence.
Maninder Bhandari
CEO of Delpasin DMCC
Maninder Bhandari has 40+ years of multinational experience gathered from his work in Latin America/Caribbean (Sao Paulo, Brazil), North America (Miami), Far East (Hong Kong & Singapore) & Middle East/Africa (Dubai) with regional leadership roles, board positions and as CEO of multiple businesses.
Via his years at HSBC, ABN AMRO and The Bank of New York Mellon in regional and global positions - he had specific responsibility for the respective regions, Mr Bhandari has seen multiple downturns and crisis (Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina, USA) yet steered the businesses to strategic growth. At the Bank of New York Mellon, Mr Bhandari had regional responsibility of over 30 countries in Middle East & Africa.
His quest for inorganic growth and leadership led him to be a founding partner of a Private Equity fund, investing in mid-cap companies in the IT/Education/Health care sectors. He was a board member of the investee companies prior to his sale of his interests in the fund. Whilst growing the fund via raising growth capital and investing in cross border deals, Mr Bhandari was also partner/director in a group providing non core back office services, which group now has 13 companies and 5000 staff. Mr Bhandari sold his interests to a USA Nasdaq listed multinational.
Concurrent to the above, Mr Bhandari was an advisor to an UAE financial institution and spearheaded a team to set up a new onshore bank in the UAE to promote trade with Africa & East Europe – the new frontiers of growth.
Subsequently, as CEO of a 4-company group, Mr Bhandari nursed the group to financial stability despite trying circumstances, which required a strategic turnaround.
He currently is an independent advisor to Ernst & Young as well a Director on multiple entities involving FinTech, Back Office Services, and International Operations.
Mr Bhandari enjoys public speaking and has written articles (published in finance magazines and in daily newspapers) on a wide range of commercial subjects. He remains on the editorial board of a global trade publication based out of London (UK) and continues to be a Speaker/Chair of trade conferences.
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Abdul Gafoor Thange
Country Manager – UAE, ICIEC Representative Office
Abdul Gafoor Thange is the Country Manager at the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group. He manages client relationships across UAE and Oman, focusing on providing trade and investment credit insurance solutions, facilitating risk mitigation, and supporting regional clients in advancing their projects. With extensive experience in international finance and strategic partnerships, he plays a key role in ICIEC’s operations in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Dr Imen Tebourbi
Associate Professor of Finance and Programme Director at the University of Birmingham Dubai
Dr Imen Tebourbi is an Associate Professor of Finance and Programme Director of the MSc Financial Management at the University of Birmingham Dubai. She is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and a recognised thought leader in sustainable finance, responsible business, and talent development in financial services. Dr Tebourbi works at the intersection of finance, ethics, ESG, and skills development, with a strong focus on how institutions can build resilient talent ecosystems without reliance on short-term poaching. Her work emphasises structured talent pipelines, industry-aligned training, and inclusive career pathways that support long-term capability building in areas such as trade finance, treasury, and capital markets.
She is an Advisory Board member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) Middle East, where she has contributed to initiatives on professional education, ethical leadership, and the development of early-career finance talent. She also collaborates closely with industry partners, regulators, and international organisations to bridge the gap between academic insight and practical workforce needs.
Recognised by Gulf Intelligence as one of the Top 100 Middle East Sustainability Voices 2025, Dr Tebourbi leads multiple initiatives focused on embedding ESG and CSR into finance education and professional practice. Her work advocates for leadership approaches that strengthen culture, integrity, and collaboration—positioning responsible business not as a compliance exercise, but as a driver of sustainable performance and talent retention.
André Casterman
Founder and Managing Director at Casterman Advisory
André Casterman is a globally recognised leader in trade finance, digital assets, and tokenomics, advising technology firms, financial institutions, and traders on tech-driven solutions. With over three decades of experience, André drives adoption of digital negotiable instruments, web3 technologies, and tokenisation technologies, helping clients navigate the evolving landscape of blockchain-based finance.
As a board member of the International Trade and Forfaiting Association, André chairs its influential Fintech Committee, guiding banks and institutions in adopting digital assets and attracting institutional investment to trade finance. In 2019, he founded the MLETR-focused DNI Initiative to advance digital negotiable instruments using web3 technologies, and the TFD Initiative to bridge trade with capital markets and real-world asset tokenisation technologies. More recently, he launched the Financial Crime Compliance Initiative (FCCi), enhancing compliance frameworks for digital finance using verifiable credentials and trust ledgers.
Sinan Ozcan
Senior Executive Officer & Board Director at DP World Trade Finance
Sinan has 25 years of experience working in executive roles across various industries, focusing on several areas of banking, financial services & logistics i.e. trade & structured finance solutions, supply chain finance, new ventures and business development.
Sinan joined DP World in April 2021, set up DP World Trade Finance where he continues to serve as Senior Executive Officer and Board Director, and globally leads DP World’s Trade Finance arm.
In March 2017, he set up Maersk Trade Finance business in UAE, obtained regulatory license, rapidly grew business, and served as Senior Executive Officer, Board Director and Regional Trade Finance Head for Indian Subcontinent, Middle East & Africa region until 2021.
Previously, Sinan was Regional Director of UK Export Finance (a British Government Department and the official Export Credit Agency of the UK) for Europe, MENA and Central Asia region, established UKEF’s overseas presence and originated trade & project finance deals.
Prior to UKEF, he headed Trade Finance/Financial Services unit of CNH Industrial for Africa-Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.
Before CNH, Sinan held the position as Auditor at VakifBank and covered many areas of banking & financial services.
Sinan holds MBA degree from Philadelphia University and Master’s Degree in Banking & Entrepreneurship from the joint program of Venice & Udine Universities in Italy. Sinan speaks English, Italian, Turkish, French, and German and lived & worked in Turkey, USA, Italy, Singapore, Thailand and UAE.
Amr El Haddad
Head of Transaction Banking at National Bank of Kuwait
Amr is a seasoned banker with profound expertise in Trade Finance, Cash Management, and
Working Capital solutions. Also Board Member, ITFA Middle East Regional Committee (MERC) and
Member of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) UAE. His multifaceted experience
encompasses teams leadership, sales, product management across Corporate, Financial Institutions (FI), and Sovereign Funds sectors. In 1998, Amr embarked on his banking journey with Citibank, concluding in 2009 as the MENA Trade Sales Head. Among his myriad achievements at Citibank, he was thrice recognized within four years with the GTS Chairman club membership. Moreover, he secured multiple nominations as the top sales officer across EMEA. Amr has then moved to Standard Chartered Bank to manage a team of experienced product managers to meet the strategic objectives of the trade business Subsequently, Amr spent a transformative 12 years at JPMorgan, initially as the MENA Head of Trade Product Management. His trajectory saw him overseeing EMEA Traditional Trade before globally helming funded solutions. Throughout his tenure, Amr masterminded intricate solutions for diverse entities, from oil magnates in the Middle East to PoS companies in Latin America. He notably spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative to restructure all Trade Finance solutions, encompassing product standardization, agreement simplification, and sales training.
Transitioning into tech, Amr steered CEEMEA Working Capital Digital Solutions at Kyriba. He crafts
the region’s strategic market direction, pinpoints opportunities, and aids Kyriba's clientele in their
digital metamorphosis. Amr Currently looks after Transaction Banking for National Bank of Kuwait. In this role, Amr leads the development and management of Transaction Banking products aiming to enhance the bank's product suite and foster business growth. Beyond his corporate commitments, Amr serves on the board of ITFA Middle East. Here, he champions the proliferation of state-of-the- art trade finance solutions, elucidating digital trade's virtues to regulators, banks, and corporations.
Since settling in Dubai in 2008, Amr has cultivated a robust network with premier enterprises and
banks across MENA and further afield. He has frequently represented his affiliations at eminent
forums, including GTR, EURO Finance, and SIBOS. Drawing from his vast regional insights, Amr
contributes articles to an e-magazine, shedding light on the Transaction Banking landscape. A
staunch advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion, Amr's personal passions lie in Aquascaping
and photography. He is also deeply involved in philanthropic endeavours.
Abhijit Jagtap
Head of Sales – Group, Corporate Banking - Global Transaction Banking at Al Masraf
Abhijit Jagtap is a results-driven leader with group-wide responsibility for lending, foreign exchange, cash management, trade finance, and working capital solutions. As Deputy Head of Transaction Banking at Oman Investment Bank, he has spearheaded strategies that expanded the bank’s presence across Central Asia, GCC, Africa, and Asia, generating AED 7bn in FX flows and managing AED 100m+ revenues. With expertise in product innovation, deal structuring, sustainable finance, and governance, Abhijit is a trusted advisor to corporates and financial institutions, known for building long-term client relationships and driving business transformation across diverse markets.
Selima Mehiri
Head of Global Transaction Banking Middle East at Barclays
Selima Mehiri is the Head of Global Transaction Banking for Middle East reporting to the Head of Global Transaction Banking, APAC & ME.
She has overall 24 years’ of experience in the International Trade Industry across corporate in the Oil Giant Total Energies where she started her career in Paris and then moved to Banking for the last 17 years across different locations in Dubai, Geneva and Singapore.
Before Barclays Selima worked for ABN AMRO, Natixis Bank and Rakbank where she was the Head of Trade and Commodities for 5 years and ESG leader the last year before joining Barclays.
Throughout her career, she has always been active in the gender diversity topic: WINN initiative in Natixis, part of networking forum “Women in Finance” in Switzerland and Member of Diversity & Inclusion Council in Rakbank.
Faith Burn
Chief Technology and Operations Officer, at The Land and Agricultural
Development Bank of South Africa
Faith Burn has extensive business experience which includes the following industries:
Energy, Utilities, Pharmaceutical; Services, Facilities management; Telecommunications;
Financial Services; Aviation & Aerospace; Construction; Education; Services and Mining.
She currently serves as the Chief Technology and Operations Officer of The Land and
Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa. Her portfolio essentially includes the roles of
Chief Technology Officer and Chief Operations Officer. Previously she served for 5 years as
Chief Information Officer at a large multi-billion-rand public sector organisation. She has held
several executive positions over the past, more than 15 years. Generally fulfilling roles of
Group CIO position at multinational organisations and large corporates with her
responsibility across especially the Africa region since 2015 and served prior to that as Chief
Audit Executive at a parastatal and Associate Director at a professional services
multinational organisation.
Ms. Burn has served and is still serving on various boards. She holds an MSc in
Mathematics from University of Johannesburg (then RAU) and an MBL from UNISA. She
has attained a CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) in 2014 and has internationally recognized
and/or accredited certifications in the fields of Project Management, Business Continuity
Management and Computer Science. Ms Burn has been recognised as an industry leader
through various awards not least of which was the Public Sector CIO 2023, by CIO South
Africa.
She is an international speaker and has delivered keynote presentations and panel
discussions both locally and on global stages such as GITEX in Dubai, GITEX Africa in
Marocco, World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Africa Tech Festival in South Africa, Nutanix
Conference in Barcelona, Huawei Connect in South Africa, to name a few. She has
delivered presentations and panel discussions to audiences of varying sizes ranging from
hundreds to thousands of people.
Among Ms Burn’s vast achievements, the one true to her heart is her passion for the care
and advancement of women and children. Although no longer directly involved, she has
previously co-founded a non-profit organization called Kingdom Consultant Center (known
as KCC) which aims to educate children from disadvantaged communities.
