We aim to bring trade finance experience and expertise to every member of our network.
OUR VISION
OUR MISSION
- Provide opportunities for informal networking within a professional community for individuals involved in trade finance both domestically and internationally.
- Enrich the network for members through association with partner organisations across the industry.
- Facilitate and promote exchange of knowledge among trade finance professionals in London.
- Attract and retain diverse and inclusive talent within the trade finance industry.
- Enable members to improve their employability prospects in the trade finance space.
Executive Committee
Akim Kibalnik
Akim Kibalnik is an experienced banker with a background in structured and commodity finance. In October 2024, Akim was appointed Head of Structured Trade Finance Solutions for EMEA at BBVA London, where he leads the development and delivery of innovative financing solutions across the region, with a particular focus on commodities and complex cross-border structures. Prior to BBVA, Akim held various roles at Citi, most recently serving as Natural Resources Sales Lead for the UK and Europe.
Akim is a member of the Executive Committee and leads the Mentorship Programme at the London Trade Roundtable, a non-profit organisation that provides networking and mentoring opportunities for trade finance professionals. He holds a Master of Science in Strategy and Innovation from Vienna University of Economics & Business and is currently pursuing the CFA designation.
Alok Kumar
Alok brings over 16 years of corporate credit and portfolio management experience in European high-yield, structured finance, and commodity trade finance across UK, Europe, MENA and South Asia.
Alok currently serves as a Senior Manager, Credit Risk (EMEA) for Convera, a global fx derivative house. Prior to Convera Alok was Head of Portfolio Analysis for London based Credit Investment Manager- Channel Capital Advisors where he was responsible for evaluation, due diligence and structuring of investments for Channel’s funds. Prior to Channel, he served as Chief Manager (Corporate Banking) at Kotak Mahindra Bank and Senior Manager (Wholesale Banking) at Union Bank of India. Over his career, Alok has managed credit portfolios spanning across International Trading, Metals & Mining, Oil & Gas, Infrastructure, Agribusiness and Financial sectors. Alok holds an MBA from Cranfield University in the UK and a BSc. in Physics and Mathematics from Delhi University.
Brinley M. Salzmann
Brinley joined the Defence Manufacturers Association (DMA), at first on a temporary basis, in July 1985, having graduated from Sheffield University with a BA in Ancient History & Classical Civilisation. He worked for the DMA in a number of roles, before being appointed to the position of Exports Director in June 1999. In October 2009, on the creation of ADS through the merger of the DMA, APPSS and SBAC, he became the new organisation’s Director – Overseas & Exports.
The vast majority of his work at present constitutes providing ethical, offset, industrial participation and export controls-related help, advice and assistance to British companies. In this capacity he acts as Secretary to the Export Group for Aerospace, Defence & Dual-Use (EGADD), the Business Ethics Network (BEN), the Defence Export Strategy Group (DESG), and the British Industrial Participation & Offset Group (BIPOG) special interest groups.
Caitlin MacNamara - Communications
Caitlin MacNamara is an Account Executive at Komgo, a Swiss-headquartered software development and technology services company offering the reference digital network and workflow solutions for the trade finance industry. Komgo is on a mission to simplify trade finance and eliminate documentary fraud, and is powering the world’s leading trading houses and financial institutions on their transformation journeys towards these goals.
Prior to Komgo, Caitlin was an Assistant Underwriter in Credit & Political Risk Insurance at Liberty Specialty Markets in London. During her Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees at King’s College London (2014-2019) she interned in Financial Law at CMS Cameron McKenna (Prague Office) & the Trade Finance division at Bank of China (London Office). Caitlin joined the London Trade Roundtable as Communications Executive in 2021 and has also been an active member on the ITFA Emerging Leaders Committee since 2024.
Dhruv Menon - Treasurer
Dhruv has been the CFO of Ampyr Solar Europe, a pan-European solar and BESS IPP since 2021. Prior to this he was a Managing Director at White Oak Global Advisers in their commodity and trade finance fund. Dhruv has extensive experience in cross-border structured finance having worked for two decades in HSBC and Credit Suisse before moving into the trade finance sector. He helped set-up trade finance fintech platforms for family offices in the UK, Ireland, Spain, the US, Chile and Mexico before moving into the role at White Oak
Dhruv read Computer Sciences at Cambridge and also has a degree in Physics from India. He has qualified for both the Association of Tax Technicians and the Chartered Institute of Taxation in 2006.
Duane Wright – General Secretary
Duane began his professional journey with Jamaica Customs, cultivating a deep and enduring interest in international trade. With a career in banking that commenced in 2007, he has developed substantial expertise in transaction banking and trade finance. Since 2016 he has been with Commerzbank AG, London Branch where he currently serves as a Director within the corporate trade finance sales team managing a portfolio of energy players and diversified industrial clients including leading oil majors and global commodity trading firms.
In 2024 Duane was appointed to the LTR ExCo in 2024 where he serves as Secretary. He holds an MSc in Shipping, Trade and Finance from Bayes Business School (formerly Cass Business School). Beyond his professional pursuits, Duane has an interest in choral singing and performs as a bass singer with the award-winning London Adventist Chorale.
John MacNamara
John (Mac) MacNamara was Chair of the London Trade Roundtable between 2019-2024, and is CEO of Carshalton Commodities Ltd, a consultancy in the commodity trade finance sector working with banks, funds, commodity corporates, insurers and lawyers. He is well-known as an author, trainer, presenter and commentator on Commodity Trade Finance matters, having set up and run globally the award-winning Structured Commodity Trade Finance team at Deutsche Bank for 20 years from Amsterdam and then from London, finishing as Vice Chairman, Trade Finance Commodities. Having worked for banks and commodity traders himself since 1982, Mac has a keen interest in seeing bright young people come into this market and succeed. He has an MA from Cambridge University, and a Green Beret from the Royal Marines Commandos.
Jon started at Crestline in August 2019 having joined from Wells Fargo Capital Finance (UK) Limited (formerly Burdale Financial Limited – acquired by Wells Fargo in 2012) where he spent fourteen years originating, structuring and syndicating asset-based loans in the UK and cross-border Europe.
Prior to this he was Head of Corporates for Commerzbank AG, London Branch for eight years managing the relationship management (orgination), trade finance and cash management teams. He held roles before that with the common theme of working for foreign banks in London.
Kris Van Broekhoven
Kris Van Broekhoven is Chief Executive Officer of PrimaTrade and ES3G. PrimaTrade is a next
generation supply chain platform and ES3G is technology that gathers the worker voice in real-time to monitor labour conditions in the supply chain. In 2020-2021 he was Chief Financial Officer of multi-bank digital trade finance platform Komgo. In 2012-2020 Kris was Global Head of Commodity Trade Finance at Citibank, where he set up the business with teams located in the US, Europe and Asia. Prior to Citi he spent 10 years at Deutsche Bank in London, where he was EMEA head of structured commodity trade finance. Kris has 28 years of international banking experience and holds master degrees in Law and Economics.
Rebekah Fajemirokun
Rebekah Fajemirokun is a structured trade finance specialist with over a decade of experience across commodity trading and energy markets, with a particular focus on Africa and the Middle East. She has held senior roles in origination, credit structuring, and risk mitigation, advising on complex cross-border transactions and strategic growth initiatives. Rebekah currently serves on the London Trade Roundtable committee, contributing insights into market dynamics and financing solutions in emerging markets.
Stephen Lewis
Stephen is the UK Partner of Constructive Edge Inc. A Canadian global economic advisory firm that specialises in supporting defence and security industrial cooperations and socio-economic advancement projects.
Prior to joining Constructive Edge in 2015, Stephen was a Head of Defence Offset at Stemcor Trade Finance Ltd, the finance arm of a global trading company with an annual turnover in excess of US$2billion. Stephen developed his involvement in offset through structured finance and banking relations that enabled him to develop export related opportunities in new markets across Europe and Asia. He has worked in offset and countertrade for over 20 years and has been responsible for the identification, development and implementation of offset projects in over 30 countries.
Timothy Rose
Timothy Rose is the Head of Sales UK at cflox GmbH, a payment institute that combines payments, financing, and working capital to deliver innovative client solutions. A seasoned specialist in Trade Finance and Working Capital, he brings over 18 years of experience across international banks and the fintech sector, including leadership roles at Standard Chartered, HSBC, and Deutsche Bank.
He has structured and led complex, multi-million-dollar transactions across EMEA, with global coordination across Asia and the US, developed pioneering cloud service financing models, and overseen $500M+ global supply chain finance programmes. Timothy holds a Master’s in Chinese and Business from the University of Leeds, speaks English, German, and Mandarin, and is passionate about travel, food, and Muay Thai.