Board Member

Pouya Jafari


pouya_jafari@gb.smbcgroup.com

Pouya Jafari is a digital banking and innovation professional responsible for defining, developing and implementing SMBC’s digital platform strategy for trade, supply chain and commodity finance across the EMEA region.

Working with leading third-party platforms, Pouya manages delivery of blockchain and other technology-based solutions for major corporates, including commodity traders and producers. He also works with a wide range of stakeholders to improve end-to-end operational efficiency by utilising new technologies.

Pouya has prior experience from banking (Wells Fargo), insurance (AIG), and a technology-led alternative credit asset manager (Channel Capital Advisors), with strong client facing and analytical skills. Pouya has a deep understanding of trade and commodity finance structures and how these structures are utilised by corporates and financial institutions to improve their working capital and manage risk.

Pouya is the Chairperson of the ITFA Emerging Leaders Committee, which promotes the interests of emerging talent in the trade finance industry. Pouya also created tradeXplain.com, an educational website aimed at those who wish to better understand the fundamentals of trade finance.

Pouya regularly speaks at industry events and has written articles on trade and supply chain finance, including a set of guidelines on how to assess payables finance arrangements published by ITFA.

He is a native English, Norwegian and Persian speaker, fluent in Swedish and Danish, with (almost!) conversational French. He graduated MA with Honours in International Relations from The University of Edinburgh.

Outside of work, he practices mixed martial arts and plays the piano. Pouya is a former competitive table tennis player and has a keen interest in political philosophy.

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