Queen Máxima of the Netherlands Appointed Chair of Global Finance & Technology Network’s International Advisory Board

Agustín Carstens, Former General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements, and Sanjiv Bajaj Chairman of Bajaj Finserv, Also Join the Board

Singapore, 2 July, 2025 — The Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) announced today the appointment of Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA), as Chair of the International Advisory Board (IAB). (The composition of the GFTN IAB is at Annex). The other new members of the IAB are Mr Agustín Carstens and Mr Sanjiv Bajaj, effective 1 July, 2025.

The appointment of these globally respected leaders to its IAB marks a key landmark for GFTN, a Singapore-headquartered not-for-profit organisation that leverages technology and innovation to create more efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial systems through global collaboration.

“We warmly welcome Queen Máxima, Mr Agustín Carstens, and Mr Sanjiv Bajaj to the GFTN International Advisory Board,” said Mr Ravi Menon, Chairman of the Board of Directors, GFTN. “Their visionary leadership, breadth of experience and steadfast commitment to advancing financial innovation and inclusion will be invaluable for GFTN as we build bridges across policy, technology, and finance to foster a more purposeful financial ecosystem worldwide.”

Queen Máxima, UNSGSA, is a distinguished advocate for global financial health. She has leveraged her professional background in finance to champion accessible and resilient financial systems worldwide. From 2009-2024 she served as the UNSGSA for financial inclusion for development to improve worldwide access to financial services, especially for the underserved such as low-income households, women, smallholder farmers and SMEs. Nearly 80% of adults now have access to a payment account (Global Findex 2021), but access alone is not enough. As the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, Queen Máxima will focus on financial products, services and policies that prioritise the financial well-being of people by enabling people to manage their day-to-day finance, protect themselves against financial risks with savings and insurance, allow them to invest in short and long-term goals and create confidence in their financial future. Through strategic and sustained advocacy, Queen Máxima encourages cooperation and commitment among political leaders, regulators, global standard-setting bodies, civil society, and the private sector, to meet the needs of financially underserved groups. Queen Máxima’s work continue to shape policies that empower individuals and communities to achieve greater economic well-being and financial health.

Mr Agustín Carstens is a globally recognised economist and central banker who has played a key role in both national and international finance. As governor of Banco de México and Mexico’s Secretary of Finance, he led the country through challenging economic times, notably implementing innovative strategies during the 2008 global financial crisis that safeguarded Mexico’s macroeconomic stability. On the global stage, Mr Carstens was Deputy Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund and has served as the General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements from 2017 to 2025. At the BIS, he promoted modernisation and innovation in central banking, launching initiatives to enhance the functioning of the global financial system by developing public goods and fostering collaboration amongst central banks.

Mr Sanjiv Bajaj is one of India’s most influential financial leaders. Under his leadership, Bajaj Finserv has grown into one of India’s most diversified and innovative financial services groups, offering solutions across lending, insurance, and investments. Mr Bajaj has championed a digital-first, consumer-centric approach, transforming how millions of Indians access financial products. He has also served as President of the Confederation of Indian Industry and was a member of the Steering Committee appointed by the Government of India for B20 as part of India’s G20 Presidency for FY 2022-23.

About GFTN

The Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) is a Singapore-headquartered organisation that leverages technology and innovation to create more efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial systems through global collaboration. GFTN hosts a worldwide network of forums (including its flagship event, the Singapore FinTech
Festival); advises governments and companies on policies and the development of digital ecosystems and innovation within the financial sector; offers digital infrastructure solutions; and plans to invest in financial technology startups through its upcoming venture fund, with a focus on inclusion and sustainability.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Preeti Dawra
Chief Communications Officer
Global Finance & Technology Network
preeti.dawra@gftn.com | +65 9643 6372

Annex: GFTN International Advisory Board

GTFN’s International Advisory Board comprises distinguished public and private sector leaders with a demonstrated commitment to the public interest.

• Dominic Barton, Chairman, LeapFrog Investments; Chairman, Rio Tinto; Former Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company
  
  Dominic Barton joined LeapFrog as non-executive chairman on April 1, 2022. He was formerly Global Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company where he served from 2009 to 2018, and most recently served as Canada’s Ambassador to China. Dominic has also served as Chairman of Teck Resources and as Non-Executive Director at the Singtel Group in Singapore and Investor AB in Sweden. He was also a board member of the Olayan Group, a private family-owned company. Dominic’s leadership in developing responsible investing strategies and impact metrics stretches back decades. He was one of several co-founders of the non-profit organisation Focusing Capital on the Long Term (FCLT Global), which has a mission to focus capital on the long term to support a sustainable economy. He was Chairman of the IIRC, the benchmark global accounting standard for purpose-driven investments. He also has a long history in emerging markets. Dominic was Asia Chairman for McKinsey between 2004 and 2009. After, while leading McKinsey as Global Managing Partner, he helped to launch Generation, a training and work placement programme active across developing markets including India and Kenya, which has now graduated over 50,000 young people.

• Hon. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, Republic of Rwanda
  
  Paula Ingabire is a Rwandan technology enthusiast, who serves as the Minister of ICT and Innovation in the Government of Rwanda. Prior to her appointment as Minister, she was Head of the ICT Business Development Department at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) where she led the implementation of National ICT programmes, notably eGovernment and Cyber Security; as well as the coordinator of the Kigali Innovation City Project, a flagship programme of the Government designed to nurture and strengthen a Pan-African Innovation eco-system in Rwanda. Minister Ingabire coordinated the creation of Smart Africa, an initiative that seeks to leverage broadband infrastructure as a driver for Africa’s socioeconomic growth. Paula was named in 2019 by Apolitical among the Top 20 of the World’s 100 most influential people in digital government. She serves on the Global Council of the World Summit Award Board of Directors, World Economic Forum Cyber Security Board, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Global Network Advisory Board and the WEF Board of Trustees. Paula Ingabire was recognised as one of the Most Influential Young Africans 2020 by Africa Youth Awards in November 2020.
  
  
• Eric Jing, Chairman, Ant Group
  
  Mr. Eric Jing is Chairman of Ant Group. He joined Alibaba Group in 2007 and became President of Ant Group in June 2015. Eric served as the Chairman and CEO of Ant Group from April 2018 to February 2025. Under his leadership, Ant Group's strategy is focused on inclusiveness, sustainability, and globalisation, to bring small but beautiful changes to the world. Ant Group aims to support digital transformation with partners worldwide and to enable access to financial and technological services for consumers and small businesses. Mr. Jing serves as a senior advisor to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders Foundation Board, and served on the UN Secretary-General's Task Force on Digital Financing of the Sustainable Development Goals.
  
  
• Dr Patrick Njoroge, Former Governor, Central Bank of Kenya
  
  Patrick Njoroge served as the ninth Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) from June 2015 to June 2023. During his tenure, he oversaw an overhaul of the banking system, including the launch of Kenya’s first Banking Sector Charter and upgrading CBK’s supervision. Other parts of the financial sector were also strengthened, including the National Payments System. In November 2018, Dr. Njoroge was appointed to the UN Task Force on Digital Financing of the SDGs by Secretary General Antonio Guterres, whose final report was launched in August 2020. He also served as Co-Chair of the High-Level Roundtable of the Dialogue on Global Digital Finance Governance, which extended the work of the UN Secretary General’s Task Force and was hosted virtually by the Swiss Government. Dr. Njoroge joined CBK after a 20-year career at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC. Prior to his appointment as Governor, Dr. Njoroge was Advisor to the IMF Deputy Managing Director from December 2012, where his responsibilities included assisting in overseeing the IMF’s engagement with a large swath of IMF members. He also served as Deputy Division Chief in the IMF’s Finance Department (2006-2012), IMF’s Mission Chief for the Commonwealth of Dominica (2005-2006) and in other capacities since 1995. Prior to joining the IMF, Dr. Njoroge had worked in Kenya as an Economist at the Ministry of Finance (1993-1994) and as a Planning Officer at the Ministry of Planning (1985-1987). He is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Yale Programme on Financial Stability, and co-chair of the Debt Relief for Green and Inclusive Recovery Project. He holds a PhD in Economics from Yale University, and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Economics from the University of Nairobi. Dr. Njoroge’s professional interests are in FinTech and innovation, monetary policy, international finance, and development economics. He co-edited the volume “50 Years of Central Banking in Kenya: Regional and Global Perspectives” which was published in 2021. He has received several awards and recognitions, including four awards for Africa’s Central Banker of the Year, and recognition in 2023 as a Top 25 African Finance Leader.
  
  
• Dr Veerathai Santiprabhob, Former Governor, Bank of Thailand
  
  Veerathai Santiprabhob was the 23rd Governor of the Bank of Thailand, a post he held from October of 2015 to September 2020. He is a macroeconomist and a financial professional, with more than 25 years of experience in economic policy design, commercial banking, and capital markets. Prior to his role as the Governor, Veerathai served as a member of the Bank of Thailand’s Board and Monetary Policy Committee and Advisor to the Thailand Development Research Institute. Veerathai is a member of the board of a number of public agencies, including the National Economic and Social Development Board, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Insurance Commission. Since 2017, he has served as the Chair of the Central Bank Governance Group of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). At the international Monetary Fund (IMF), he served as the governor for Thailand and a member of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC). Veerathai had also served as the Chair of the BIS Asian Consultative Council and Chair of the Southeast Asian Central Banks (SEACEN) Board of Governors. His private sector experience included senior executive positions at the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the Siam Commercial Bank. In addition, he held various positions at the boards of leading corporations, including Thanachart Capital, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Thai Airways International, and Central Pattana. Veerathai earned a Ph.D. and A.M. in Economics from Harvard University and a B.A. in Economics (First Class Honors) from Thammasat University. He was awarded Anandamahidol Foundation Scholarship, Eisenhower Fellowship, and S.R. Nathan Fellowship.
  
  
• Dr Axel Weber, Advisor, Raisin; Former Chairman of the Board, UBS Group AG; Former President, Deutsche Bundesbank
  
  Professor Dr. Axel A. Weber is Chair of the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute’s Advisory Council. Dr Weber is also President of the Center for Financial Studies. He previously was a board member and Chairman of the board of UBS Group AG. From 2004 to 2011 Weber was President of the Deutsche Bundesbank and a member of the governing council of the European Central Bank. In recent years he has also acted as a member of the steering committee of the European Systemic Risk Board and as a member of the steering committee of the Financial Stability Board. Dr. Weber served as German Governor at the International Monetary Fund. He was a member of the German Council of Economic Experts (2002-2004), of the expert advisory panel to the Deutsche Bundesbank, of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements, of the G7 and the G20 Ministers and Governors, and a member on the Grant Commissioning Panel of the Economic and Social Science Research Council of the United Kingdom.