Having rotated through cash management and trade finance during Santander’s graduate scheme, Raafay Minhas now works with clients across sectors from insurance to industrials. An associate at Santander CIB in London, he talks to GTR about sector diversity, client engagement and why younger professionals are helping make the industry more accessible to new talent.
GTR: What’s your role, and what do you do day to day?
Minhas: I work in the diversified industries team within Santander CIB’s trade and working capital solutions business – everything from insurance and industrials to power, utilities and infrastructure clients as well.
On a day-to-day basis, my role involves helping corporates optimise liquidity, advance cash where possible and strengthen supply chains. The solutions we offer range from supply chain finance and receivables finance to more structured trade solutions alongside our core trade offerings.
A lot of the role is about working closely with clients and internally with relationship teams, credit and product specialists to understand how businesses operate globally and how we can structure facilities to help manage their working capital needs.
GTR: What attracted you to trade and working capital solutions?
Minhas: What really attracted me was that it sits more at the intersection of finance, operations and the real world. It’s not just a case of analysing numbers in isolation and doing lots of modelling – you’re actually understanding supply chains, trade flows and how businesses function globally, then trying to find solutions that can help support those clients and help them grow.
I joined Santander on the graduate scheme and did rotations in both cash management and trade. That exposure was really valuable, as the responsibility and opportunities I was given early on helped me become more well-rounded.
One thing I enjoy about our team specifically is the variety. The way you originate facilities for an insurance company varies drastically from how you work with an industrial client, for example.
GTR: What’s been the biggest surprise about working in banking?
Minhas: Honestly, how kind people are. I didn’t do internships in finance before joining the graduate scheme, so I didn’t really know what to expect. You watch finance movies and read stories and have a certain image in your head, but the culture has been very different to that.
What I found really valuable early on was the level of exposure you get. Quite quickly you’re involved in seeing how transactions are originated, structured and implemented end-to-end, which helps accelerate the learning curve.
GTR: What do you enjoy most about the role?
Minhas: The people you work with and the responsibility you’re given from day one.
One thing I really value is that no one’s afraid to share opinions or ideas in meetings, whether there are MDs present or just juniors. You genuinely feel like you have a platform to express yourself openly.
The mentorship available has also been extremely rewarding. There are a lot of senior people in the bank globally who are very generous with their time, whether that’s advice on careers, markets or leadership.
As I progress through the stages myself, I increasingly see the importance of helping newer entrants into the industry too and not “pulling the ladder up behind me”. I’d like to become one of the people younger graduates feel comfortable reaching out to for advice, support or even just insight into how the industry works.
GTR: How do you see technology changing trade and working capital finance?
Minhas: The digitisation of the industry over the last few years has been quite drastic and really exciting to see. I’m one of the AI champions within transaction banking, so we regularly discuss how we can use technology to optimise day-to-day work and improve the client experience.
At the same time, I think it also highlights the human side of the industry. Having relationships and being able to communicate nuanced views on complex client situations is becoming even more valuable.
GTR: What do younger professionals bring to the trade industry today?
Minhas: I think younger professionals are naturally more tech-savvy and more data-oriented, especially around automation and AI.
But there’s also more openness around sharing knowledge and helping the next generation. Trade finance and working capital can seem quite niche from the outside, and most people don’t really know what it is unless they’re already inside the industry.
I think there’s a growing willingness among younger professionals to make the industry more accessible and help bring new talent into the market.
GTR: Outside of banking, what’s influenced your outlook most?
Minhas: Outside of banking, sports psychology has probably influenced my outlook the most. I’m drawn to the idea that we can step into the qualities we aspire to have before we fully possess them. It’s a reminder that growth rarely comes from waiting until we feel ready; more often, it comes from having the courage to take the next step and trusting yourself to rise to the challenge.
