Smita Pednekar is a seasoned professional with 30 years of expertise in Trade Finance, Foreign Exchange, and Custody Settlements, recognized for her leadership, regulatory knowledge, and customer-first approach. Throughout her career, she has consistently delivered excellence in banking operations, compliance, and client servicing, earning multiple awards for performance and innovation.

In August 2025, Smita joined Hotfoot Technology Solutions as Subject Matter Expert – Trade Finance, bringing her extensive banking experience to support the company’s mission of driving digital transformation in financial services. In this role, she leverages her deep expertise in import/export documentation, Letters of Credit, FEMA/RBI compliance, and corporate banking processes to design and refine innovative digital lending and trade finance solutions.

She specializes in handling trade and forex transactions, treasury operations, and regulatory reporting while maintaining strong corporate client relationships. Her contributions were recognized with multiple awards including Top Customer Service Head (2024) and the Wholesale Banking Operations Champions Elite Award (FY 23-24). Her career also includes a significant tenure at Citigroup Global Services, where she managed trade processing for India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, reduced export documentation discrepancies, and spearheaded automation initiatives to improve efficiency, showcasing her rich international exposure.

With her blend of domain expertise, regulatory insight, and passion for customer service, Smita now plays a pivotal role at Hotfoot in building scalable, customer-centric, and compliant digital solutions. Her journey reflects a strong commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and shaping the future of trade finance through technology.