Board of Directors

Chairman

Senior Vice-President – International Development Natcan International Investments (National Bank of Canada)

Mr. Yves Jacquot graduated from ESSEC in France. Between 1980 and 1993, he occupied different positions, including the position of CEO in different banks and financial institutions in France, as well as in retail banking sector, investment and financial markets sectors and asset management sector.

He entered BRED Banque Populaire in 1993 and then became the deputy CEO of the Bank and CEO of COFIBRED, the holding company owning the subsidiaries of the group.

Yves was notably the supervisor of the finance, IT, all the Back offices, and the general administration departments of the bank. In addition, he took the vice-chairman position of the Credit Committees and Chairman of the Finance Committee, as well as the Risk management Committee for the subsidiaries. He supervised the prominent activities of the bank in the payment sector and was in charge of the innovation experiences.

Mr. Jacquot also promoted and managed the external growth of the Group in both France and French overseas territories in European, Asian Pacific, and African areas.

Yves joined the Board of Directors of ABA Bank in 2014.

Advisor​ to​ the​ Chairman​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors

André​ Bérard​ is​ a​ career​ banker.​ He​ dedicated​ his​ entire​ professional​ life​ to​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada,​ rising​ through​ the​ ranks​ to​ serve​ as​ President​ and​ Chief​ Executive​ Officer​ of​ the​ Bank​ from​ 1989​ to​ 2002,​ and​ Chairman​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ from​ 1990​ to​ 2003.​ Leading​ up​ to​ his​ years​ at​ the​ Bank’s​ helm,​ he​ held​ several​ senior​ management​ positions,​ including​ Senior​ Vice-President​ and​ General​ Manager​ –​ International;​ Executive​ Vice-President​ –​ National​ Accounts;​ and​ Senior​ Executive​ Vice-President​ –​ Banking.

Deeply​ involved​ with​ the​ community,​ he​ has​ chaired​ many​ fundraising​ campaigns​ over​ the​ years.

Mr.​ Bérard​ has​ received​ numerous​ awards​ and​ distinctions.​ He​ was​ made​ an​ Officer​ of​ the​ Order​ of​ Canada​ in​ 1995​ and​ an​ Officer​ of​ the​ Ordre​ national​ du​ Québec​ in​ 2000.​ In​ 2015,​ André​ Bérard​ was​ inducted​ as​ a​ Companion​ of​ the​ Order​ of​ the​ Canadian​ Business​ Hall​ of​ Fame​ for​ his​ enduring​ contributions​ to​ the​ country’s​ economy​ and​ society.

André​ Bérard​ serves​ on​ a​ number​ of​ corporate​ boards.​ In​ April​ 2016,​ he​ was​ appointed​ to​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ of​ ABA​ Bank​ where​ he​ served​ until​ his​ stand​ down​ in​ December​ 2019.​ Considering​ Mr.​ Bérard’s​ significant​ contribution​ to​ the​ work​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ in​ the​ recent​ years​ and​ his​ prominent​ experience​ in​ the​ management​ of​ financial​ institutions​ such​ as​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada,​ he​ was​ nominated​ as​ Advisor​ to​ the​ Chairman​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ of​ ABA​ Bank.

Member of the Board of DirectorsNon-Executive Director

Deputy Vice-President, International Development (National Bank of Canada)

Dominic Jacques is a graduate of HEC in Canada. He is a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) and a CFA Charterholder.

Mr. Jacques holds the position of Deputy Vice-President, International Development at National Bank of Canada. As such, he is responsible for managing the Bank’s portfolio of international investments as well as developing ancillary business opportunities.

Mr. Jacques started his career as an auditor at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He was appointed Senior Manager, Transaction Services in 2008. As such, he was responsible for due diligence, valuation and M&A advisory. Mr. Jacques joined National Bank of Canada in 2010 as Senior Manager in the Strategy and Corporate Development team. In this capacity, he was advising the Bank’s senior management on strategic initiatives, partnerships and M&A activities.

Mr. Jacques has a sound knowledge of the banking industry, having spent 15 years advising financial institutions on transactions and partnerships. Over the years, he has been based in Montreal, London, Paris and in the Silicon Valley (USA).

In 2016, Mr. Jacques was appointed to the Board of Directors of ABA Bank.

Member​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ DirectorsExecutive​ Director

Madi​ Akmambet​ holds​ an​ Executive​ MBA​ with​ distinction​ from​ Cass​ Business​ School,​ City University​ London​ (2013)​ and​ a​ degree​ in​ Economics​ from​ Kazakh​ State​ Academy​ of Management​ (1996).

He​ started​ his​ career​ in​ 1997​ in​ Treasury​ Department​ of​ the​ Ministry​ of​ Finance​ of​ the​ Republic of​ Kazakhstan​ and​ then​ Banking​ Supervision​ Department​ of​ the​ National​ Bank​ of​ Kazakhstan.

Between​ 2000​ and​ 2007,​ he​ held​ top​ management​ positions​ at​ several​ national​ companies, the​ Financial​ Institutions’​ Association​ and​ commercial​ banks​ in​ Kazakhstan.

His​ international​ working​ experience​ started​ in​ 2007​ with​ business​ projects​ in​ Uzbekistan run​ by​ the​ Kazakhstan-based​ private​ equity​ firm​ Visor​ Holding.

In​ March​ 2009,​ Madi​ was​ appointed​ the​ CEO​ of​ ABA​ Bank​ in​ Cambodia,​ where​ he​ had​ led a​ major​ turnaround​ of​ the​ Bank.

Since​ 2012,​ he​ has​ been​ the​ Executive​ Director​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ of​ ABA.

Member of the Board of DirectorsNon-Executive Director

Having​ graduated​ from​ the​ École​ des​ Hautes​ Études​ Commerciales​ in​ Montreal,​ Martin​ Ouellet​ is​ a​ treasury​ management​ specialist,​ actively​ involved​ in​ the​ management​ of​ liquidity​ and​ funding​ and​ in​ the​ management​ of​ financial​ risks​ related​ to​ interest​ rates​ and​ foreign​ exchange.​ After​ starting​ his​ career​ in​ 1977​ with​ Crédit​ Foncier​ Franco-Canadien​ and​ then​ Bank​ of​ Montreal,​ he​ worked​ for​ more​ than​ 30​ years​ at​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada,​ where​ he​ raised​ to​ the​ position​ of​ Senior​ Vice-President​ and​ Corporate​ Treasurer.​ He​ held​ positions​ in​ Montreal,​ Toronto​ and​ London.

Martin​ now​ acts​ as​ a​ corporate​ director.​ In​ that​ capacity,​ he​ served​ on​ the​ board​ or​ advisory​ board​ of​ various​ institutions,​ of​ which​ the​ Auditing​ and​ Assurance​ Standards​ Oversight​ Council​ (Canada),​ and​ Assurance-vie​ Banque​ Nationale.​ He​ is​ a​ member​ of​ the​ board​ and​ Chair​ of​ the​ Risk​ &​ Capital​ Committee​ of​ Haventree​ Bank,​ a​ Canadian​ chartered​ bank​ specializing​ in​ alternative​ residential​ mortgage​ lending.​ He​ is​ a​ member​ of​ the​ Institute​ of​ Corporate​ Directors​ (Canada).​

Martin​ is​ a​ member​ of​ the​ Honour​ Circle​ of​ the​ Orchestre​ Symphonique​ de​ Montréal.

He​ joined​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ of​ ABA​ Bank​ in 2019.

Member​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ DirectorsNon-Executive​ Director

Mr.​ Christian​ St-Arnaud​ graduated​ from​ the​ École​ des​ Hautes​ Études​ Commerciales​ in​ Montréal,​ Canada.​ Between​ 1983​ and​ 2009,​ he​ occupied​ different​ positions​ in​ international​ and​ Canadian​ financial​ institutions​ in​ Canada,​ with​ a​ focus​ on​ credit​ capital​ market.

He​ joined​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada​ in​ 2009​ as​ Vice-President​ –​ Credit​ capital​ market​ and​ real​ estate​ and​ was​ appointed​ Senior​ Vice-President​ –​ Credit​ in​ 2012,​ overseeing​ all​ retail,​ commercial,​ and​ financial​ market​ credit​ activities​ of​ the​ Bank,​ including​ adjudication,​ portfolio​ management,​ and​ credit​ model​ development.​ He​ was​ also​ a​ member​ of​ numerous​ senior​ committees​ of​ the​ Bank,​ including​ the​ Global​ risk​ committee,​ the​ Risk​ management​ committee​ and​ the​ Model​ oversight​ committee.

In​ 2020,​ Mr.​ St-Arnaud​ was​ appointed​ to​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ of​ ABA​ Bank.

Member of the Board of DirectorsNon-Executive Director

Paolo​ Pizzuto​ graduated​ from​ Université​ du​ Québec​ à​ Montréal​ in​ 2003,​ with​ a​ Master’s​ Degree​ in​ Business​ Administration.

A​ career​ banker,​ he​ joined​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada​ in​ 1986​ where​ he​ occupied​ several​ managerial​ positions​ within​ the​ organization​ until​ 2001,​ when​ he​ was​ appointed​ Vice-President​ Sales​ and​ Service. 

Over​ the​ following​ years,​ he​ was​ assigned​ several​ executive​ functions​ that​ spanned​ across​ Retail​ Banking,​ Commercial​ Banking,​ Payment​ Solutions,​ Process​ and​ IT​ Transformation.

From​ 2009​ to​ 2015,​  he​ was​ responsible​ for​ reengineering​ key​ end​ to​ end​ processes​ across​ multiple​ lines​ of​ business​ by​ introducing​ new​ origination​ platforms​ and​ automated​ workflows,​ and​ led​ several​ modernization​ programs​ to​ improve​ Bank-wide​ efficiency​ and​ customer​ experience.

Since​ 2015,​ Pizzuto​ holds​ the​ position​ of​ Senior​ Vice-President,​ Retail​ Banking​ across​ Canada.​ He​ also​ occupies​ the​ role​ of​ Chairman​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ Natbank,​ a​ US​ bank​ in​ the​ state​ of​ Florida​ and​ has​ been​ an​ acting​ governor​ for​ the​ Canadian​ Italian​ Foundation​ since​ 2004.

Paolo​ Pizzuto​ joined​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ of​ ABA​ Bank​ in​ 2020.

Member of the Board of DirectorsIndependent Director

Guy​ Quaden​ graduated​ in​ economic​ and​ social​ sciences​ from​ the​ University​ of​ Liège​ (Belgium)​ and​ La​ Sorbonne​ (France).​ He​ obtained​ a​ PhD​ in​ economics​ at​ the​ University​ of​ Liège​ in​ 1973.

Quaden​ started​ his​ academic​ career​ as​ Full​ Professor​ at​ the​ University​ of​ Liège​ in​ 1977.​ In​ 1987-88,​ he​ served​ as​ Dean​ of​ the​ Faculty​ of​ Economy,​ Management​ and​ Social​ Sciences.​

Between​ 1988​ and​ 1996,​ he​ was​ a​ member​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ the​ National​ Bank​ of​ Belgium​ and​ later​ was​ appointed​ as​ General​ Commissioner​ for​ the​ Euro​ of​ the​ Belgian​ government.​ After​ successfully​ accomplishing​ this​ role,​ Quaden​ became​ the​ Governor​ of​ the​ National​ Bank​ of​ Belgium​ (the​ central​ bank​ of​ the​ country)​ from​ 1999​ until​ 2011.​ During​ the​ same​ period,​ he​ was​ a​ member​ of​ the​ Governing​ Council​ of​ the​ European​ Central​ Bank,​ IMF​ Governor​ for​ Belgium,​ and​ member​ of​ the​ Board​ of​ the​ Bank​ of​ International​ Settlements.

Quaden​ holds​ the​ medal​ of​ «Officier​ de​ la​ Légion​ d’honneur»​ from​ the​ French​ President​ Chirac​ (2001)​ and​ a​ nobility​ title​ from​ King​ Albert​ II​ of​ Belgium​ (2007).

Quaden​ joined​ the​ Board​ of​ Directors​ of​ ABA​ Bank​ in​ 2019.​

Member of the Board of DirectorsIndependent Director

Qualifications: Graduate of Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan and University degree (Economics, Paris-I Panthéon-Sorbonne).

Henri Calvet is the founder of H2C CONSEIL, a company offering advisory and training services to credit institutions and securities firms, in the main following fields: banking accounting, prudential rules, internal control (including risk management and compliance control).

Prior to setting up his own business, Mr. Calvet had spent 10 years with the French Banking Commission and had later worked for numerous banks, namely, BRED-BANQUE POPULAIRE, Compagnie Financière Edmond de Rothschild Banque and Compagnie Parisienne de Reescompte, inter-alia.

Henri Calvet joined the Board of Directors of ABA Bank in 2016.

Member of the Board of DirectorsIndependent Director

A graduate from Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole des Ponts et Chaussées in France, Etienne started his career at the French Ministry of Industry (notably as head of the Foreign Investments Bureau). Etienne then joined the Air Liquide Group where he created in 1993 the first operations in China before being given the responsibility for large supply contracts of industrial gases to the steel sector in Asia. After that, Etienne joined Rio Tinto where he directed the Asia Division of a subsidiary, which led him to create, develop and manage a number of operations in Singapore, Australia, China and Japan.

He then partnered with the French Private Equity firm CityStar to create their Asian Division in 2005, of which he is Partner and Director. CityStar Private Equity Asia develops today several large investment projects in Cambodia in the tourism and hospitality sector. 

Etienne has been living in Asia since 1993 and is based in Singapore and Cambodia.

In 2014, he was appointed as the member of the Board of Directors of ABA Bank.