Management Team

Chief Executive Officer

Holds PhD in Economics from Kazakh State University, MSc in Banking and International Finance degree with honours from Cass Business School (London, UK), Bachelor in Economics degree with honours from Kazakh State Academy of Management, Bachelor in Oil and Gas Exploration degree with honours from Kazakh State Technical University.

From 1998 to 2001, worked at the National Bank of Kazakhstan Banking Supervision Department. In 2001 – 2005 held management positions at Halyk Bank (Kazakhstan).

From 2007 to 2008 worked at Credit Suisse Kazakhstan as a Head of Asset Management.

In 2009 worked as a CEO of Zhetisu Asset Management and CEO Advisor at Temir Bank.

Joined ABA in September 2009.

Chief​ Operating​ Officer

Graduated​ from​ the​ Kazakh-British​ Technical​ University​ (Almaty,​ Kazakhstan).

Started​ his​ career​ in​ 2007​ at​ the​ International​ Relations​ and​ Trade​ Finance​ Department​ of​ Bank​ TuranAlem​ JSC​ (BTA​ Bank),​ Almaty,​ Kazakhstan.​ From​ 2010,​ headed​ the​ Export-Import​ Operations​ Desk​ and​ from​ 2011​ –​ the​ Regional​ Trade​ Finance​ Sales​ Desk​ of​ the​ bank.

In​ 2011,​ joined​ Temirbank​ JSC,​ Almaty,​ Kazakhstan​ as​ the​ Head​ of​ Financial​ Institutions​ and​ Trade​ Finance​ Department​ and​ worked​ at​ the​ bank​ until​ 2014.​ Moved​ to​ Cambodia​ to​ join​ ABA​ in​ May​ 2014​ as​ the​ Head​ of​ International​ Relations​ Department,​ responsible​ for​ correspondent​ banking,​ trade​ finance​ and​ investor​ relations.

Expanding​ his​ responsibilities​ to​ payments​ and​ remittances,​ financial​ institutions,​ interbank​ transactions,​ etc.,​ Zhiger​ joined​ the​ C-level​ as​ Chief​ International​ Operations​ Officer​ in​ May​ 2015.​ At​ this​ position,​ he​ was​ actively​ involved​ in​ finance,​ treasury,​ compliance,​ and​ other​ operational​ activities​ of​ the​ bank,​ and​ from​ July​ 1,​ 2022,​ he​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Operating​ Officer.

His​ responsibilities​ include​ international​ operations,​ retail​ banking,​ corporate​ and​ institutional​ banking,​ business​ process​ development,​ customers​ relationship​ management,​ as​ well​ as​ coordination,​ support,​ and​ development​ of​ the​ ABA​ network.

Chief Financial Officer

Graduated from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, New Delhi as well as from Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu Nepal.

Mr. Gyawali started his career in 2001 with Himalayan Bank Limited, Joint Venture Bank with Habib Bank Limited in Pakistan.

Between 2001 and 2007, worked in Himalayan Bank as Executive Financial Officer and Head of Internal Audit Department.

Since November 2007 has been working with ABA.

Chief Information Officer

Graduated from Kazakh Technology Institute in 1993.

From 1991 till 1994 worked in Technology Processes Automation Research Laboratory Kazakh Technology Institute and in 1995 completed postgraduate course of fuzzy logical control algorithms in chemical industry.

Between 1994 and 2000 held CIT position at South Kazakhstan branch of Bank TuranAlem (BTA bank).

From 2000 worked as senior financial software development officer at head office of BTA and Deputy Chief of IT Software Development Department of Bank TuranAlem.

In June 2007 joined ABA's management team.

Chief Credit Officer

Holds Masters Degree in Economics from Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu Nepal and Masters Degree in Business Studies from Tribhuwan University.

Mr. Pandey started his career in 1997 with Himalayan Bank Limited, Joint Venture Bank with Habib Bank Limited in Pakistan.

From 1997 to 2007, worked in position of second in line in Credit Administration Department of Himalayan Bank.

During first quarter of 2008 worked at Global Bank Ltd. as second in line of Credit Department.

Joined ABA Bank in April 2008 as Head of Credit Department.

Chief Card and E-Payments Officer

Graduated from the Kazakh State National University.

Between 1998 and 2007 working as a project leader for developing and supporting retail and corporate loan, securities, trade finance and core-banking system modules in IT Departments of Halyk Bank and Bank TuranAlem, Kazakhstan.

Since July 2007, has been working as Head of IT Department and from 2008 as Head of Card Center of ABA.

Chief Digital Officer

Graduated from Tashkent Polytechnic University (degree on Production Management) in 1999, started his career in IR Department of State Property Committee (SPC).

In 2005-2007, worked at the World Bank project called “SMEs development through the use of IT technologies” as a Project Manager (Uzbekistan).

Upon successful completion of the project, in 2007 joined Visor Holding representative office in Tashkent as Business analyst.

Banking industry experience starts in 2008 after joining the team of Credit-Standard Bank, Tashkent, as Chief Marketing Officer.

Afterwards was invited to join the ABA Bank team in April 2012 as Chief Marketing Officer.

In June 2016, Zokhir headed Digital Transformation process of the Bank.

Chief Marketing and CSR Officer, Corporate Secretary

Graduated​ from​ Tashkent​ State​ University​ (with​ Honours)​ in​ Uzbekistan.​ Started​ his​ career​ in​ advertising​ industry​ in​ 2003.

In​ 2006-2007,​ worked​ at​ the​ World​ Bank​ project​ “SMEs​ development​ through​ the​ use​ of​ IT​ technologies”​ (Uzbekistan).​ Upon​ successful​ completion​ of​ the​ project,​ in​ 2007​ moved​ to​ the​ telecom​ sector.

Banking​ experience​ started​ in​ 2010​ after​ joining​ the​ marketing​ team​ of​ Credit​ Standard​ Bank​ (Uzbekistan)​ where​ he​ served​ several​ roles​ including​ Head​ of​ Press​ Service.

In​ September​ 2012,​ Zimarev​ joined​ ABA​ Bank’s​ team​ as​ Marketing​ Officer.​ In​ June​ 2016,​ he​ took​ the​ helm​ of​ the Marketing​ Division,​ overseeing​ all​ marketing​ communication​ channels​ of​ the​ Bank​ and​ CSR​ initiatives.

In​ December​ 2019,​ Zimarev​ was​ appointed​ Chief Marketing and CSR Officer, Corporate Secretary​ of​ ABA​ Bank.

Chief Risk Officer and Compliance Advisor to the CEO

Torsten​ Kleine​ Buening​ holds​ a​ degree​ as​ Diplom​ Wirtschafts-Informatiker​ /​ Master​ of​ Science​ on​ Information​ Systems​ of​ Westfaelische​ Wilhelms-Universitaet​ Muenster​ (Germany).

Torsten​ is​ a​ risk​ practitioner​ with​ over​ 20​ years​ of​ experience​ covering​ conventional​ and​ Islamic​ Finance​ in​ developed​ and​ emerging​ markets.

He​ started​ his​ banking​ and​ finance​ career​ in​ 2002​ after​ becoming​ Basel​ II​ Group​ Project​ Manager​ for​ Volksbanken​ Group​ in​ Austria,​ covering​ Austria​ and​ Central​ Eastern​ Europe.​ In​ 2006-2013,​ Torsten​ shaped​ the​ risk​ management​ of​ Samba​ Financial​ Group​ in​ Saudi​ Arabia​ and​ headed​ Capital​ &​ Portfolio​ Risk​ for​ Emirates​ NBD​ in​ Dubai,​ UAE.

In​ 2013,​ Torsten​ moved​ to​ Asia,​ becoming​ Head​ of​ Governance​ for​ Enterprise-Wide​ Risk​ Management​ for​ Standard​ Chartered​ (Singapore).​ In​ 2017-2019,​ he​ served​ as​ Chief​ Risk​ Officer​ and​ Chief​ Compliance​ Officer​ for​ Tenger​ Financial​ Group​ (Mongolia)​ covering​ Banking,​ Leasing​ and​ Insurance.

In​ 2019-2020,​ he​ contributed​ as​ Chief​ Risk​ Officer​ to​ the​ operations​ of​ Deem​ Finance,​ UAE,​ supporting​ an​ ambitious​ digital​ agenda.

Torsten​ joined​ ABA​ Bank​ in​ November​ 2020​ as​ Chief​ Risk​ Officer​ and​ as​ Compliance​ Advisor​ to​ the​ Chief​ Executive​ Officer.

Chief​ Audit​ Advisor​ to​ the​ CEO

Chantal​ Quinn​ is​ a​ graduate​ of​ University​ of​ Quebec​ in​ Canada​ and​ a​ Chartered​ Professional​ Accountant​ (CPA).​ Chantal​ is​ an​ experienced​ audit​ expert​ who​ has​ worked​ with​ the​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada​ since​ 1998. ​

Before​ joining​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada,​ she​ held​ various​ positions​ for​ ten​ years​ in​ the​ Retail​ and​ Commercial​ divisions​ at​ another​ financial​ institution.​ Her​ last​ role​ at​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada​ was​ Senior​ Manager,​ Internal​ Audit,​ Credit,​ International,​ and​ Corporate​ Banking.​ In​ addition,​ for​ the​ previous​ nine​ years,​ Chantal​ has​ been​ involved​ in​ many​ due​ diligence,​ audit​ and​ advisory​ mandates​ with​ ABA.

​ In​ February​ 2023,​ Chantal​ was​ appointed​ Chief​ Audit​ Advisor​ to​ the​ CEO​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​ In​ her​ role,​ Chantal​ continues​ developing​ ABA's​ internal​ audit​ towards​ international​ best​ practices.

Chief​ Cash​ Management​ Officer

Graduated​ from​ National​ University​ of​ Management​ in​ 2012​ with​ Master’s​ Degree​ in​ Financial​ Management.​

Currently​ pursuing​ Master’s​ Degree​ of​ Commerce​ specialized​ in​ General​ Management​ from​ Charles​ Sturt​ University,​ Australia.​

Ninlida’s​ banking​ experience​ started​ as​ a​ bank​ teller​ in​ 2006​ with​ Cambodia​ Asia​ Bank​ before​ moving​ to​ Sacombank​ in​ 2009.​ She​ held​ various​ roles​ in​ bank​ operations​ of​ Sacombank​ before​ being​ promoted​ as​ Head​ of​ Operations​ Department​ in​ 2013.​

In​ May​ 2016,​ Ninlida​ joined​ ABA​ Bank​ as​ Head​ of​ Cash​ Operations​ Division,​ overseeing​ the​ Bank’s​ cash​ operations​ at​ all​ branches,​ self-banking​ areas​ and​ ABA​ 24/7​ self-banking​ spots.

​In​ January​ 2022,​ Ninlida​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Cash​ Management​ Officer.​ 

Chief​ Retail​ Banking​ Officer​

Holds​ Master​ of​ Science​ in​ Economics​ (Laurea​ Magistrale)​ from​ University​ of​ Trento​ in​ Italy.​

Between​ 2008-2012,​ worked​ as​ lecturer​ at​ several​ universities​ in​ Cambodia​ teaching​ business-related​ courses.​

Started​ his​ banking​ career​ in​ 2013​ by​ joining​ ANZ​ Royal​ Bank.​ His​ last​ position​ at​ ANZ​ Royal​ was​ Corporate​ Relationship​ Manager.​

In​ May​ 2015,​ Vichet​ joined​ ABA​ as​ Sales​ Development​ Manager​ and​ was​ promoted​ to​ various​ positions​ inside​ the​ Bank.

​He​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Retail​ Banking​ Officer​ in​ February​ 2022.​ 

Chief​ International​ Business​ Officer

Graduated​ from​ the​ National​ University​ of​ Management​ in​ 2004​ and​ from​ the​ Phnom​ Penh​ International​ University​ (former​ ASEAN​ University)​ in​ 2006.

Polinda​ has​ more​ than​ 18​ years​ of​ experience​ in​ the​ banking​ sector​ with​ various​ roles​ across​ multiple​ prominent​ financial​ institutions.​

She​ started​ her​ career​ at​ Vattanac​ Bank​ in​ 2005,​ followed​ by​ 10​ years​ at​ ANZ​ Royal​ Bank​ as​ the​ Client​ Services​ Manager​ since​ 2007.​ As​ part​ of​ her​ career​ achievement,​ she​ was​ awarded​ the​ CEO​ Pacific​ Award​ in​ 2011.​

In​ 2017,​ she​ joined​ ABA​ as​ the​ Head​ of​ International​ Operations​ Development​ Department​ where​ she​ worked​ closely​ with​ major​ national​ and​ international​ parties​ including​ the​ National​ Bank​ of​ Cambodia,​ correspondent​ banks,​ payment​ service​ providers,​ as​ well​ as​ with​ ABA​ relevant​ teams​ on​ some​ major​ initiatives​ and​ products​ for​ money​ transfers​ remittances.

In​ July​ 2022,​ Polinda​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ International​ Business​ Officer.​ She​ is​ responsible​ for​ the​ development​ and​ implementation​ of​ innovative​ money​ transfers​ services,​ operational​ governance,​ internal​ documentation​ and​ procedures,​ workflows,​ sales​ and​ trainings,​ and​ team​ management.

Chief​ Legal​ Officer​

Holds​ Bachelor’s​ Degree​ of​ Law​ from​ Royal​ University​ of​ Law​ and​ Economics​ (2000),​ Bachelor’s​ Degree​ of​ Khmer​ Literature​ from​ Royal​ University​ of​ Phnom​ Penh​ (2001),​ and​ Master’s​ Degree​ of​ Finance​ Management​ from​ Royal​ University​ of​ Law​ Economics​ (2007).​

Sosen​ started​ his​ career​ in​ 2005​ as​ Legal​ Officer​ at​ ABA​ Bank.​ From​ 2008-2021,​ he​ held​ the​ Head​ of​ Legal​ Department​ position​ where​ he​ established​ a​ new​ legal​ department​ to​ prepare​ and​ draft​ contract​ and​ agreement,​ manage​ complaints​ and​ other​ legal​ issues.​ He​ also​ advises​ other​ departments​ of​ the​ Bank​ on​ legal​ matters​ and​ represents​ the​ Bank​ in​ courts.​

In​ February​ 2022,​ Sosen​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Legal​ Officer​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​ 

Chief​ Human​ Resources​ Officer​

Earned​ a​ Bachelor’s​ Degree​ in​ Finance​ and​ Banking​ (with​ Honors)​ from​ Royal​ University​ of​ Law​ and​ Economics.

​Prior​ to​ her​ employment​ with​ ABA,​ Vithiea​ has​ worked​ for​ UNDP,​ financial​ Institutions​ and​ NGOs,​ and​ moved​ her​ way​ up​ to​ various​ leadership​ roles​ in​ human​ resources,​ gaining​ extensive​ knowledge,​ skills,​ and​ experiences​ in​ the​ field.​

In​ November​ 2012,​ she​ joined​ ABA​ as​ Head​ of​ Human​ Resources​ –​ responsible​ for​ HR-related​ contacts​ with​ government​ bodies,​ as​ well​ as​ policymaking​ and​ further​ strategic​ development​ of​ the​ Bank’s​ human​ resources,​ including​ but​ not​ limited​ to​ talent​ acquisition,​ training​ and​ HR​ development,​ performance​ and​ rewards​ management,​ succession​ planning,​ employee​ engagement,​ and​ overall​ HR​ management​ system​ of​ the​ Bank.​

In​ February​ 2022,​ Vithiea​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Human​ Resources​ Officer​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​ 

Chief​ Medium​ and​ Large​ Business​ Lending​ Officer​

Bachelor’s​ Degree​ recipient​ from​ Middle​ East​ Technical​ University,​ Turkey,​ in​ 2009​ and​ Master’s​ Degrees​ from​ the​ University​ of​ Lille​ I​ (2011)​ and​ University​ of​ Lumière​ Lyon​ 2​ (2012).​ Lida​ is​ also​ a​ qualified​ and​ certified​ “Professional​ Banker”​ coffered​ by​ Asian​ Institute​ of​ Chartered​ Bankers​ (AICB).​

Started​ his​ career​ in​ the​ banking​ sector​ as​ Business​ Relationship​ Manager​ in​ 2011​ at​ Maybank​ Cambodia​ and​ managed​ relationships​ with​ commercial​ and​ high-valued​ loan​ clients.​

In​ March​ 2018,​ he​ joined​ ABA​ Bank​ as​ the​ Head​ of​ Commercial​ Loan​ Department​ and​ a​ member​ of​ the​ Credit​ Committee.​ He​ now​ manages​ and​ oversees​ the​ Bank’s​ commercial​ loan​ segment.

​In​ February​ 2022,​ Lida​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Medium​ and​ Large​ Business​ Lending​ Officer​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​

Chief Small Business Loan Officer

Graduated​ from​ Royal​ University​ of​ Law​ and​ Economics​ in​ Business​ Administration​ and​ holds​ a​ Master​ of​ Business​ Administration​ in​ Financial​ and​ Banking​ from​ Build​ Bright​ University.​

Chanrith​ has​ almost​ 20​ years​ of​ experience​ in​ the​ microfinance​ and​ banking​ industry.​ From​ 2001-2015,​ he​ held​ various​ roles​ from​ Credit​ Officer​ to​ Credit​ Supervisor​ to​ Regional​ Branch​ Manager​ with​ different​ organizations.​

In​ 2015,​ he​ joined​ ABA​ Bank’s​ loan​ team​ as​ Head​ of​ Micro​ Business​ Loan​ and​ was​ serving​ as​ Deputy​ Chief​ Credit​ Officer​ of​ ABA​ until​ 2021.​

In​ early​ 2022,​ Chanrith​ was​ appointed​ Chief Micro Business Loan Officer​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​ 

Chief​ Loan​ Recovery​ and​ Monitoring​ Officer​

Graduated​ from​ the​ National​ University​ of​ Management​ in​ 2005​ with​ a​ major​ in​ Business​ Management,​ Sinak​ has​ progressively​ developed​ himself​ through​ local​ and​ international​ skills​ trainings.​

Prior​ to​ joining​ ABA,​ Sinak​ worked​ with​ ANZ​ Royal​ Bank,​ serving​ various​ roles​ in​ retail​ banking.​ He​ is​ skilled​ in​ client​ relationship​ management,​ electronic​ banking​ service,​ and​ debt​ management.​

Joined​ ABA​ in​ 2011​ as​ Senior​ Loan​ Officer​ before​ moving​ himself​ up​ to​ become​ Head​ of​ Recovery​ and​ Monitoring,​ overseeing​ the​ entire​ scope​ of​ credit​ monitoring​ and​ recovery​ activities​ of​ the​ Bank.​

In​ early​ 2022,​ Sinak​ was​ appointed​ Chief​ Loan​ Recovery​ and​ Monitoring​ Officer​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​ 

Chief​ External​ Affairs​ Officer​ –​ Regional​ Manager​

Holds​ Master’s​ Degree​ of​ Business​ Administration​ in​ Finance​ from​ University​ of​ Akron​ (USA)​ under​ the​ Fulbright​ Scholarship​ Award​ (2005-2007).​ Graduated​ with​ Business​ Administration​ in​ Accounting​ from​ National​ University​ of​ Management​ and​ Bachelor​ of​ Education​ (B.Ed.)​ in​ Teaching​ English​ as​ a​ Foreign​ Language​ (TEFL)​ from​ Institute​ of​ Foreign​ Languages​ of​ Royal​ University​ of​ Phnom​ Penh.​

Romny​ started​ her​ career​ in​ 2002​ as​ a​ local​ consultant​ for​ the​ BBC​ World​ Service​ and​ between​ 2007-2009​ she​ was​ involved​ in​ projects​ such​ as​ Merit​ Based​ Performance​ Incentives​ program​ (MBPI)​ under​ the​ Danish​ International​ Development​ Assistance​ (DANIDA),​ JICA,​ GIZ,​ and​ the​ World​ Bank​ to​ support​ Office​ of​ the​ Council​ of​ Ministers​ in​ Public​ Administrative​ Reform​ programs.​

From​ 2003-2009,​ she​ was​ a​ lecturer​ at​ Institute​ of​ Foreign​ Languages​ and​ Panhasastra​ University​ of​ Cambodia,​ teaching​ English​ for​ International​ Business​ and​ Business​ Finance,​ respectively.​

Joined​ ABA​ in​ February​ 2010​ as​ Branch​ Manager​ at​ Toul​ Kork​ branch​ and​ was​ promoted​ to​ Regional​ Manager​ in​ 2016.​ As​ the​ Regional​ Manager,​ she​ manages​ several​ ABA​ branches​ in​ the​ Toul​ Kork​ region.​

In​ early​ 2022,​ she​ took​ a​ new​ role​ as​ Chief​ External​ Affairs​ Officer​ –​ Regional​ Manager​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​

Chief​ Administrative​ Officer​

Holds​ a​ degree​ in​ Development​ Economics​ and​ Master’s​ Degree​ of​ Business​ Administration​ from​ National​ University​ of​ Management.​

Started​ his​ career​ in​ 2011​ by​ joining​ ABA’s​ Accounting​ Department,​ where​ he​ served​ various​ roles​ including​ bank​ reconciliation,​ fixed​ assets​ management,​ and​ financial​ reporting.

​In​ June​ 2015,​ Dalen​ was​ appointed​ as​ Head​ of​ Administrative​ Department​ overseeing​ all​ administrative​ works,​ branch​ network​ expansion,​ and​ physical​ infrastructure​ development​ of​ ABA.​ ​

In​ February​ 2022,​ he​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Administrative​ Officer​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​ 

Chief Security Officer

Graduated​ from​ Build​ Bright​ University​ in​ Phnom​ Penh​ with​ Master’s​ Degree​ of​ Law​ and​ Political​ Science​ in​ 2008.​

Prior​ to​ joining​ ABA,​ Kimkhun​ served​ as​ Security​ Assistant​ Manager​ in​ Naga​ World​ Casino​ and​ Hotel​ and​ moved​ to​ Beeline​ Cambodia​ as​ Security​ Manager.​

In​ December​ 2013,​ he​ joined​ ABA​ Bank​ as​ Security​ Manager​ overseeing​ the​ Bank’s​ security​ department​ and​ overall​ security​ procedures.

​In​ February​ 2022,​ Kimkhun​ was​ appointed​ as​ Chief​ Security​ Officer​ of​ ABA​ Bank.​