Board of Trustees

Leadership

Board of Trustees

Mr. Michael Robert Hanlon

Chairman/Independent Director

Michael Hanlon was appointed to the Board of ICB Financial Group Holdings AG, the holding company of the ICB Banking Group since 7 March 2007. He is also a member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. He has a total of 44 years commercial banking experience, most of which was in the retail area. He spent 34 years with Barclays Bank Plc in the UK where he held a number of Senior Management and Senior Executive appointments, including Regional Director for the Bank’s retail banking in Central London. Later, he joined the Raiffeisen Banking Group of Austria as Managing Director for retail banking at the Bank’s Polish subsidiary, Raiffeisen Bank Polksa SA, where he was responsible for the creation and development of a retail banking capability. Michael joined the Islamic Bank of Britain in April 2003 as Managing Director where he had the responsibility of creating the very first Sharia compliant retail banking business in the UK and Western Europe. He retired from the Bank in 2006. An Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, he regularly speaks at international conferences. Michael is married with two adult children. He enjoys travel, art, music, cycling and swimming.

Dr. Andor Kobina

Independent Director

Dr. Andor Kobina was appointed to the Board of ICB Financial Group Holdings AG since 7 March 2007 as the Director, Foreign Remittance Department. Kobina, who hails from Ghana, speaks English, French, Portuguese and Swahili; holds a PhD from University of Toronto and a First Class in Economics and Political Science from McGill University. He has also attended Harvard’s Graduate School of Business. Since 2004 Kobina has been Special Advisor to President MKapa (now retired) of Tanzania, Special Advisor Investment Climate Facility for Africa, Advisor to the Director General UNIDO, Chairman DCDM Africa and Advisor Hifadhi Business Park, East Africa. Kobina served with the World Bank Group from 1976 to 2004 and held positions including Chief MIGA Africa Representative 2002 - 2004 and Manager for Africa 1998 - 2002. Between 1995 and 1998, he was seconded from the World Bank Group as Advisor to the Namibian Government. He is also a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Kobina, who has numerous academic and professional awards and publications, regularly speaks at international conferences.

Dr. Andor Kobina

Independent Director

Mrs. Joyce Osei

Secretary

Mrs. Osei has an LLB Hons from the University Of Ghana and was admitted to the Ghana Bar in 1994. She holds a Master of Laws degree (LL.M) from Queen’s University, Canada and a Masters in Business Leadership (MBL) from the University of South Africa. She has significant experience in several facets of Law with particular specialization in Corporate/Business Law, Banking, Investment and Employment Law. In the past 15 years, she has gained a wealth of experience as General Counsel & Company Secretary for financial institutions and international corporate establishments, advising on compliance and regulatory issues, corporate financing and restructuring, negotiating transactions and human resource management issues. She consults on a variety of areas and provides support services for several Ghanaian companies, foreigner investors and international development agencies in Ghana.

Ms Josephine Premla Sivaretnam

Non-Independent Director

Josephine Sivaretnam was appointed as a Non-Independent Director of ICB Financial Group Holdings AG since 7 March 2007. She is also a member of both the Nomination and Remuneration Committees. Through Panhelligan Investments Limited, she is a substantial shareholder of the Company. A lawyer by profession, Josephine spent her early career in the Malaysian Judicial and Legal Services as a Deputy Public until 1992 after which she commenced private practice. Josephine was responsible for the early establishment of the ICB Banks in Europe, Africa and for acquisitions made by the Group. She is a Non-Executive Director of a Malaysian listed company, The Nomad Group Bhd. Josephine graduated with a LLB (Hons) from University of Malaya and a LLM from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Mr René Fritschi

Independent Director

René Fritschi was appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director of ICB Financial Group Holdings AG since 20 July 2006. He is also the Chairman of the Nomination Committee. René started his career in 1973 as a trainee at the Handelsbank NW Zurich, Switzerland and in 1978 moved to Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co Zurich, Switzerland. He later worked for Bank Audi in Zurich before joining Fundus Treuhand AG in 1989. René then joined Deutsche Bank in 1994. Since 1998 he has been Chairman of Medio Consult where his experience as a senior bank director in international trade, major commercial banking, private banking, estate planning and asset management has been an advantage. He is also a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of ICB Financial Group Holdings AG. René is a Swiss resident and is fully conversant in English, German and French. He was born in 1948 and is married with two adult daughters. He graduated in economics in 1979. His hobbies include long distance running and cross country skiing. He is familiar with Asia and Africa where he had travelled extensively.

Mr Zakaria Abd Hamid

Independent Director

Zakaria Abd Hamid was appointed to the Board of ICB Financial Group Holdings AG since 19 May 2010. He is also a member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. He has more than 34 years of extensive experience in banking, corporate finance and advisory services. He has held senior positions in various organizations including Maybank Berhad, Bumiputra Merchant Bankers Bhd, Technology Resources Industries Bhd, Malaysia Helicopters Services Bhd, Natwide Group of Companies and KYM Holdings Bhd. He sits on the Boards of Alliance Investment Bank Berhad, Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad and Alliance Islamic Bank Berhad as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Zakaria holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from University of Malaysia.

Mrs. Janet Asare

Mrs. Janet Asare was born on 19th October 1943. She had her secondary education at Aburi Girls Secondary School from 1957 to 1963 where she was appointed Senior prefect. She also obtained ‘O’ and ‘A’ level Certificates there. She was subsequently admitted to the University of Ghana and obtained a BA(Hons) Degree in French with Spanish. She pursued a post graduate course in Management at the University of Manchester UK and was awarded MSc Degree in Management Sciences in 1987. She was employed at Bank of Ghana in 1968 and held a number of appointments including Director and Head of Human Resources Department and Adviser to the Governor of Bank of Ghana. Her publications include: ‘Human Resource Development at Bank of Ghana’ Published by World Bank 1998. ‘Human Resource Management and Women In Financial Sector’ Published in an Edited Book 'Experiences In Capacity Building of Ghanaian Women ‘Asempa Publisher, Christian Council of Ghana – 2001 She became the Principal of the National Banking College from 2001 – 2008. She is also the Nkosuohene of her hometown, Wirenkyiren Amanfrom in the Eastern Region. Mrs. Asare is married with six children.