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Cambodia Banking Conference 2024

“Uniting Finance: Strengthening Cooperation for a Resilient Financial Sector”

 

The Cambodia banking conference aims to bring together industry experts, policymaker, and through leaders to discuss critical issues shaping the banking sector. With rapid evolution of technology, changing customer expectations, and global economic shifts, this conference provides a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and strategic planning.

The Association of Banks in Cambodia is organizing the 3rd Cambodia Banking Conference on “Uniting Finance: Strengthening Cooperation for a Resilient Financial Sector”. The Conference will take place physically as well as virtually for member of ASEAN Bankers Association on 22nd – 23rd August 2024.

Objectives:

The banking conference serve as a pivotal platform for industry stakeholders to explore and strategize amid the ever-evolving banking landscape. The conference will be conducted with the following objectives:

  • Innovation and Transformation: acknowledging the dynamic shifts in the global economy, technological advancements, and changing customers behaviors, the conference will revolve around digital transformation, disruptive technologies (such as AI, and FinTech), and their impact on banking operations, customer experiences, and risk management.
  • Sustainable Finance: The banking sector increasingly integrates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. The conference will address sustainable finance, responsible lending, and ESG reporting.
  • Risk and Resilience: Risk management remains critical. Sessions will cover regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, and crisis preparedness. Participants will learn from real-world case studies and best practices.
  • Financial Inclusion: The conference emphasizes the role of banks in promoting financial inclusion. Participants will explore ways to extend services to underserved populations, fostering economic growth and social equity.

REGISTER

Date

Aug 22 - 23 2024
Expired!

Time

08:00 - 17:00

Speakers

  • 01Mr. Em Kamnan
    Mr. Em Kamnan
    Deputy Director General of Banking Supervision, National Bank of Cambodia

    Mr. Em Kamnan joined the National Bank of Cambodia in late 1999 as a banking supervisor in the Off-site Supervision Division, then he was subsequently moved to On-site Supervision Division and Microfinance Institutions’ Supervision Division before he was transferred to Legal Department under the Banking Supervision Directorate in 2011. He was the Director of the Legal Department which was renamed “Regulatory Policy and Risk Assessment” Department, from 2017 until May 2023. He is currently the Deputy Director General of banking supervision, in charge of regulatory policy and banking supervision.
    Mr. Em Kamnan holds a master’s degree of Business in Banking and Finance from Monash University, Australia in 2010.

  • 02Mr. RATH Sophoan
    Mr. RATH Sophoan
    Chairman of the Association of Banks in Cambodia

    Mr. Rath Sophoan has 30 years of professional experience – out of which almost 20 years in financial services industry including 2 overseas secondments – Australia and Malaysia, covering diverse areas – consumer and business banking, Operations, Technology and life insurance. Currently he serves as Chief Executive Officer and Country Head of Maybank Cambodia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Maybank Bank Group, the largest company in Malaysia and among the Top 500 companies in the Forbes Global 2000 and the leading companies of the world and listed as the Time’s World Best Companies 2023. He has also actively involved in the banking industry, serving as Member of board of directors of Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) and Credit Bureau Holding Cambodia (CBHC) and got elected in March 2024 as Chairman of Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC). Before that he also served as Vice Chair of ABC. Mr. Sophoan is a graduate of Bachelor of Laws with a minor in Business Administrative in Cambodia and went on to obtain Master of Laws at the National University of Singapore as an ASEAN Fellow in 2001. He’s a graduate of INSEAD Executive Leadership Program, Fontainebleau in France.

  • 03H.E. Kruy Narin
    H.E. Kruy Narin
    Deputy Director General, General Department of Policy Ministry of Economy and Finance

    As a Senior Economist with more than 10 years of experiences at MEF, Ms Kruy Narin has directly involved in economic policy and national strategy formulation, macroeconomic and fiscal assessment and forecasting, medium-term fiscal framework, revenue mobilization strategy, policy dialogues, M&E and pragmatic researches. From 2019-2020, Ms. Kruy served as Cambodia’s Special Appointee at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington D.C. for 18 months, during which she joined the Philippines team in performing economic surveillance and participated in the IMF Article IV mission to the Philippines.

    Ms. Kruy held master’s degree in Economics from International University of Japan under JDS scholarship. She was also Humphrey fellow studying Economics at Michigan State University under Humphrey Fellowship Program. Prior to that, she obtained 2 bachelor degrees – English from Institute of Foreign Languages and Accounting from National University of Management

  • 04Mr. Sodeth Ly
    Mr. Sodeth Ly
    Senior Economist World Bank

    Sodeth Ly, Senior Economist, is responsible for conducting macroeconomic analysis and also works on the reforms of public finances in Cambodia. Prior to joining the Bank in 2009, he worked as Economist for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for five years, at the office of IMF Resident Representative in Cambodia. He earlier served as Finance and Administrative Officer for the Asian Development Bank, Cambodia Resident Mission, for four years.

    Since 2013, Sodeth has been the leading author of the Cambodia Economic Update, a biannual economic report which is widely disseminated to contribute through data-proven policy analysis to a debate about the key challenges Cambodia faces to sustain high growth. He has also written a number of analytical notes on the topics of dollarization, the garment sector, public expenditure management, public sector wages, and investment incentives. Sodeth holds a Master’s Degree in Economics (California State University, Los Angeles) and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Institute of Economics of Cambodia).

  • 05Mr. Jochen M. Schmittmann
    Mr. Jochen M. Schmittmann
    IMF Regional Resident Representative Cambodia | Lao PDR | Vietnam

    Jochen M. Schmittmann is the Regional Resident
    Representative for the IMF Resident Offices in Vietnam,
    Cambodia and Lao PDR. Before that, he was the Deputy Head
    of the IMF’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Tokyo,
    Desk Economist on the Japan team, and Mission Chief for the
    Federated States of Micronesia. He previously was the IMF’s
    Resident Representative in Singapore, covering Singapore,
    Malaysia, and Asian financial markets. Before coming to
    Singapore, Jochen worked in the IMF’s Asia and Pacific,
    Western Hemisphere, Finance, and Monetary and Capital
    Markets departments. He also worked as part of the team
    managing the IMF’s investments. Jochen has published on a
    wide range of topics in finance and macroeconomics, including
    behavioral finance, climate finance, currency hedging, labor
    markets, and the economic impact of demographic change in
    Asia. Jochen holds a Ph.D. in Financial Economics from Goethe
    University Frankfurt.

  • 06Mr. Kong Somphyvatanak
    Mr. Kong Somphyvatanak
    Senior Market and Funding Manager

    Mr. Kong Somphyvatanak is the Senior Market and Funding Manager at Khmer Enterprise. He is responsible for providing grant funding such as assistance package to startups and SMEs negatively impacted by Covid-19, export grant for Cambodian SMEs to develop overseas market, and enterprise development grant to provide financing to help businesses to be more competitive. He also works on equity investment to start-ups and SMEs, designs and implements programs to support businesses’ access to market for their products and services. He has a background in banking and finance where he spent more than 4 years with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ Bank) in Cambodia and Myanmar.

  • 07Ms.Winnie Wong
    Ms.Winnie Wong
    Country Manager, Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos Mastercard

    Winnie Wong is the Country Manager of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos for Mastercard. Since 2018, she has championed digital and cashless payments in these markets and played a key role in engaging regulators and stakeholders in creating cashless and financially inclusive societies.

    Currently based in Ho Chi Minh City, she was instrumental in setting up an ecosystem for safe and secure payments to empower businesses and consumers within the markets to seize the benefits and convenience of going cashless.

    Winnie is driving Mastercard’s global commitment to inclusion for women by working with local partners to empower women entrepreneurs in the markets with the resources, skills, and knowledge they need to scale and digitize. Her work also extends to boosting banking capabilities that can improve financial access for SMEs/MSMEs.

    Having joined Mastercard in 2013, Winnie has worked with governments and corporations to spearhead the adoption of B2B platforms to help improve the efficiency and transparency of cross-border trade in the Asia Pacific.

    Winnie has more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry, particularly in commercial payment solutions, with deep insights into the banking and consumer goods sectors. She possesses intensive knowledge of industry best practices that can help markets in accelerating their digital economy. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honors) from University Putra Malaysia.

  • 08Mr. Anthony Ginolin
    Mr. Anthony Ginolin
    The Regional VP and Head of Growth of IDEMIA’s Payment Services business in Asia Pacific

    As part of the regional leadership, he ensures that IDEMIA’s clients benefit from the best expertise, advisory and support possible along their issuance journey and helps them leverage IDEMIA’s extensive range of capabilities and global experience in order to accomplish their vision.
    He advised and spearheaded some of the most visible initiatives in the payment space in APAC that occurred in the past few years which successfully led issuers to gain strategic advantages across some of their key challenges such as premiumization, experience banking & journeys, digitization & transformation, customer acquisition & retention, unique CVPs, innovation and more.
    Before joining IDEMIA he held Regional Director roles at Legaltech and Regtech leading organizations where he gained expertise in Analytics and ML technologies applied to highly sensitive and regulated situations such as legal proceedings, investigations, regulatory compliance.
    His expertise and passion for technology & innovation has driven him to become a trusted advisor to banks & fintechs alike whom he continues to help shape the future of secure, convenient, and inclusive financial services across the region.
    Anthony holds a Master’s degree in Management from French Business school MBS, a double Bachelor in International Business from MBS and XISU and a Business Strategy and Financial Performance certificate from INSEAD.
    Presentation: From Convenience to Experience Banking – The trends, technologies and challenges that are reshaping the banking and payment space
    • The trends: Looking at data and real use cases of some issuers (Banks and FinTechs) adapting their strategies through innovative products and services in order to acquire and retain customer while boosting inclusivity (Sustainability, Premiumization, Digitization, Security, Personalization)
    • Physical card or Digital card? For a truly forward looking and inclusive experience, “both” is the answer – here is why it is not about one or the other.
    • Deep dive in Sustainability and Security and how innovative technologies are shaping modern issuance while addressing these major challenges driven by customers and regulators alike
    • The future: CBDC, Cryptocurrencies, quantum computing, AI

  • 09Mrs. KHO Virada
    Mrs. KHO Virada
    Head of Payment System Policy and Development Division

    Mrs. KHO VIRADA currently serves as Head of Policy Division, Payment System Department, National Bank of Cambodia (NBC). Her main responsibilities include designing the policy, following up the operation and monitoring the implementation of payment systems introduced by the NBC. She also works closely with financial institutions in developing rules and procedures of the systems as well as engages in financial sector initiatives such as financial sector development strategy and fintech related topics. Before moving to Payment System Department, she spent her career at Banking Operation Department. She joined the central bank in 2004

  • 10Ms. San Sokna
    Ms. San Sokna
    Head of Compliance and AML Department Cambodia Public Bank

    Ms. San Sokna is Head of Compliance and AML at the Cambodian Public Bank PLC. She has over 10 years of experience in Compliance and AML. She brings a strong academic background and industry-recognized certifications like Anti-Money Laundering Certificate at International Compliance Association (ICA), Certificate of regulatory Compliance at Institution of Banking and Finance (IBF).
    Throughout her career, Ms. Sokna has held leadership at various organizations including, G-Foremost Co., Ltd, Yong Soon Development Co., Ltd. Currently, she leverages her expertise as the Head of Compliance and AML Department at Cambodian Public Bank PLC, ensuring bank’s effectively carrying out their functions in accordance with the regulatory/ statutory requirements and Management’s instructions, policies, procedures and a manner consistent with the Bank’s objectives.

  • 11Mrs. SENG Molika
    Mrs. SENG Molika
    Deputy Director General of General Departement of Science, Technology and Innovation

    SENG Molika currently holds the position of Director within the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Data Management Department at the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI). She obtained her Master’s Degree in Ubiquitous Computing and Networking from Nice Sophia Antipolis, France, through the Erasmus Mundus program. During her tenure at MISTI, she played a pivotal role in establishing MISTI’s data center in 2022. As Director, her primary responsibilities include spearheading technical leadership in STI data management, as well as driving digital transformation initiatives for MISTI.

  • 12Dr. Taing Nguonly
    Dr. Taing Nguonly
    Executive Director Techo Startup Center

    Dr. Taing Nguonly is a significant presence in Cambodia’s digital economy sector, holding key roles such as Director General of the General Department of Digital Economy of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Executive Director of Techo Startup Center. His responsibilities encompass overseeing diverse programs like the Cambodia Data Exchange (CamDX), Online Business Registration, Startup Development, Startup Cambodia National Program, and Enterprises Go Digital Program. Besides engagement in various research activities spanning applied, policy, and AI research, Dr. Nguonly has been instrumental in developing crucial digital enabling platforms to advance Cambodia’s digital economy.
    His academic background features a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the Royal University of Phnom Penh, an M.Sc. in ICT from Waseda University, Japan, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Dresden University of Technology, Germany.

  • 13Mr. SOU Visal
    Mr. SOU Visal
    Chief Executive Officer

    Mr. Visal Sou is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) Cambodia. He holds a master’s degree of honor in Educational Leadership and Management from the University of Hong Kong in 2011, and later IDLTM from the University of Queensland in 2015. Mr. Sou is highly experienced and skilled in instructional design and e-learning, coaching, strategic planning, and organizational development with a demonstrated history of work in the education management industry.
    Prior to joining IBF, Mr. Sou managed one of the biggest campuses of the Australian Centre for Education, IDP Education Cambodia for 8 years, and used to serve as the Bachelor Program Coordinator at the Institute of Foreign Languages, RUPP, for 9 years. He was also a member of the Advisory Councils for the National ELT Accreditation Scheme (NEAS), Australia, from 2018-2022.

  • 14Brig. Gen. LY Vandy
    Brig. Gen. LY Vandy
    Director of Digital Security Department Ministry of Interior

    As part of my career development, I am joining the Ministry of Interior (MOI) as Director of Digital Security Department in charge of cybercrime investigations, digital forensics, IT & security strategies and policy development, while I’m also involved in human capital building. Before joining the public security sector, I was an Senior Manager at Deloitte (Cambodia), KPMG (Cambodia), and ANZ Royal Bank specializing in technical security assessment (VAPT), information system audit (IT Audit), enterprise security architecture (ESA) and governance. I was also the founder of Information Systems Security Alliance, and the founder of CISO local program development. Furthermore, I also had 8 years of experience in software development and 9 years in IT security. My key areas of expertise includes project management, cyber security analysis, web/network/mobile VAPT, incident handling, IT governance & management, and IT Audit. In 2013, I was a Technical Project Advisor of Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). I holds a Masters Degree in IT Engineering and is a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP), a Certified Payment Card Industry Security Implementer (CPISI), a Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementor and a System Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP). In addition, I has the following certifications: Cyber Security (Incident Handling and Assessment) from Malaysia, Opensource Intelligence from Korea, Digital Forensic from China, Internet Investigation from Thailand and IT Security Assessment from Singapore.

  • 15Major General Sok Nithya
    Major General Sok Nithya
    Director of Anti Cyber Crime Department General Commissariat of National Police

    General Commissariat of National Police and Director of Anti Cyber Crime Department, providing protection to national and social security in terms of cyber context. He has earned two master degrees from Australia one of which is a Masters in Management Finance.
    He has 15 years of experience in the Cambodian National Police ranging from the Intelligence Department, to Central Security Department, and now in the Anti Cyber Crime Department. Major Gen. Sok Nithya has joined numerous professional trainings, seminars, and conferences relating to combating Cyber Crimes and ensuring Cyber Security have given him insights and understandings in regards to these matters.

  • 16Mr. NA Peoupagnarith
    Mr. NA Peoupagnarith
    Director of Legal Affairs Department Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia

    Mr. NA Peoupagnarith is the Director of the Legal Affairs Department at the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC). In this role, he is responsible for managing legal matters and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. With over 15 years of experience in legal affairs, Mr. Peoupagnarith has extensive experience serving as a panelist in numerous sharing sessions.
    He holds a Master’s degree in Law from the Royal University of Law and Economics and a Master’s degree from Lyon 3 University in France. Mr. Peoupagnarith is passionate about contributing valuable insights and expertise across a wide range of topics.

  • 17Mr. Torsten Kleine Buening
    Mr. Torsten Kleine Buening
    Chief Risk Officer ABA Bank

    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.
    As of now, Torsten chairs the Association of Banks in Cambodia‘s Risk Committee and is a member of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce; and most recently provided a Masterclass on Credit Risk at Royal University of Law and Economics.

  • 18Ms. Ivana Tranchini
    Ms. Ivana Tranchini
    Country Manager VISA Cambodia

    Current Position and Responsibilities
    Ivana is Visa’s Country Manager for Cambodia. In this role she is responsible for working with Visa’s clients, and industry and government stakeholders to develop Visa’s globally interoperable, secure and reliable payments network for Camodian consumers and businesses.

    Other Information
    Prior to this role, Ivana was Visa’s Head of Products & Solutions for New Zealand & the South Pacific, where she led the industry efforts to implement Visa products and capabilities in a manner that created growth for the markets. She has also held Senior Sales and Corporate Communications roles for Visa in the Asia Pacific region for three years.

    Before joining Visa in 2013, Ivana had a 12-year career in corporate communications across payments and banking, as well as B2B consulting through global communications agencies.

    Through her experience, Ivana has built a broad understanding of payments from a global and local perspective. She has particular interest in the role of innovation in closing the gap between developed and emerging payments markets, and the learnings that can be shared across these markets relating to new technologies, regulation, ecosystem dynamics and operating models.

  • 19Mr. Pen Chanda
    Mr. Pen Chanda
    Chief of Party USAID Digital Workforce Development

    Chanda Pen is passionate about technology, electronic payments, and the startup-ecosystem and has spent 20 years of his career building products and designing systems. Chanda is the Chief of Party for the
    USAID Digital Workforce Development (DWD) initiative with a mandate to improve technical education
    for Cambodia’s working professionals and university students.

    Prior to serving as Chief of Party, Chanda was the Co-Founder/CEO of Bongloy, a Southeast Asia based
    fintech company he exited in June of 2021. He has served as a Council Member of the Association of
    Banks of Cambodia (ABC), Chaired the National QR Code Task Force Committee, and was the Chairman
    of Cambodia Association of Finance and Technology (CAFT).

    He currently serves as a Fintech Lecturer at the National University of Management (NUM) and sits on
    the board of Phillip Bank as an Independent Director.

    Chanda holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Barry University and an Executive Master of Science in
    Technology Management from Columbia University in the City of New York.

  • 20Mr. Stanley TEE
    Mr. Stanley TEE

    Stanley’s professional background primarily revolves around the semiconductor, telecommunications, and cybersecurity industries, with a special focus on solution sales in the Asian market. His career has been characterized by notable strengths in business development, pioneering new market territories, and adeptly addressing complex challenges. Those who have had the privilege of working with Stanley can attest to his unwavering commitment to values such as loyalty, honesty, and integrity.
    Stanley’s entrepreneurial spirit has led to the establishment of two successful ventures:

    Haircut Retail Chain Stores: Stanley founded and managed a network of haircut retail chain stores, demonstrating his ability to navigate the retail sector.
    Telecom Services (Toll Free): He initiated a telecom services company specializing in toll-free solutions to support conferencing and telecom providers. This venture showcased his expertise in the telecommunications field.
    In both his professional and personal life, Stanley is guided by a simple yet profound motto: “Always eager to solve problems for my clients.” This ethos underscores his dedication to providing practical solutions and value to his clients and partners.

    Beyond his professional pursuits, Stanley is actively engaged in community service and philanthropy. He finds immense fulfillment in volunteering and extending support to underserved individuals, striving to make a positive impact in the lives of those in need. His overarching philosophy is, “Life is short, and I want to make meaningful change to the lives of people while I have the opportunity to do so.”

    Stanley was the Chairman of the Singapore Association of Hong Kong (SAHK) between 2014 to 2016. The primary purpose of the SAHK is to provide Singaporeans working or residing in Hong Kong with opportunities for recreation, social gatherings and integration into the local community and, at the same time, act as ambassadors to others in Hong Kong who may have an interest in the latest developments in Singapore, professional activities and social networking.

    Prior to this, Stanley had worked in various industries, including the semiconductor and telecommunications industries for more than 25 years.

  • 21Raymond Sia Say Guan
    Raymond Sia Say Guan
    Vice-Chairman The Association of Banks in Cambodia

    Mr. RAYMOND Sia currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Board Director of Canadia Bank since March 2018. He is also the Chairman of Credit Bureau Holding (Cambodia) LTD and Board Director of Credit Bureau of Cambodia since August 2020 and also served as an Office Bearer/ Chairman of the Association of Banks in Cambodia from March 2022 – March 2024. And Vice Chairman for the new 2 – years term starting April 2024.
    Prior to Canadia Bank, Mr. RAYMOND Sia served in various senior management and leadership roles with international and regional banks in Malaysia and Vietnam, namely Public Bank, Standard Chartered Bank (Malaysia & Vietnam), and Hong Leong Bank (Vietnam) where he was the Chief Executive Officer/General Director.
    Mr. RAYMOND Sia has 30 years of Banking, Treasury and Financial Services experience across multiple senior management roles in Cambodia, Malaysia & Vietnam and started his banking career as a Graduate Trainee with Public Bank in Malaysia where he spent 11 years in different roles such as Head of Syndication & Capital Markets and Head of Credit Processing.
    At Standard Chartered Bank, Mr. RAYMOND Sia held various senior leadership roles from Director of Local Corporates to Head of Global Corporates, with his last position as Head of SME Banking & General Director/CEO of Hanoi Branch, Standard Chartered Bank.

  • 22Dr. Puthearath CHAN
    Dr. Puthearath CHAN
    Member of the NSC Secretariat for the United Nations Partnership for Action on Green Economy (UN PAGE) in Cambodia, Ministry of Environment

    Dr. Puthearath CHAN has over 12 years of work experience as a researcher, university lecturer, senior technical officer, and national coordinator for various projects on green and circular economy, urban sustainability, and climate change, with governmental and non-governmental organizations, national and international universities, as well as UN Agencies, such as UNCDF, UNIDO, UNDP, etc. He has worked as a senior technical officer for more than 10 years at the Department of Green Economy (formerly Division of Green Economy and Investment), General Directorate of Policy and Strategy under the Ministry of Environment/ National Council for Sustainable Development.
    Dr. CHAN is a member of the National Steering Committee (NSC) Secretariat for the United Nations Partnership for Action on Green Economy (UN PAGE) in Cambodia, which is led by the Ministry of Environment and supported by the five UN Agencies (UNDP, UNIDO, ILO, UNEP & UNITAR). He is also an advisory board member and professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Paragon International University, and a visiting professor for international master’s degree programs (dual degrees) in entrepreneurship and project management at the Royal University of Law and Economics and the Lumière Lyon 2 University, France.
    Dr. CHAN obtained an MBA in green economic development and a graduate diploma in agricultural economics from the AgroStudies International Center Ruppin Campus, ISRAEL, and a PhD in sustainable urban and regional development, focused on sustainable development goals (SDGs), from the Hanyang University Seoul Campus, South KOREA. He also got certified in the core concepts of circular entrepreneurship from the Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA.

  • 23Mr. Anant Jha
    Mr. Anant Jha
    Climate Finance Consultant

    Anant Jha is a development economist specializing in Sustainable finance, policy analysis, and project management. Also a former engineer with a decade of professional experience spanning four continents, Anant has supported the development of strategic frameworks for climate risk assessments and programs to boost access to sustainable finance thorough innovation while leading multidisciplinary teams, and designing innovative solutions, particularly in developing countries. He is currently engaged in United Nation ESCAP’s Financing for Development work in greening central banks and catalyzing finance and investments for climate action. Developing cutting edge research, tailored capacity building, and targeted technical assistance to ESCAP member states. His career also includes roles within grassroots organizations in India and Costa Rica as well as lead of advanced research and sustainable innovation in the private sector.

  • 24Mr. Dith Sochal
    Mr. Dith Sochal
    Chairman of Sustainable Finance Committee (The Association of Banks in Cambodia)

    Having more than 18 years of work experience in the financial and banking industry, most of which were with ANZ Royal Bank, the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), PwC, and FTB (Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia). Currently, he is the BoD Member and CEO of FTB.
    He was the chairman of sustainable financial committee at The Association of Banks in Cambodia from 2019 to 2021.

  • 25Mr. Ramzi Sharif
    Mr. Ramzi Sharif
    Chief Risk Officer Maybank Cambodia

    More than 25 years of experience in credit and risk management (specialising in ESG and climate risk), economic research, as well as central banking & monetary policy operations. Previously, he held senior management roles as Head of Group CRO Office of Maybank Group, Group CRO of Maybank Investment Banking Group (previously, Maybank Kim Eng), CRO of Maybank Investment Bank (Malaysia) and various positions in the Central Bank of Malaysia (or Bank Negara Malaysia).

  • 26Mr. Stephen Higgins
    Mr. Stephen Higgins
    Founder and Managing Partner of Mekong Strategic Capital (MSC)

    Stephen is a founder and Managing Partner of Mekong Strategic Capital (MSC), bringing to MSC three decades of experience in banking and financial services, communications, leadership, and strategy. At MSC, Stephen has specialised in Corporate Advisory, and has advised on some the largest transactions in Cambodia in recent years.

    Stephen is a board member of Manulife Cambodia, and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the International School of Phnom Penh.

    Prior to founding MSC, Stephen worked for ANZ Banking Group for 18 years, in roles including CEO of ANZ Royal Bank in Cambodia, and as ANZ’s Group Head of Investor Relations where he was responsible for ANZ’s global investor relations program including the management of ANZ’s relationships with investors, brokers, ratings agencies, and market regulators. During this period, ANZ was rated by fund managers and analysts as the best in Investor Relations in Australasia for three consecutive years, with Stephen being awarded Australasia’s Best Investor Relations professional.

    Stephen’s earlier roles in ANZ included positions in Corporate Banking and Esanda Finance, ANZ’s leasing subsidiary.

    Previous roles include:
    Director, TPC Microfinance 2012-2014
    Chairman, ANZ Laos, 2010-2012
    Chairman, Wing Cambodia, 2009-2011
    President, AusCham Cambodia, 2008-2011
    Member of ANZ’s Group Corporate Responsibility Committee, 2010-2012

    Stephen has an MBA from Melbourne Business School, a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University, and a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University.

  • 27Ms. Nomindari Enkhtur
    Ms. Nomindari Enkhtur
    Advisor, IFC-facilitated Sustainable Banking and Finance Network CEO, Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association

    Nomindari currently serves as CEO of the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association, as well as Advisor to the IFC-facilitated Sustainable Banking and Finance Network focusing on developing knowledge products on key globalsustainable finance topics such as sustainable finance roadmaps and data and disclosure. Nomindari also has a key role in the design and development of the Mongolia Green Finance Corporation, a unique public-private partnership institution with a special mandate to promote green finance and supported by GCF. Since 2013, she closely worked with policy makers and international partners to help banks in Mongolia andother countries integrate sustainability considerations into their lending decisions and product design. Besides, she worked as CEO of the Mongolian Billion Tree Fund during its establishment phase, and as a consultant with the UN Joint SDG Fund, UNEP, UNICEF, UNDP, EBRD, ADB, GIZ and Partners Group on a number of projects related to portfolio emissions calculation, green/SDG taxonomy development and piloting, green loan portfolio assessment, green bonds, gender finance, ESG integration, sustainability reporting and capacity building. For her contribution to sustainable finance both nationally and globally, Nomindari was included in Asia’s Top Sustainability Superwomen List of Honour of 2022, EU Young Leader for Development and One Young World Ambassador in 2017. Nomindari holds a master’s degree in Sustainability Management from Columbia University in New York and is a Fulbright Awardee.

  • 28Mr. SOK Chenda
    Mr. SOK Chenda
    Senior Cybersecurity Sales Solutions Smart Axiata

    Chenda is a Cybersecurity Consultant and Risk Advisory at Smart Axiata Cambodia. He has 13 years of experience in both IT consultant Network & Security and Lecture of IT Professional. My key area of professional includes IT Project management, IT Business Development, Design of network and security solutions, R&D/Product Development and Cybersecurity Consultant.He also holds a Masters Degree of Science in Information Technology and Cybersecurity Expert-Master’s Program (included CISSP, CISA, CISM, and CCSP, CEHv11) from Simplilearn Institute (India), Huawei Certified Network Associate and Professional R&S (HCNA & HCNP), Huawei IP network Pre-Sale Specialist, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals & Solution Architect Expert and Certified Network Security Specialist (CNSS) by Internal Cybersecurity Institute, UK.

  • 29Mr. John Berry
    Mr. John Berry
    Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General

    John is a former Retail CEO at Abbey National (now part of Santander) in the UK. During his time there, roles included Marketing Director, European Director (Managing businesses in France, Spain and Italy), Transformation Director as well as Senior Distribution roles. He received international recognition for customer centric innovations such as Costa Coffee and Branch Franchising. He developed a global reputation for innovation when running his own business (consulting and training) post Abbey National/ pre Efma. Appointed CEO Efma in April 2020 since when the business has been repositioned to match the rapidly changing times driven by digitalization including a rebranding (to Qorus) in 2022 as a “need to have” business partner.

  • 30Mr. Sophal Tek
    Mr. Sophal Tek
    Director, Country Business Development Mastercard

    Tek Sophal has over 20 years of experience in the financial and banking sector. For more than a decade, Sophal has been with Mastercard, where he currently serves as the Country Business Development Director for Mastercard Cambodia. In this role, he collaborates with key stakeholders and drives business strategy development and execution to expand market presence and strengthen partnerships.

    Before joining Mastercard, Sophal spent over 10 years at SBC & CUBC, where he held various senior positions focused on leading and executing bank strategies to drive innovation, operational efficiency and growth of payments business in alignment with the bank’s overall strategic business objectives for the market.

  • 31Mr. Au Chong Wei
    Mr. Au Chong Wei
    Senior Head, Regional Innovative Product UnionPay International Southeast Asia

    Au Chong Wei is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in the payment networks and card products industry, particularly within the Southeast Asian market. His expertise spans across ISO specifications, transaction flows, business and dispute rules, and product enablement.
    Currently serving as the Senior Head of Regional Innovative Products at UnionPay International in Singapore, Chong Wei manages the team to oversees product enablement and commercialization across Southeast Asia. He is instrumental in developing innovative product strategies tailored to diverse markets. His portfolio includes a wide range of products such as transit systems, remittance services, real-time push payments, QR codes, mobile payments, virtual cards, account-based payments, B2B payments, and e-commerce solutions.
    Prior to his current role, Chong Wei held various leadership positions within UnionPay International, where he took on project management and spearheaded successful project implementations. His earlier career as a Senior Technical Consultant at Watchdata Technologies and an R&D Engineer at Stoval Technologies provided him with a solid foundation in technical project management, chip card technology, and RFID systems.
    Chong Wei holds a Master of Science in Smart Product Design and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Known for his ability to quickly grasp new concepts and his passion for technology, Chong Wei is a problem solver who thrives under pressure and is dedicated to advancing innovation in the payment technology industry.

  • 33Mr. Chhay Yaroth
    Mr. Chhay Yaroth
    Senior Vice President and Head of Information Security Division at ACLEDA Bank Plc.

    MSc, C|CISO | CSM®| CSO30 ASEAN | Thinkers360 Top 25 Cybersecurity | Certified Cyber Leadership & Executive Cyber Resilience Program from Cyber Leadership Institute | CEH | ASIS-CSO Member | CyberEdBoard Member.

    With over 10 years of experience in security leadership roles at ACLEDA Bank Plc. My core responsibilities include directing, leading, and managing information security, cybersecurity, governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) functions. Also, to ensure that the bank’s cybersecurity strategy aligns with its business objectives and regulatory requirements by overseeing cyber defense to safeguard sensitive data, enterprise security architecture, information security management, and incident response teams and enhancing the bank’s cybersecurity posture, resilience, and overall excellence.

  • 34Mr. DIT Vantarith
    Mr. DIT Vantarith
    Head of IT Security, Canadia Bank

    Vantarith stands as a foremost figure within the domain of IT security and Cybersecurity, possessing over a decade of professional experience. His expertise encompasses a multifaceted range of security practices, including: IT security governance, encompass the implementation of cybersecurity operation and carry on system penetration exercise to safeguard application and data spanning multiple industries.
    Prior to assuming his current leadership role in banking sector, he refined his skills at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a world-renowned consulting firm. There, he functioned as an IT risk and controls assurance specialist, undertaking IT audits and risk assurance projects for a diverse clientele spanning banking, manufacturing, cryptocurrency, and telecommunications sectors.
    Vantarith holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Management Information Systems and Business Administration. His credentials are further solidified by a comprehensive portfolio of globally recognized cybersecurity certifications, including:
    • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) – ISACA
    • Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) – ISC2
    • Certified Payment Card Industry Security Implementer V.3.2.1
    • Certified ISO 27001 Lead Implementer
    • Certified Ethical Hacker – EC Council
    • Certified CompTIA Security+
    • Microsoft Certified Professional

  • 35Mr. PELL Remisisophon
    Mr. PELL Remisisophon
    Chairman of Cambodian Association of Finance and Technology

    Remi a graduate of La Sierra University with a degree on International Business is an entrepreneur & investor who has multi-industry experience in the sectors of banking and financial services, travel and tourism, and lastly fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) personal care products. Remi started his career with Bank of America which is one of the prominent global financial services company that was the first to offer coast-to-coast banking in the U.S. Remi before his appointment of CAFT Chairman served as its Board Treasurer since 2019 when it was first founded.

  • 36Mr. Tg Ramakrishnan
    Mr. Tg Ramakrishnan
    Strategic Partnerships Manager, Google Pay, APAC

    TG Ramakrishnan is the Strategic Partnerships Manager at Google Asia Pacific with responsibility for building partner ecosystems with Google Pay and Google Wallet across financial institutions, networks, transit agencies and merchants across South East Asia.

    Prior to joining Google, TG worked in building Digital ecosystems at several companies, including Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank, ANZ Bank across Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia Pacific and India.

  • 37Mr. Shehryar Ali Shah
    Mr. Shehryar Ali Shah
    Digital Financial Services Specialist (Cambodia, Laos & Viet Nam) of IFC

    • Over 30 years of global banking experience in Digital, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), Operations, Retail and SME banking, Risk Management, Consumer Finance and Trans-border Home Remittances.
    • Prior to joining the IFC as an Operations Officer, Shehryar was the Chief Digital Officer at Askari Bank in Pakistan.
    • Before that, he was with AIDA, a Singapore-based AI and ML startup, where he ran the FI vertical and helped client banks in Southeast Asia conceive and set up AI and ML driven projects to support their digitization initiatives across the banking spectrum
    • Gulf International Bank as Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Operating Officer and helped set up and launch their Digital bank (Meem),
    • DBS Bank as Deputy head of Innovation and part of the ground-breaking Digital Banking team that helped set up DBS bank’s award-winning Digital Bank,
    • Headed the FI, Wealth and Home Remittances group at KASB bank in Pakistan,
    • CEO of Credit Agricole’s Consumer Finance business (Sofinco) in Saudi Arabia and held several leadership roles as CRO and Business head in several geographies for ABN AMRO in their global network, after starting his banking career with Citibank.

  • 38Dr Shonali Krishnaswamy
    Dr Shonali Krishnaswamy
    Co-Founder and CTO of AiDA Technologies

    Dr Shonali Krishnaswamy was the Co-Founder and CTO of AiDA Technologies (www.aidatech.io).

    AiDA (www.aidatech.io) is a multi-award-winning Machine Learning (ML) start-up from Singapore, delivering AI-based Claims Processing technologies for Health Insurers in Singapore and the ASEAN region. AiDA was acquired by Amplify Health in 2023:
    https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/startups-tech/startups/aias-amplify-health-acquires-ai-startup-aida-plans-hiring-spree

    AiDA’s marquee product SMART-CLAIMS is an AI-based solution for automating the processing of Health Insurance Claims and detecting/preventing Fraud, Waste, and Abuse. SMART-CLAIMS has been adopted by several major insurers in Singapore and increasingly in the ASEAN region. As of today, SMART-CLAIMS processes 75% of the Individual Life Health Claims in Singapore (over 1 million claims per annum) and has created a transformational impact for policyholders submitting claims. The process of getting reimbursed for hospitalisation and doctor visits which typically would take days can now happen in the order of minutes and payment within the hour for a majority of policyholders.

    Prior to co-founding AiDA, Shonali was Head of the Data Analytics Department at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), which is part of the Singapore Government’s national R&D arm, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). As Head of Data Analytics at I2R, Shonali led a research team of 70 Data Science researchers and engineers and focused on R&D innovation labs and collaboration projects across multiple industry sectors including Financial Services, Telecommunications, Healthcare and Aerospace.

    She has also previously held academic/professorial appointments in Australia at Monash University and Swinburne University. Shonali is the recipient of several national and international awards including an ARC Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship, Monash University Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research by an Early Career Researcher, the Institute of Engineers Singapore Prestigious Engineering Award, the ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Award, and an IBM Innovation Award. In 2020, Shonali was recognised as one of Singapore’s Inaugural 100 Women in Technology by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Singapore Computer Society (SCS). More recently, in March 2024, Shonali was recognised as one of Asia’s Top 50 Women Technology Leaders.