INDEPENDENT BOARD MEMBERS
Michael BarthChairman Michael Barth has had a long and distinguished career in global emerging markets investing. He is currently Managing Partner of Washington based Barth & Associates LLC, an independent emerging markets investment advisory firm, and holds various board directorships. Between 2006 and 2012, he held different senior positions in Darby Overseas Investments Ltd., an emerging markets private equity firm. In 2005, Mr. Barth completed his term of over five years as Chief Executive Officer of FMO. In his last two years at FMO, he also served as Chairman of the European Association of Private Sector-Oriented Development Banks (EDFI). Prior to his tenure at FMO, he served as Director at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank.
Rob HoningDirector Rob Honing is a board member of Africinvest Private Credit since October 2018. He has a long career of 25 years in SME-banking. After a few years working as a Certified Public Accountant he joined Rabobank, an international cooperative bank established in the Netherlands. During his career within this bank he was responsible as a board member for several local banks within the Rabobank Group. Today he works with an international NGO established in the Netherlands where he is responsible for the financials of the international projects.
Richard ButlerDirector Richard Butler has worked in the global financial services sector for more than 35 years, most recently as Head of Corporate Finance for ING Group in the Americas. He was President and CEO of ING Capital’s US brokerage operations and served as board director at various insurance, financial services and micro finance companies as audit and governance committee chairman in the US and India. Prior to that he was a Managing Director at Chase Manhattan Bank in Cote d’Ivoire and New York. He started his international career in 1976 working with agriculture cooperatives and credit unions in Cameroon, Mali and Senegal for four years as a US Peace Corps Volunteer
ANTISH BUNDHUNDirector Antish Bundhun holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Mauritius. He has over 10 years of experience in the establishment and administration of international investment funds and companies. He has developed in depth knowledge of the financial services sector coupled with practical know-how on the operating, regulatory and compliance aspects of global business entities. Antish has spent nine years at SANNE Mauritius and one and a half year with IQ EQ. In November 2019, he joined Trident as Manager in the Fund Administration and Accounting department, monitoring a team of 22 staff. He handles a portfolio of clients consisting of high net worth individuals, institutional investors and multinationals. Antish also acts as Director on the Board of several entities administered by Trident.
Teemulsingh LuchowaDirector Teemulsingh ( Ashis) Luchowa : Ashis has worked in the Mauritius financial services industry since 2005, developing significant experience in tax, administration, company secretarial and investment fund related matters. He leads a team administering private equity funds, along with investment holding companies and other structures. Prior to joining Trident Trust, Ashis headed the Structuring, On-Boarding and Tax Compliance teams at an international provider of corporate fund administration services. Ashis holds a degree in Economics & Finance and a Masters in Business Administration. He speaks French and English.
VÄINÖ ESILÄObserver, Finnfund Väinö Esilä works at Finnfund (Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation) as a Portfolio Officer in the Financial Institutions Team. Mr. Esilä is currently responsible for the customer Financial Institutions’ portfolio administration. Prior to the current position he has worked over 20 years in OP Financial Group, both in bank analysis and bank relationship management including banks in emerging markets and developed markets. Prior to working at OP Financial Group Mr. Esilä has had several positions in the predecessors of current Nordea Bank, including in the associated bank International Moscow Bank in the Russian Federation. In addition to banking work, Mr. Esilä has experience from trading company business, and trade associations. Mr. Esilä has board experience from several trade associations and housing associations.
CREDIT COMMITTEE
William ThomasPreviously CEO, Bill Thomas joined SFC Finance in 2013 after many years as a banker, largely focused on Africa and the Middle East. During this time, he was Country Head for Citibank in Tunisia and for the Standard Bank of South Africa in Ghana. He concentrated on credit and risk as Director of Credit for Africa with the Standard Bank and Head of Risk and Underwriting at Citicorp International Trade Indemnity. In the early part of his career, he held various positions covering Africa with Chemical Bank and HSBC, located in New York, Nairobi, London and Hartford, Connecticut. Mr. Thomas is a graduate of Occidental College in Los Angeles and did his Masters work in the MSFS program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
DAVID KLINGENSMITH David has been in international banking and investing for more than 35 years in the US, Colombia, Pakistan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Europe and Africa with various institutions including the Asian Development Bank and the Chase Manhattan Bank. For 20 years till 2013, he was at the EBRD, ultimately as CRO and managing director of risk. Since then, he has been on corporate and bank boards. He regularly advises and works as a consultant at Nestor Advisors (London) on corporate governance, risk, and value issues at board level. David is a graduate of Tulane University, and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Michael GrossmanMichael is an experienced banker with over 25 years emerging markets credit experience. Currently he is Managing Director and Head of Private Credit at New Island Capital. Previously, he worked interalia for the Calvert Social Investment Foundation, McKinsey & Company’s Social Sector Office, with a focus on the financial sector. Mr. Grossman served as Senior Director for Africa at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. Government development agency, where he developed over $1.5 billion investment programs. He held several high responsibility positions at a major US international bank in different countries in Africa and sits in several boards.
