ICC gets new Chair, Vice-Chair, executive board members

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has elected MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga as its Chair with immediate effect.

Paris-based world business organisation, which represents 45 million member bodies around the world, confirmed the election during Annual ICC World Council held on Tuesday virtually, said a press release.

The virtual council also elected Ms. Maria Fernanda Garza, CEO of Orestia and current Board member, as the ICC First Vice-Chair. She is the first woman to hold the position.

The organisation also elected new members of the ICC Executive Board, making the composition of ICC’s leadership the most diverse to date in terms of gender, ethnic and regional balance during the meeting.

The newly-elected board members will begin two-year terms on July 1.

 

Ajay Banga

Mr Banga, who has served as ICC’s First Vice-Chair since June 2018, has succeeded Paul Polman.

Polman will now act as ICC Honorary Chair after serving as Chair for the past two years.

Mr. Yassin Al Suroor, founder and the Executive Chairman of A’amal Group, was re-elected as Vice Chair.

Newly-elected chair Mr Banga said: “I am delighted to step into the role of ICC Chair, taking over from my friend Paul Polman. In this challenging time, I intend to build on the work underway at ICC and to ensure that the organisation, on behalf of business globally, continues to lead in promoting greater prosperity and opportunity for all, which includes being a crucial voice in the re-building of a sustainable and inclusive global economy.”

Prior to joining Mastercard, Mr Banga served as Chief Executive Officer of Citigroup Asia Pacific.

He served as a member of former United States President Barack Obama’s Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity and a past member Mr Obama’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

 

Maria Fernanda Garza

 

Ms Garza has served as an ICC Executive Board member since 2014 and is the ICC Regional Coordinator for the Americas and a member of the governing body of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.

The ICC World Council also saw the election of the following seven ICC Executive Board members – to strengthen their leadership at the highest level with augmented geographic, ethnic and gender diversity.

• Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammad Al-Thani (Qatar) Chair of ICC Qatar and Chair of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry

• Sebastian Escarrer (Spain) Chair of ICC Spain and former CEO and Vice-Chairman of Melia Hotels International

• Dario Gallina (Italy) President of the Torino Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Doctor Gallina

• Shinta Kamdani (Indonesia) Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Sintesa Group

• Valentina Mintah (Ghana) Founder and former CEO of West Blue Consulting

• Takeshi Niinami (Japan) Chief Executive Officer of Suntory Holdings Limited 

• Jane Sun (China) CEO and member of the board of directors of Trip.com

Patrick Obath (Kenya) and Harsh Pati Singhania (India) were also re-elected to serve second terms on the Executive Board.