CRF Executive Committee Members, Business Registries, and experts that will attend CRF 2022 in the Maldives.

DELEGATES

CRF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Ms. Louise Smyth

Chief Executive of Companies House UK, Registrar for England and Wales, and CRF President

Companies House

Louise Smyth is President of the CRF and joined Companies House in September 2017 as Chief Executive and Registrar for England and Wales.

Before joining Companies House Louise held a number of senior positions at the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), including Director of IT, Director of People, Places & Services.

Louise went on to become Chief Operating Officer in 2014, responsible for Corporate Services: IT, People, Places and Services and Finance.

Louise has also been appointed as interim Regulator of Community Interest Companies, an office holder established by the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004. The Regulator decides if an organisation is eligible to become, or continue to be, a community interest company and investigates complaints against community interest companies and provides guidance and assistance to help people set them up.

Mr. Abdul Rasheed KP

Director

Companies Registration Office, Qatar Financial Centre

Abdul Rasheed KP works as the Director of Companies Registration Office at Qatar Financial Centre, Doha, Qatar, and is a member of the Executive Committee of CRF.

 

A lawyer by profession, Mr. Rasheed has worked with leading law firms in India and the Middle East, prior to joining the Qatar Financial Centre. Mr. Rasheed has worked also as an Assistant Registrar of Companies and as Assistant Official Liquidator in India,  as a prosecutor in India’s federal investigation agency – the Central Bureau of Investigation; and in a senior position in the Indian banking arm of a global financial major.

 

He has published articles and spoken at international conferences on law, corporate governance and white-collar crimes; and some of his talks have been broadcasted. He is a member of the International Bar Association. His personal interest includes music, literature, and travel

 

Mr. Conductor Paul Masena

Registrar General

Companies and Intellectual Property Authority

I was appointed as the inaugural Registrar General of CIPA in August 2013. Led the transformation of ROCIP to Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) an autonomous body, and charged with driving the strategic direction of the Authority and ensuring that CIPA delivers its mandate as per the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority Act, 2011.

 

I am credited with putting in place processes that significantly reduced the turn-around times for registering companies in Botswana, spearheading the amendments of the Companies Act resulting in the successful implementation of the Online Business Registration System (OBRS), which has seen tremendous improvements in efficiencies within CIPA therefore contributing to the ease of doing business and transformation agenda in Botswana.

 

I hold Masters of Intellectual Property, Commerce and Technology, a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Economics and a Diploma in Trade Policy from the World Trade Organization. I also served in Boards of Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) and Botswana Accounting College (BAC) for number of years. A seasoned professional who has experience in both Copyright and Industrial Property, I was elected to chair ARIPO Administrative Council from 2009 to 2011. Currently I’m an Executive Committee Member of the Corporate Registers Forum (CRF).

Ms. Marija Boshkovska Jankovski

Director

Central Registry of North Macedonia

My name is Marija Boshkovska-Jankovski, director of Central Registry of Republic of North Macedonia. I’ve joined Central Registry in August, 2017. As professional in business economics and financial accounting management, I have been involved in the implementation of numerous development projects – essential for the progress of the Central Registry.

 

On this year’s AGM I was reelected for new mandate as a member of the Executive Committee of Corporate Registry Forum.
The Central Registry is self-financed government institution, which is currently in a process of upgrading the existing solutions with a new comprehensive service model – covering all significant aspects that directly affect the quality of services.

 

My vision for the Central registry arises directly from the needs of the private sector and all service users (including foreign and domestic investors), and from the institutional need to access and share up-to-date information in order to increase the efficiency of their work.

Ms. Mariyam Visam

2022 Conference Director and Registrar of Companies

Ministry of Economic Development

Visam is the Registrar of businesses at the Ministry of Economic Development. Visam is leading the digitalization program of business registry services to modernize and increase accessibility to business services across the country. She also oversees FDI registrations and provides her expertise in formulating investment policies.

 

Visam is also a member of the Board of Directors of Capital Market Development Authority (CMDA).

 

Visam has over 15 years of experience in economic affairs and financial sector.

 

Visam also contributes to the academia by facilitating training programs, postgraduate courses in the areas of Entrepreneurship, Corporate Governance, Risk Management & Business Ethics.

 

Visam holds a Master’s Degree in Business Economics from the University of Queensland, Australia.

Mr. Martin FIDLER JONES

Senior Policy Advisor of Companies House UK and CRF Secretary

Companies House

Martin Fidler Jones is the CRF Secretary and joined Companies House in 2021 as a Senior Policy Advisor following a decade in charity sector public affairs, policy and communications.

A fluent French speaker, Martin has also worked at the heart of Parliaments and their governments in Wales, the UK and the EU.

He holds an Honours degree in Economics and a Masters in International Relations, with a specialism in climate change politics.

Ms. Shelley Chua

Assistant Director, Corporate Communications Department

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority

Ms Shelley Chua is the Assistance Director of the Corporate Communications Department (CCD) which develops and executes communications strategies and plans to promote ACRA’s corporate profile and promulgate ACRA’s key messages. The department oversees ACRA’s international engagement strategy and advances Singapore’s interests abroad. CCD also coordinates ACRA’s stakeholder engagement efforts to foster better understanding of the corporate regulatory framework and engender support for ACRA’s role as a business regulator and facilitator.

BUSINESS REGISTRIES

Azerbaijan

Mr. Alakbar Mammadov

Chief for State Registration Main Department

State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy

I’ve been working at the Ministry of Taxes, currently the State Tax Service since 2011. I have an extensive experience in various spheres, such as taxation, state registration and taxpayer registration, staff training and international fiscal cooperation. During my tenure at the various positions in the abovementioned areas, different socio-economic projects and activities were implemented for increasing tax culture in the society.
Currently, I’m responsible for the state registration of commercial legal entities function of the State Tax Service of Azerbaijan. During my supervision of this sphere, our work aimed at simplification of procedures required for registration a business in Azerbaijan contributed to the advancement of our country in international rankings.
There were numerous national and international conferences and forums where I have had a privilege to deliver presentations and participate at different panels. I am an author of more than 150 scientific articles, methodical facilities, research works covering various branches of entrepreneurship activities. I have had a pleasure to be a speaker at the Conference.

I am currently working at the State Tax Service and responsible for state registration of legal entities. Executing control upon cases determined by legislation to refuse state registration of commercial and public legal entities, branches and representative offices of foreign commercial legal entities, entering the representative office or branch of a state-registered foreign commercial entity into the state register, as well as state registration of changes made in the founding documents and subsequent changes to the facts recorded in the register; to make proposals in the field of improving the registration of commercial and public legal entities and the state register; as a result of the analysis of the performed works, to prepare appropriate proposals (projects) for the purpose of improving the legal acts and other related documents, etc.

BELIZE

Mr. Claude B.F. Haylock

Director General/Registrar

Financial Services Sommission Commission

Mr. Haylock currently serves as the Director General of the FSC where he provides oversight of the regulation and supervision of the “non-bank” financial services sector in Belize. He also serves as the Registrar of International Trusts and International Foundations, Registrar of Limited Liability Companies (LLC), the Registrar of the International Business Companies (IBC), and the Registrar of the Merchant Shipping. In August 2020, Mr. Haylock was appointed as Registrar of Companies, where he oversees the operations of the Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry (BCCAR)—Belize’s domestic companies registry. In addition, since 2017 he has coordinated Belize’s response on international tax issues emanating from the OECD and the EU and serves as Belize’s competent authority for the Exchange of Information on Requests (EOIR).

I have been employed with the Commission for the past two years in the capacity of Department Head, Legal and Enforcement. As the Commission manages the Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry, I am charged with advising the Registry in legal matter and complex Registry matters.

Mr. Santiago Gonzalez

Deputy Registrar

Belize Companies & Corporate Affairs Registry

My name is Santiago Gonzalez, Deputy Registrar of the Belize Companies & Corporate Affairs Registry and I have over 18 years of experience working at the International Business Companies Registry and Local Registry of Belize. I was part of the team that helped digitized the International Business Companies Registry in 2007 and with my experience, I was able to assist with the digitization of the Local Registry. Presently, I am in charge of the merger of both the International Business Companies Registry and Local Registry to assist with the ease of doing business.

BOTSWANA

Mr. Greene Kamakama

Directore of Information Technology

Companies and Intellectual Property Authority

I am 48 years old married dad of 3 children, who enjoys traveling, sports and keeping fit.

Ms. Hilda Dipopo Mocuminyane-Hlanti

Registrar of Companies and Business Names

Companies and Intellectual Property Authority

Hilda Mocuminyane-Hlanti is an admitted attorney, conveyancer and notary public with 26 years in the practice of Law. Hilda has extensive experience as inhouse counsel Directing Legal, Compliance and Governance activities.
Hilda is a Strategist and has held Executive positions for well over 20 years now.  She holds an LLB degree from the University of Botswana, an MSc in Strategic Management for the University of Derby, UK, and is currently doing her LLM in Corporate Governance.

Hilda works for CIPA as its founding Registrar of Companies and Business Names, having joined in 2015. She is part of CIPA Exco team.

Brunei Darussalam

Mr. Addizulfadli Darussalam

Acting Director

Registry of Companies and Business Names, Ministry of Finance and Economy

Acting Director of Registry of Companies and Business Names, Brunei Darussalam since March 2022.

Mr.Sei Kee Lim

Assistant Registrar / Finance Officer

Registry of Companies and Business Names Division (ROCBN)

Mr. Lim Sei Kee has been with the Registry of Companies and Business Names Division (ROCBN), Ministry of Finance and Economy since March 2015. ROCBN is the national regulator of business entities in Brunei Darussalam. Mr. Lim Sei Kee holds Bachelor Degree in Accounting and Finance of University of Brunei Darussalam.

CANADA

Mr. Hantz Prosper

Director General

Corporations Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)

Hantz Prosper is Director General, Corporations Canada at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and responsible for ensuring that the Canada Business Corporations Act, the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and other applicable laws are administered and implemented through regulations, policies and standards. Prior to this, Hantz held a number of executive positions, including most recently as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister, Public Services and Procurement Canada. He is proud to have co-founded and continues to contribute to the Federal Black Executives Network which work to eliminate racism and barriers for black employees.

Hantz is a Mechanical Engineer with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. For over 10 years, he taught at the University of Ottawa, in MBA- and undergraduate-level business courses focused on management skills, leadership, strategic thinking and analysis. Before joining the federal government 19 years ago, Hantz spent five years in project management, energy and equipment design in the private sector.

Hantz is passionate about developing leaders and establishing work environments where people can thrive. In his spare time, he is working to make public his collection of poetry penned over 25 years, and loves to spend quality time with his three children and wife.

 

DENMARK

Mr. Søren Corfixsen Whitt

Head of Division

Danish Business Authority

Head of corporate regulation and 32 employees.

Main focus areas are national and European Company Law, Foundation Law. International negotiations, in the EU Council Working group on Company Law. Analysis and drafting of new legislation. Administration and interpretation of existing legislation.

ESTONIA

Mrs. Carol Riibe

Business Analyst

RIK

I work as a business analyst in the Center of Registers and Information Systems (RIK). I have been analyzing, coordinating, and finding user needs for various business register projects for over 10 years.

Ms. Kersti Rätsep

Head of Division

RIK

I am the Head of the Client Support Division at the Centre of Registers and Information Systems (RIK). We advise clients on the use of various systems developed by RIK – including e-Business Register, e-Land Register etc.
For more than 10 years in the agency, I have been involved in training and consultation activities, participated in several large-scale projects for improving the e-Business Register Portal and other systems. I am also Estonian representative in the European Business Registry Association (EBRA).
 
I am a firm believer that it is important to constantly improve the systems and processes to make sure they are user-friendly and intutitive, this is something I strive for on a daily basis.

Mr. Tambet Artma

Head of Business Register Division

RIK

I am a fan of e-governance solutions and like to think how to make people’s lives easier through technology. I also have a strong background in private sector as IT-projects consultant, team leader and business analyst. Working in a number of different positions, I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge of how to build big information systems that follow modern principles like Once-only principle, Single-sign-on and One-stop-shop. As a hobby I like to program and explore new technologies like AI and blockchain.
 
Since 2015 I work in government sector and am a Head of Business Register Division in the Centre of Registers and Information Systems (RIK). My main goals in this position are to constantly find new innovative solutions to make entrepreneurs lives easier so they could spend less time for bureaucracy and more time for doing business. Everyday tasks include: team leading, development coordination, change management, cooperation projects, business register advisory etc.

 

GERMANY

Ms. Celia Johnston

Judge

Ministry of Justice of North Rhine Westphalia

Celia studied law and graduated from Ruhr Universität Bochum in 2008. She worked as an intern for the administration of the German Bundestag as well as the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development before she passed her second state examination in law in 2010. She worked as a corporate lawyer from 2010 to 2011 until she was appointed as a judge at the end of 2011 and has since worked in various areas of law. In 2013, she joined the Project Group RegisSTAR, which works on behalf of the Ministry of Justice in North Rhine Westphalia and is responsible for the development and maintenance of the German electronic Business Register sys-tem as well as the International Business Register interoperability. She left the Pro-ject Group in 2017 on maternity leave and worked in criminal law after her return from maternity leave. She re-joined the team in 2021 and took over as Head of the Project Group after her return.

Mrs. Gaury Sastry

Judge

Ministry of Justice of North Rhine-Westphalia

In 1997 I was appointed as a judge and since then have worked in various legal areas at a local court in Germany. In 2021 I joined the Project Group RegisSTAR, which works under the conduct of the Ministry of Justice of the state North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany and which is responsible for the development and maintenance of the German electronic Business Register system. On behalf of the Ministry of Justice of North Rhine-Westphalia the Project Group RegisSTAR is also involved in the International Business Register interoperability.

Mr. Nicolas Moos

Judge

Ministry of Justice of North Rhine-Westphalia

Nicolas graduated from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) in Münster in 2009 und passed his second state examination in law in 2012. He was appointed as a judge in 2012 and worked in various areas of law. In 2018, he joined the Project Group RegisSTAR, which works on behalf of the Ministry of Justice of North Rhine-Westphalia and is responsible for the development and maintenance of the German electronic Business Register system as well as the International Business Register interoperability.

GHANA

Mrs. Doris Ampadu-Ameyaw

Head, IT

Registrar-General'S Department

Doris Is The Head Of Information Technology For The Office Of The Registrar Of Companies And Registrar-General’s Department,
Ghana

Miss Herty Fosuaa Forson

Assistant Registrar of Companies

Registrar General's Department

I am an Assistant Registrar of Companies with the Registrar’s General’s Department in Ghana. It falls under the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice. My Department regulates all business registrations in the country.

My Department is currently in the process of amending its name to Office of the Registrar of Companies to reflect the position of the New Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992) that enjoins the Department to effectively regulate only the business community.  We also aspire to be a one stop shop for everything related to business registration in the country.

I am passionate about creating awareness and Sensitizing the business community about the need for business registration as a tool for driving the local economy.

 

Miss Nana Ama Akyiaa Prempeh

Chief State Attorney

Registrar General's Department

I have been working with the Registrar-General’s Department since 2009. I am currently responsible for the Ashanti Region in Ghana.

MRS. JEMIMA OWARE

Registrar-General

Registrar General's Department

My Name Is Mrs Jemima Mamaa Oware, The Registrar General Of The Republic Of Ghaha. I Oversee Staff Of About 350 Persons. Our Department Oversees The Registration And Liquidation Of Businesses, Registration Of Marriages, Industrial Property Rights And Adminsteration The Estaes Of Public Servants. I Am Married With 5 Children, 4 Males And One Female With Three Grandchildren

INDIA

Mr. Narendra Kumar Dua

Joint Director

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

I deal with examination of proposals relating to amendment in the Companies Act, 2013 and Rules made thereunder.

Mr. Vivek Meena

Deputy Director, Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

My name is Vivek Meena, currently posted in eGovernance Cell of Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India as Deputy Director to manage the MCA21 portal and oversee migration to the new Version 3.0. I practice Yoga everyday and love reading books.

JERSEY

Mr. Julian Lamb

Executive Director registry (Registrar of Companies)

Jersey Financial Services Commission

Julian Lamb is our Executive Director of Registry and the Registrar. He is also a member of our Executive Board.
Julian has the primary executive responsibility for the leadership and management of the Registry.
Julian is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Companies Registry (Registry), which includes policy and strategic development, and enhancing the Registry’s international reputation.
Prior to joining the JFSC in December 1999, Julian worked in Jersey’s finance industry for more than 20 years, including at director level. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.
Julian is a board member of a number of international registry organisations.

LATVIA

Mrs. Guna Paidere

Chief State Notary

The Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia

I am Chief State Notary at The Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia. The Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia registers companies, traders, their branches and representative offices and changes in their founding documents, and carries out other activities provided for in legislation. The Register of Enterprises also registers mass media, associations and foundations, commercial pledges, controlling interests, public-private partnership agreements and matrimonial property agreements, political parties, arbitration bodies, trade unions, religious organisations and religious institutions, and insolvency proceedings.

MALAYSIA

Mr. Abdul Hamid Mohamad Ibrahim

Deputy Director

Labuan Financial Services Authority

Mohamad Ibrahim Abdul Hamid currently serves as the Deputy Director of Corporate Communication and Registry Department. He is also the Head of Registrar of Company Unit (ROC) in Labuan FSA since 2020.

He joined Labuan FSA in 2000 and prior to joining the ROC, he has served in various areas within the regulator, including Information Communication Technology, Management Information System, Market Surveillance, Facilities Management and Statistics/Industry Reporting.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in ICT-Management Information System.

Mrs. Intan Dahlia Ahmad Kamal

Manager of Corporate Strategy, Corporate Communications and Strategy Division

Companies Commission of Malaysia

I am currently a manager in the Corporate Strategy Section. My portfolio covers policy and international affairs. I was previously in the Corporate Compliance Division overseeing matters relating to corporate accounts and NPO monitoring.

Ms. Marina Nathan

Head of Corporate Strategy, Corporate Communications and Strategy Division

Companies Commission of Malaysia

In July of 2004, I joined the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) as a researcher servicing the Corporate Law Reform Committee under the Commission’s Corporate Law Reform Programme. In 2007 I joined the Corporate Development and Policy Division where I was the Senior Legal Researcher in the Law Reform, Policy and International Affairs Section under the Corporate Development and Policy Division. I am now the Head of Corporate Strategy, Corporate Communications & Strategy Division. Prior to joining SSM, I was a Legal Editor with LexisNexis Malaysia, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. overseeing loose-leaf, textbook publications on various legal issues. I also worked on numerous projects in collaboration with the legal and medical fraternity. I was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor to the High Court of Malaya in 1998.

Mrs. Noorlida Hanim Ahmad

Senior Manager of Registration Services Division

Companies Commission of Malaysia

I am currently the Senior Manager in the Registration Services Division. I have vast experience in the registration of Companies and Limited Liability Partnership matters and system development.

Mrs. Nor Azimah Abdul Aziz

Chief Executive Officer and Registrar

Companies Commission of Malaysia

I am the CEO of the Companies Commission of Malaysia. Prior to my appointment as CEO on 1 May 2020, I was the Deputy CEO of Regulatory & Enforcement and thereafter, DCEO of Corporate Services between the period of 2016 to 2020. I started my career in 1992 as an Advocate and Solicitor and from there on served as a Law Lecturer at the Accounting Department, Faculty of Business and Management, National University of Malaysia (UKM). In July 2000, I was seconded to the Regulatory and Standards Depar​tment of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA). I joined SSM as General Manager of the Corporate Policy, Planning and Development Department in 2003. I have extensive experience in law reform initiatives and oversaw the passing of significant pieces of legislations under the purview of SSM, among others, the Companies Act 2016, Interest Schemes Act 2016, Limited Liability Partnership Act 2012 and Companies (Amendment) Act 2007. I am currently a Board Member of the Audit Oversight Board, ​Board Member of the Financial Reporting Foundation, Member of the Approval and Implementation Committee of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority as well as Board Member of the Labuan Financial Services Authority.

Mrs. Norhaiza Jemon

Director of Regulatory Development and Services Division

Companies Commission of Malaysia

I manage law reform initiatives toward creating a more conducive business environment in Malaysia through the review of legislations under the purview of Companies Commision of Malaysai (SSM). Amongst the projects undertaken are the introduction of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2012, the Companies Act 2016 and the Interest Schemes Act 2016. Currently, SSM is revamping the Trust Companies Act 1949, the Registration of Businesses Act 1956 and introducing legislation for secured transactions in Malaysia.

MALTA

Dr. Geraldine Spiteri Lucas

Chief Executive Officer and Registrar

Malta Business Registry

Dr.Geraldine Spiteri Lucas is the Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Malta Business Registry, a role she assumed in October of 2021. Prior to taking such a role, Dr.Spiteri Lucas headed the legal department within the same entity during a pivotal period for the entity during which it was ensured to bring about key changes which were crucial in updating the registry in line with European and International criteria. Moreover, she spearheaded Malta’s Beneficial Ownership Registry framework as we know it today putting the entity at the forefront in tackling illicit activity and the safeguarding of the Maltese jurisdiction.

 

NAMIBIA

Mr. Raphael Likando

Business Registration Executive

Bipa

I am an executive in the Business Registration department. I am highly organized. I always take notes, and I use a series of tools to help myself stay on top of deadlines. I am results-oriented, constantly checking in with the goal to determine how close or how far away we are and what it will take to make it happen. I find this pressure inspiring and a great motivator for the rest of the team

Ms. Vivienne Katjiuongua

Chief Executive Officer

Business and Intellectual Property Authority

I am the Chief Executive Officer for the Business and intellectual Property Authority. I holds a Master of Law (LLM) (Cum Laude) in International Trade, Investment and Business Law from the University of Western Cape, South Africa, in collaboration with the Washington College of Law, American University, Washington DC, USA. I also has a postgraduate Diploma in Economics for Competition Law. She also holds a Baccalaureus Juris Degree, Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB). I has over 17 years of leadership and work experience across international, regional and national organisations and entities from both the public and private sectors. I served as a Senior Advisor to the Executive director of International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, Switzerland. I also served as a Director for Business Practices at the Namibia Competition Commission (2010-2015). Trade Advisor at the agricultural Trade Forum (2009-2010) and Government Attorney (2001-2009) In October 2019 during the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Conference in Geneva, I was appointed as the President to serve for a period of two years. I served at various Boards including Vice Chairperson at the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (2019-to date). I am professional, dedicated and focus to achieve my full potential.

NEW ZEALAND

Mr. Bolen Ng

National Manager, Deputy Registrar

New Zealand Companies Office, Business Registries

I am the National Manager, Deputy Registrar for the New Zealand Companies Office, Business Registries, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. I have been in the position over the last 13 months. I have had 25 years of NZ public service experience working in other parts of the Ministry.

Ms. Sheree McDonald

Manager - Registry Services

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

I became the Manager of Registry Services in the New Zealand Companies Office (which is part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) in December 2021. Prior to that I was a solicitor in the Companies Office Legal Team for a number of years and I have also held positions in policy teams within the Ministry.

NIGERIA

Mr. Alhaji Garba Abubakar

Registrar General/CEO

Corporate Affairs Commission

I am a lawyer by profession. I joined the services of Corporate Affairs Commision in April 2004. I was appointed the Registrar General/Chief Executive Officer of the Commision for a term of four years in the first instance. Subject to renewal for another four years.
Prior to my appointment as the Registrar General, I was the Director in charge of Compliance and Litigation. I had earlier served as the Special Adviser to the immediate past Registrar General between 2010 and 2017.

Mr. Justine Nidiya

Civil Servant

Corporate Affairs Commission

My name is Justine Nidiya, I am a Nigerian. I am civil servant that works with corporate affairs commission. I am married to a wife and I have 3 children and my hobbies are reading, travelling and jogging.

Mrs. LADI DAHIRU ABUBAKAR

Deputy Director

Corporate Affairs Commission

Lawyer by profession, married with children. Currently working with the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja.
In charge of Company Incorporation and Registration in the Registry Department of the Commission.
Main focus is Rendering service to customers.

Interest:- Reading and Travelling.

Mr. Terver AYUA-JOR

Special Assistant to Registrar-General/CEO

Corporate Affairs Commission

I work as the Special Assistant to the Registrar-General/CEO.
I am passionate about delivering on the core mandate of a Company Registry that we are.
I am a registered delegate with reference No. 36.

PAKISTAN

Mr. Mubasher Saeed Saddozai

Registrar of Companies

Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan

Registrar of Companies, Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

PHILIPPINES

Mr. Archivald Navarro

Assistant Director

Securities and Exchange Commission

I am currently the Assistant Director of the Information System Development and Management Division under the Information and Communications Technology Department of the Securities and Exchange Commission. I manage the in-house development, operation enhancement and maintenance of the different information systems of the SEC. I supervise the development of software quality and testing plans and the conduct of software testing activities. I spearhead the formulation and implementation of information system strategic plans

Mr. Emilio B. Aquino

Chairperson and CEO

Securities and Exchange Commission

Emilio Benito Aquino is the first CPA-Lawyer appointed as Chairperson and CEO of the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (PSEC). Concurrently, he is the Chair of the Microfinance NGO Regulatory Council. He is a sitting member of the Anti-Money Laundering Council. He also chairs the ASEAN Capital Market Forum Corporate Governance Working Group.

Earlier on, he became the Director of the two Extension Offices which carried out company registration functions in regional locations.

He helped shepherd the passage of the Revised Corporation Code of the 2019. He implemented the provisions thereon re: online filing and submissions as well as the shift to online registration for all corporations which merited numerous awards and recognitions both local and abroad.

 

Mr. Gerardo Del Rosario

SEC Director III

Securities and Exchange Commission

Presently the Director of the Company Registration and Monitoring Department of the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission task to approves domestic corporations and partnerships; approves applications for Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation/Articles of Partnerships/By- Laws, Mergers, Consolidations, and other corporate reorganizations that require the prior approval of the Commission; Grants license to foreign corporations doing business in the Philippines and multinational companies; Grants license to lending, financing companies, and capital market participants and monitors compliance by registered domestic/license foreign corporations with their reportorial responsibilities under the Corporation Code and other existing laws.

Mr. JAVEY PAUL D. FRANCISCO

Commissioner

Securities and Exchange Commission

Javey Paul D. Francisco is a Commissioner of the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) since 2018.

As Commissioner, Javey Paul spearheaded the operationalization of the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines – a key legislation that modernized corporate registration, and improved the ease of doing business, in the Philippines.

A lawyer by profession, Javey Paul supervises the SEC’s Company Registration and Monitoring Department, Human Resource and Administrative Department, as well as the SEC Extension Offices throughout the Philippines.

A homegrown talent of the SEC, Javey Paul has more than 20 years of experience in the legal and financial sectors.

Ms. Ma. Erlida Cabatic

Securities Specialist II

Securities and Exchange Commission

I am presently holding the position of Securities Specialist II at the Corporate and Partnership Registration Division, Company Registration and Monitoring Department. I have worked with various Technical Working Groups involving registration and amendments. I consolidate registration reports for presentation to WorldBANK Starting A Business report and such other government agencies concerned with ease on doing business in the Philippines.

Ms. Margarette Joy Almazan

SEC Information Officer III

Securities and Exchange Commission

SEC Information Officer III of the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission under the Corporate and Partnership Registration Division processes registration and licensing applications of domestic and foreign corporations. A member of the Technical Working Group on the system development of e-SPARC and other registry groups in close coordination with other government agencies of the Philippines.

Ms. Maria Carmina Aquino

Executive Assistant II

Securities and Exchange Commission

Maria Carmina Aquino started her government service at the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission since 2016. Currently, she is the head executive assistant of the Chairperson and CEO of SEC. She finished her studies at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University and just recently completed her Evidence in Public Policy Programme at the University of Oxford.

QATAR

Mr. Abdulla Al-Jaidah

Senior Executive - Commercial Registration

Qatar Financial Centre Authority

As one of my core competencies, I review applications for registration and licensing for QFC firms, including drafting of recommendations for their entry into the QFC platform as legal entities as well as assist firms with post licensing regulatory and compliance matters.

I review and process registration of Approved Auditors, Support Service Providers and Insolvency Practitioners in line with existing QFC guidelines and legislative framework as well as investigate and conduct checks on Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) of QFC Firms in line with relevant QFC legislation and FATF guidelines.

Mr. Gulamabbas Meghji

Head, Corporate Structures Section

Qatar Financial Centre Authority

I head the Corporate Structures Section within the QFCA’s Companies Registration Office

I was appointed QFC Authority’s Chief Legal Officer and Board Secretary in 2015 prior to being named Deputy Chief Executive Officer in July 2021.

I was one of the first Qatari nationals to qualify as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, and lead the QFC Authority’s multi-award winning legal department comprising a team of internationally qualified lawyers and assistants with extensive backgrounds in both common and civil law jurisdictions. Furthermore, I oversee the entity’s Monitoring, Enforcement and Company Registration Offices. Additionally, I also held the role of an Advisor to the Minister of Finance and has been involved in the implementation of key national-priority projects with primary importance to the Office of the Prime Minister of the State.

I am also recognised as one of the industry’s most prominent leaders by The Legal 500’s “GC Powerlist”.

Ms. Sunitha Nazar

Registrar of Companies

Qatar Foundation

I am a UK educated corporate lawyer having 12+ years of Middle East experience with Private & Public sector organisations.

Currently serving as the ‘Registrar of Companies’ for Qatar Foundation in Qatar and have been the ‘Deputy Director Compliance’ in the UAE. My primary focus is drafting and implementing By-Laws / Regulations, Compliance Policies and AML CFT Policies for the organisations. I have also been in advisory roles to establish and operate Free Zones / Special Economic Zones and has overseen a merger of two Offshore Registries.

SAMOA

Ms. Luaipou Iosefa

Section Head Registration

Samoa International Finance Authority

I am a mother of 3 and currently leading the Registration team overseeing the registration of all entities registered with SIFA. I love reading, networking and taking up new challenges as well as learning.

Ms. Ramona Rimoni-Jahnke

Section Head Registration - Apostilles, Archives & Charges

Samoa International Finance Authority

I have been working for Samoa International Finance Authority for 16 years and was involved with the Registration Division ever since. I am currently working as Section Head for Registration dealing with Apostilles, Archives and Charges with a staff of 8. Registry work has a huge impact to a country’s economy hence the importance of our work. I am looking forward to learn more from the experiences of participants of the forum on new developments within their respective registries, common challenges/concerns encountered and solutions to these as well as ways we can build a more resilient future for the industry as we journey forward.

Ms. Sieni Voorwinden

Chief Executive Officer

Samoa International Finance Authority

I am the Registrar of all International entities registered and licensed in and within Samoa and I have been in the position for just over 2 years now. I am also a qualified lawyer with a keen interest in commercial law and international trade and finance.

On top of being a professional career person, I am a wife and a mother to 4 children who are my pride and joy. I have a large extended family, and for me family is everything.

Singapore

Mr. Jarrett Tan

Head (IT Planning & Governance) & Agency Chief Information Security Officer

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority

Mr Jarrett Tan has been with of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) since 1 Oct 2019. ACRA is the national regulator of business entities, public accountants and corporate service providers in Singapore. Prior to joining ACRA, he was the Chief Digital Technology Officer and Chief Information Security Officer of NTUC Foodfare Cooperative (Fairprice Group). He holds a Master in Business Administration from University of Manchester and Bachelor Degree in Applied Science (Computer Engineering) of Nanyang Technological University.

Ms. Li Fen Chin

Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate & Operations)

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority

Ms Chin Li Fen has been the Deputy Chief Executive of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) since July 2017. ACRA is the national regulator of business entities, public accountants and corporate service providers in Singapore. As the Deputy Chief Executive of ACRA, Li Fen oversees the Business Registry function, IT and Digital Transformation, and Corporate functions which include legal services, corporate planning, communications, HR and Finance, etc. Prior to joining ACRA, she was with the Singapore’s Inland Revenue Authority, and spent several years in tax policy and research, before holding senior leadership roles in customer service function, and corporate areas. Li Fen holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the National University of Singapore.

Ms. Siok Hui Ang

Divisional Director, Customer Experience Division

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority

Ms Ang Siok Hui is responsible for setting the strategic direction for ACRA’s service delivery, registry operations and innovation efforts. This includes driving registry-related reviews and consequential changes to the relevant Acts administered by ACRA to facilitate the ease of doing business in Singapore. She was previously the Divisional Director in charge of corporate development, strategic planning and corporate communications strategy in ACRA. Siok Hui has over 20 years of experience in the public service with postings in the social, security and economic sectors in areas such as public communications and international relations.

SPAIN

Mrs. Ana Del Valle Hernandez

Bussiness Registrar of Spain

EBRA

Business and Movable Goods Registrar in Cádiz since 2000.
She is a member of the Board of Directors of EBRA (European Business Registry Association).

TIMOR-LESTE

Mr. Florencio Sanches

Executive Director

SERVE, IP

I am Executive Director of SERVE, IP – Business Register and Business Licensing office

TUNISIA

Mr. MOHAMED ADEL CHOUARI

Director General

Tunisia Business Registry - Registre National Des Entreprises

My name is Mohamed Adel CHOUARI Founder and Director general of Tunisian Business Registry (Under the aegis of the Prime Ministry)

UNITED KINGDOM

Martin Swain is the Executive Director for Strategy, Policy, Communications and Legal Services at Companies House in the UK. Martin also leads the strategic work in relation to Intelligence and Enforcement and is the lead for the Companies House Board on environmental matters. The UK Government is about to implement some of the biggest changes to the UK companies register in over 150 years and Martin is leading for Companies House on the implementation of this major legislative reform. Before joining Companies House, Martin worked in central government on a range of social and economic policy areas as well as delivery roles focussing on inward investment and economic growth. Martin has an MBA in organisational culture and innovation.

EXPERTS

Ms. Catherine Marsh

Assistant General Counsel

Asian Development Bank

Cathy Marsh, a British national, is Assistant General Counsel for the Nonsovereign Operations legal team in ADB’s Office of the General Counsel, covering all matters private sector related that ADB undertakes. Cathy joined ADB in 2018, after a 25 year legal career in private practice, including as Partner in the London office of the US law firm Milbank.

Cathy is a graduate of the University of Sussex, United Kingdom (BA (Hons) in International Relations and European Studies with French), and undertook her legal studies at the College of Law in London. She is based in Manila, Philippines.

Mr. Frederic Meunier

Economist

World Bank

Frederic Meunier joined the World Bank Group as Economist in 2010. He works on private sector development projects and his experience spans Business Entry, Entrepreneurship, and Property rights. He leads the Entrepreneurship database project – which measures trends in business entry around the world – and the WE-FI Data project – which assesses the gender gap in entrepreneurship. Prior to joining the Bank, Frederic worked at the French Ministry of Finance – where he contributed to the preparation of the EU budget and innovation policy – and he worked at Société Générale Corporate & Investment Banking – where he focused on project finance. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the College of Europe (Belgium) and a Master’s degree in International Business from ESSEC business school (France). He speaks French, English and Spanish.

Mr. Joel Foster

Chief Innovation Officer

Foster Moore International Ltd

Joel leads the product strategy and development for Foster Moore.

Joel’s vision for Foster Moore has seen the creation of Verne® and the earlier product, Catalyst® and other ground-breaking innovations.

Joel (along with Chuck Moore) took the reins of Jarin Consulting in 2007 and transformed it into Foster Moore. Throughout this time, he has guided the company as it grew to be the world leader in registry design and operation. Joel was the Chief Executive Officer of the company until April 2021 when he moved to focus on product.

Before forming Foster Moore, Joel led teams that designed and developed, custom-built application solutions for many blue-chip New Zealand corporations. Joel holds a Bachelor of Information Science from Massey University and has attended leadership programmes at the MIT Sloan School of Management

Mr. Joel Vicente

Senior XBRL Consultant

CoreFiling

I’ve been working with XBRL, the digital data format, since 2003. My knowledge of XBRL is wide ranging. I’ve always been involved in the design, construction and collaborative work for XBRL taxonomies worldwide, as well as reviewing taxonomies and providing feedback on tools and implementations. My work experience also includes requirements gathering and testing for software products, providing accounting expertise to the engineering teams.

Mr. Josh Stanton

Director of Customer Success

Foster Moore

Josh leads the Customer Success function at Foster Moore and works with a number of registry clients as the Account Executive, after 10 years’ experience working with other areas of governments on system transformation for citizens. Josh is open and friendly, and cannot wait to meet other delegates at his first CRF conference!

Mr. Justin Hygate

Vice President Registry Innovation

Foster Moore International Ltd

My role at Foster Moore is to bring innovation and registry best practices to our international clients through our products and consulting.

Before joining Foster Moore, I spent 26 years with the New Zealand Companies Office. During this time, the Companies Office gained an international reputation for innovative service delivery and best practice registry management.

I’m something of a registry ‘geek’.

I’ve been a long-term contributor to the international registry community. I had the opportunity of holding the first ever Corporate Registers Forum (CRF) meeting and held the position of Secretary from its inception in 2003 until 2011. I’ve also chaired the International Relations Section of the International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA).

I hold a Master of Public Administration from Victoria University, a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Canterbury.

Mrs. Marta Kuczynska

Head of Business Development

BR-AG P.S.A.

Marta leads Business Development activities at BR-AG P.S.A., developing new projects for financial sector institutions, business registries and regulators on a path to digital transformation and alignment with international standards in financial and non-financial data flows. Focusing on the interplay of policies and regulations, data standards and technologies. Together with BR-AG teams, Marta engages in assessment of strategies and needs of authorities in developed and developing economies to find best fit for purpose technology solutions locally and to facilitate cross-border collaboration, for example in initiatives like the Global Financial Innovation Network. Marta pursues professional interests in innovation management for sustainable development, financial inclusion and transparency of financial data ecosystems.

Ms. Hayley Thompson

Standards and Administrative Director

Code Management Association

Hayley Thompson is the Standards and Administrative Director of Code Management Association, dba ECCMA, ISO 8000 ALEI: [US-DE.BER:3031657]. She is a US expert to and Convenor for ISO/TC 184/SC 05 (Interoperability, integration, and architectures for enterprise systems and automation applications) Working Group 16 (Supply Chain Interoperability and Integration – SCII) as well as a US expert to ISO/TC 184/SC 04 (industrial data) Working Group 13 (data quality) and Working Group 23 (terminology) where she is also the Deputy Convenor. She is also the Vice Chair of ANSI/TAG to ISO/TC 184/SC 04 (industrial data). She is a specialist on government and politics, with experience as the instructor on record at American and European universities, including for Rutgers University, New York University – School of Professional Studies, among others.

Ms. Ieva Tarailiene

Head of Registry Practice

NRD Companies

Ieva Tarailiene holds the Head of registry practice and principal consultant’s roles at NRD Companies. She is an experienced leader and expert focused on public registers and corporate/company law, strategic planning and realisation of advanced IT solutions related to public e-services.

Ms. Ieva Tarailiene has working experience at the Lithuanian State Enterprise Centre of Registers, including acting CEO. She’s been deeply involved with Lithuanian Business Registry development. She has longstanding experience in developing electronic services and representing national developments in public e-services on the national and international scene.

Mr. Martin Riegel

CEO

Foster Moore International Ltd

I became the Manager of Registry Services in the New Zealand Companies Office (which is part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) in December 2021. Prior to that I was a solicitor in the Companies Office Legal Team for a number of years and I have also held positions in policy teams within the Ministry.

Mr. Michal Piechocki

Chairman and CEO

BR-AG P.S.A

Since 2007 Mr. Michal Piechocki has served as Chair and CEO to Business Reporting – Advisory Group, strategically advising authorities across capital markets, banking and insurance industries, as well as business registers and government agencies in 20 jurisdictions on RegTech and SupTech topics. As a Board Member of the non-profit Eurofiling Foundation, he coordinates financial regulatory policies, data and technology initiatives between the ECB, ESMA, EIOPA, EBA, SRB, 15 central banks, around a dozen national authorities as well as over 30 vendor organizations. Since 2014 Mr. Piechocki has chaired a data standards discussion forum among EU regulators, hosted by the ECB. For more than a decade he has served as a Board Member and Steering Committee Member of XBRL International, a global digital reporting standard-setting organization, with his involvement advancing its educational and certification activities, building technological fit for the digital age and driving adoption across more than 60 jurisdictions world-wide. Since 2007 Mr. Piechocki has contributed his expertise to a number of groups advising on strategic, data, financial reporting and technology-related aspects for the Institute of Management Accountants, International Organisation for Standardisation, IBM and the IFRS Foundation.

Mr. Michal Zubrycki

Head of Standards

BR-AG P.S.A.

Michal is the Head of Standards at Business Reporting – Advisory Group. For over 12 years he has been advising various authorities and institutions including central banks, business registries and tax offices on the application of various technical formats and standards for the purposes of electronic reporting and data exchange.

He has extensive knowledge in the areas of development, implementation and quality assurance of electronic dictionaries and taxonomies. Michal has the expertise in various other electronic formats, including SDMX for statistical data exchange, as well as ISO 20022 widely used in the transactional reporting in the securities space and in payments.

Michal is one of the co-authors of the XBRL South African Standard and Governance Framework and is responsible for the development and maintenance of the CIPC taxonomy since 2016. Michal has been involved in the preparation of the cost-benefit analysis of the inline XBRL standard application by the European Securities and Markets Authority [ESMA] and is part of the development team responsible for the European Single Electronic Format [ESEF] Regulatory Technical Standard as well as production of the ESEF taxonomy and related technical artifacts.

Mr. Mindaugas Glodas

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

NRD Companies

Mindaugas Glodas is a business executive with over 20 years experience in the IT sector. A former Sales Manager at IBM and a General Manager at Microsoft Lithuania, he has been involved in a number of corporate working groups as an executive member, helping design new regional organization structures, partner networks, and talent development strategies. Mindaugas Glodas is chairman of the Board at UNICEF Lithuania, Board member of the Information and Communication Technology Association (INFOBALT) and a board member of number of other organizations. Mr Glodas holds MBA from University of Antwerp.

Mr. Nicholas Moller

Principal Counsel

Asian Development Bank

Nicholas Moller is Principal Counsel at the Asian Development Bank where he has been working for over 15 years in the Office of the General Counsel. He graduated with BA (Hons) and LLB from the University of Sydney and LLM from Washington College of Law. He is admitted to practice in New South Wales Australia. He works on private sector transactions and assists in management of non-performing loans and workouts. This has included insolvency related matters in People’s Republic of China, Papua New Guinea, India and Kazakhstan, including acting on creditors’ steering committees in the banking and finance sector, telecoms and renewable energy.

Nicholas also works in the Law and Policy Reform team in the Office of the General Counsel and focuses on law reform that seeks to create a better enabling environment for the private sector. This work has included on the Myanmar Insolvency Law and an electronic registration system for that law and ongoing insolvency law reform and advisory work in Armenia and Indonesia. He also assisted on business licensing reforms in Indonesia that were included in the Omnibus Law and were designed to be implemented with the Online Single Submission system.

Mr. Philip Allen

Executive Chairman

CoreFiling

Founder and Executive Chairman of CoreFiling, a leading provider of regulatory data validation and analysis tools, and Chairman of XBRL UK, the XBRL jurisdiction of the XBRL International consortium.

Mr. Raymond Lam

Chairman

Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore

I am the Chairman of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore (CSIS). CSIS’ membership consists of chartered secretaries, governance professionals and business executives in governance, ethics and compliance functions at public, private and not-for-profit organisations. I am attending the conference with representatives from the Accounting Corporate & Regulatory Authority of Singapore. I would like to learn more about the latest developments in corporate business registers internationally and hear the views of the government agency leaders on the present and future operation of corporate business registration systems and share this information with CSIS’ members in Singapore.

Professionally, I am a lawyer with Drew & Napier LLC in Singapore and am currently the Chief Operating Officer of Drew Network Asia which is a network of premium law firms in South East Asia and the Head of Business Development for Drew & Napier LLC.

At GLEIF, Ricco Dun is mainly responsible for business development projects and the connections between the world of the business registers and the world of the Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs). Before joining GLEIF, he was the Manager of the Business Register of The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce. Before that, he has had several legal and sales & marketing functions, including e.g. the development of all internet based activities for the dissemination of information from the business register. He has been active in the international cooperation between business registers, e.g. as Chairman of the Board of the European Business Register (EBR) for over 10 years and as member of the Executive Committee of the Corporate Registers Forum (CRF).

Ms. Rosanne Bell

Consultant

RLB Advisory

Rosanne is an experienced registry leader. She led the Australian Registry business as Executive Director of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) until late 2021 and has been actively involved in Australia’s registry modernisation program.
 
Rosanne is currently consulting with a view to assisting others seeking to assess and modernise their registries. She is a strategic advisory to Foster Moore. Rosanne was president of the CRF from 2017-21.

Mr. Russell E. Perry

Co-Founder and Managing Director

kompany, a Moody’s Analytics Company

Russell E. Perry was born in New York City but would spend half of his youth in Austria. His professional experience extends across several industries, including telecommunications, online gaming and most recently, regulatory technology. He co-founded kompany in 2012 after having successfully grown the world’s largest people-search engine to a profitable business and overseeing its eventual sale. Following kompany’s acquisition by Moody’s Analytics in the winter of 2022, Russell remains busy driving the direction of kompany’s business and leveraging opportunities to improve the business verification abilities of more regulated organisations around the world.

Mr. Thomas Townsend

Executive Director

OpenOwnership

Thom Towsend is the Executive Director of Open Ownership, a not-for-profit that supports more than 30 governments worldwide to effectively implement beneficial ownership reforms. Prior to joining Open Ownership, Thom was the Head of Data Policy for the UK Government.