ICA People: Elected Officials and Staff

Board (2009-2013)

President
	Pauline Green (United Kingdom) Dame Pauline Green has been part of the Co-operative Movement for the past 35 years from its youth movement to being its advocate on European affairs to the European Parliament as a co-operative member of Parliament. She was Chief Executive and General Secretary of Co-operatives UK , a position she held from 2000 to October 2009. She served as Co-President of Co-operatives Europe and ICA Vice- President for Europe up until her election as ICA President. Dame Pauline has played an active role in the international co-operative movement particularly in Co-operatives Europe and strongly supported the restructuring process of the ICA. Dame Pauline stepped down as ICA Vice-President and Co-President of Co-operatives Europe upon her election. Visit the President's Page
Vice-President (Africa)
	Stanley Charles Muchiri Mr Muchiri was ratified as the ICA Vice-President for Africa by the ICA General Assembly in Oslo in September 2003. Mr Muchiri is currently Chairman of the Co-operative Bank of Kenya. Mr Muchiri studied administration, bookkeeping and management at the Co-operative College of Kenya. He obtained a certificate in co-operative administration and is a certified public accountant. He also has a diploma in co-operative management from Turin, Italy and attended the University of Wisconsin (USA). He most recently held the postition of General Manager at Muranga Union.
Vice-President (Americas)
	Ramón Imperial Zúñiga (Mexico) Ramón Imperial was elected as iCA Americas Vice President in November 2008 to fill a vacancy. He will be formally elected as the ICA Vice President from the Americas region at the next ICA General Assembly in November 2009. He is currently President of the Caja Popular Mexicana CPM, a financial co-operative which has approximately 900,000 members plus an additional 200,000 children who are holders of savings accounts. he has held a variety of other positions including board member of the Co-operative Development Committee in the Parliament of Mexico, President of COLAC headquartered in Panama , President of COMACREP, and a Board of Director in the International Raiffeisen Union IRU, Germany . Mr. Imperial has worked in several positions in the federal organisation in the financial sector of the Co-operative Movement in Mexico. He has also participated in several national and international events related with the Co-operative Movement and he has represented the Movimiento Cajista Mexicano in different international congress and conferences. He is also co-author of the book, Banca Social Historia, Actualidad y Retos de las Finanzas Populares, 2001.
Vice-President (Asia & the Pacific)
	Li Chunsheng Mr. Li Chunsheng is the President of ICA Asia-Pacific and the Vice President of All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives (ACFSMC) with a Doctor degree in Botany. During his long period of service, he worked with Helihe farm in Heilongjiang Province, Ministry of Forestry, and the State Council in China. During his service in the State Council, he was deeply engaged in strategic planning and policy-making for rural areas and made enormous contribution to the cooperative development in China. In 1995, he joined ACFSMC as the Deputy Secretary General and Director of Farm-inputs Bureau. He later assumed office as the Secretary General and the Director of International Cooperation Department before being elected the Vice President of ACFSMC in 2000. At present, his responsibilities in ACFSMC include supervision of Cooperative Guidance Department, Department for Science, Technology, Education and Industry, International Cooperation Department, and China Chamber of International Commerce SMC Sub-Chamber, which means he takes charge of a wide range of cooperative works, inter alias, the reform and growth of affiliated enterprises and primary co-operatives, guild development, industrial planning and guidance, cooperative legislation, scientific research and innovation, training and education, and international relation, cooperation and trade promotion.
Vice-President (Europe)
	Vacant
Board Members
	Jean-Louis Bancel (France)) Mr. Bancel has served as the Chairperson of the International Co-operative Banking Association (ICBA) since 2006 and is currently the President of the Crédit Coopératif Group in France. He joined Crédit Coopératif in 2005. Prior to that he was active in the insurance mutual sector serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Fédération Nationale de la Mutualité Française and Secretary-General of the Groupement des Entreprises Mutuelles d’Assurances. In addition, Mr. Bancel has been active in the International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) and its European region (ACME) since 1993. Within ICMIF, he chaired the Development Committee (1999-2001) and was Chair of ICMIF from 2001-2005. He was co-opted to the Board in 2008 representing the sectoral organisations and elected as one of the nominees of the sectoral organisations.
	Kathy Bardswick (Canada) Ms. Bardswick is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Co-operators Group Ltd. (insurance).  She began her career with The Co-operators in 1978.  Prior to her appointment as President and CEO in 2002, Ms. Bardswick served as Chief Operating Officer of Sovereign General and L'Union Canadienne, subsidiaries of The Co-operators.  She is Chairperson of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and past Chair of the International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF).  She is currently a member of the ICMIF Executive.  In addition, she is a member of the Executive Committee of the Conference Board of Canada and is Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Guelph in Canada.  Ms. Bardswick holds a Masters in Business and Mathematics degree.
	José Antonio Chávez Villanueva (Mexico) Mr. Chávez has been the youth co-operator representative on the ICA Americas Board since 2007. He is employed by the Federación de Cajas Populares Alianza, a financial co-operative in Mexico. Mr. Chávez established the first national youth co-operative committee in Mexico and has participated in the activities of ICA Americas to develop regional activities for youth co-operators. Mr. Chávez was nominated to the Board as a representative of youth co-operators.
	Won-Byung Choi (Korea) Won-Byung Choi was elected as Chairperson of the National Agricultural Co-operative Federation (NACF) of Korea on 27 December 2007. He began his co-operative career in 1972 when he joined the Angang Agricultural Co-operative in his hometown.  In 1986 he was elected as the President of this co-operative and served six consecutive terms.  He has also served as president of the NACF Rice Processing Complex Business Operation Council.  His contributions to strengthening the Korean agriculturalindustry and in particular the rice industry were honoured by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 1987 when he received the Meritorious Achievement Award.  In 2000 he was further recognised by the President of Korea and received the Meritorious Achievement Award for outstanding performance in the rice business and further in 2003 when he was awarded the Suktop Industrial Medal. Mr. Choi has also served as a member and Chairperson of the Gyeongsanhbuk-do Provincial Council where he was a leader in local politics. Mr. Choi holds degrees in Fisheries Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science, and a Master of Business Administration.
	Jean-Claude Detilleux (France) Mr Detilleux has held the position of President of the Groupement National de la Coopération (GNC) since 1998. GNC brings together 15 national sectoral organisations in France. His principal occupation is President and Director-General of Crédit Coopératif, one of the five co-operative banks of France which has 175 branches and 2400 staff and a balance of 8.5 billion Euros. The membership of the Crédit Coopératif is constituted by non-profit organisations (associations, trade unions, mutuals, etc) as well as small and medium-size enterprises. Mr Detilleux's experience in the co-operative movement thus spans not only the finance and banking but also the wider non-financial co-operative movement. He served on the ICA board from 2005 to 2009 and was re-elected at the ICA General Assembly in Geneva for another four-year term.
	Hajah Armi Zainuddin (Malaysia) Madam Hajah Armi has been actively involved in co-operative development in Malaysia for more than 30 years. She is currently the Vice-President of ANGKASA, a position she held 1979–1988 and from November 2004 to the present. Given her expertise in the co-operative movement, she has also served as the Director of the Co-operative College of Malaysia (CCM) from 1970-2004. Madam Hajah Armi is also involved in non-governmental organisations within Malaysia. She has continuously participated in co-operative activities internationally and had previously served as the Council Member of ASEAN Co-operative Organisation (ACO) and ICA Asia–Pacific.
	Paul Hazen (United States of America) Paul Hazen has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Cooperative Business Association since 1998. Well-known for his knowledge of the co-operative sector and speaks often at national and international forums on the role of co-operatives in community and economic development. He has led several important NCBA initiatives including the creation of .coop, the top-level Internet domain exclusively for co-operatives. Since coming online in early 2002, the .coop domain has enhanced public awareness of co-operatives and created new business opportunities by allowing co-ops to differentiate their member-owned businesses from other domains. Since 1998 NCBA's international co-operative development programme has grown to more than US$20 million in annual funding. Paul Hazen also serves on the boards of the Consumer Federation of America and the NCB Credit Corporation. He served on the ICA board from 2005 to 2009 and was re-elected at the ICA General Assembly in Geneva for another four-year term.
	Lennart Hjalmarson Mr. Hjalmarson has been Chief Executive Officer of the Swedish Co-operative Centre (SCC) since 2000 and of Vi Agroforestry since 2003. He has a long experience in the co-operative movement starting in 1967 with various appointments with KF (Federation of Consumer Co-operatives) where he was head of research (1974), Director of Training and Education (1979-1983), and Executive Vice-President (1990-2000). He also served as Chief Executive Officer of a local Consumer Co-operative Society Sörmland (1983-89). Mr. Hjalmarson serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of OK (an energy co-operative), a position held since 2003, and is a member of the Board of OKQ8, the largest petrol company in Sweden. He is Chairperson of the Board of a university in Sweden and Deputy member of the Board of the Olof Palmes International Centre since 2007. Mr. Hjalmarson holds degrees in political science and management.
	Evgeny Kuznetsov (Russia) Mr. Kuznetsov was elected as President of the Central Union of Consumer Societies of Russia in May 2009 and is also President of the Association of the League or National Unions of Co-operative Organisations of Consumer Co-operation in CIS countries. He is also currently a member of the Board of Co-operatives Europe. He has served as Chairperson of the Council of Centrosoyuz and has held a number of governmental positions including administrator of the President of the Russian Federation. He holds a number of board positions working with community action groups, agrarian policy issues, the fisheries industry, and health care and is on the Presidium of the Board of a non-profit partnership, the Association of Entrepreneurial Organisations of Russia. Mr. Kuznetsov holds degrees in law, management and a PhD in economics.
	Surinder Kumar Jakhar (India) Mr. Surinder Kumar Jakhar was elected to the Board at the General Assembly in Singapore in 2007. Mr. Jakhar has worked for more than three decades to improve the lives of rural poor through co-operatives. As Chair of the indian Farmers' Fertiliser Co-operative Organisation (IFFCO), he interacts with more than 55 million farmers through membership of more than 38,000 co-operatives. He is Chair of Indo-Egyptian Fertiliser Company; IFFCO Kisan Sewa Trust; IFFCO Kissan Sanchar Ltd and Director, IFFCO Foundation and Director of the Board of IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company.
	Mamoru Moteki (Japan) Mr. Mamoru Moteki was elected as President of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu) by its General Assembly in August 2008 replacing Mr. Isami Miyata, former ICA Board member. Mr. Moteki began his career in the co-operative movement in 1985 as an auditor. He quickly moved into leadership positions in a primary agricultural co-operative and a prefectural agricultural co-operative union and federations. Mr. Moteki is Chairperson of the Japan Joint Committee of Co-operatives (JJC) which consists of 12 Japanese organisations that belong to the ICA including consumers, fisheries, workers, forest owners and agricultural co-operatives and President of the Institute for the Development of Agricultural Co-operatives in Asia (IDACA).
	Anne Santamäki (Finland) Ms. Santamäki has been President of Eurocoop since 2006 and was elected the President of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW) in November 2009. A member of the Executive Board of Co-operatives Europe and former Vice-President (2003-2006), she is also a Board member of SOK Association SOKL (Finland). Ms. Santamäki has been working with SOK Corporation in Helsinki, Finland, since 1990 where she is currently the Director of International Relations. Prior to this, she was responsible within SOK for sponsorship agreements and market awareness actions for the entire S Group, a leader in the retail market in Finland with a 42.4% market share. She has prior employment experience with the advertising agency Publicic, Finnish Railsand Nielsen. She has degrees in business and administration, and marketing management. Ms Santamäki was elected as one of the nominees of the sectoral organisations.
	Lourdes Ortellado Sienra (Paraguay) Mrs. Ortellado has been member of Cooperativa Universitaria Ltda. since 1976, an organisation with more than 60,000 of members. She has held a variety of position with the co-operative including member of the Education Committee, the Credit Committee, and Board member of Cooperativa Universitaria. She was appointed Director of PANAL, Compañía de Seguros-Propiedad Cooperativa in 2003. And continues to hold the position today. During the Regional Conference of ICA Americas in Asunción, Paraguay in October, 2002, she was elected chairperson of the Americas Regional Committee of Co-operatives Women, (CRAMC ICA Americas). As chairperson of this Committee, she has participated actively in several meetings with co-operative women in Dominican Republic , Brazil , Mexico , Paraguay and Canada. Ms. Ortellado served on the ICA Board from 2005 to 2009 and was re-elected at the General Assembly for a further four-year term.
	Petar Stefanov (Bulgaria) Mr. Stefanov has been President of the Central Co-operative Union since 2003. The Union has 162,000 co-operative members, 850 co-operatives and 34 regional co-operative unions. Mr. Stefanov is an active co-operative leader at the national level participating as a member of the Supervisory Board of Central Co-operative Bank, and Board of Directors of Coop Media. He is a Board member of Co-operatives Europe and also active in the sectoral organisations as a member of the Executive of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW), a member of EUROCOOP, a member of the Board of Co-operatives' House-Europe, and a member of the Supervisory Board of the Buying Alliance of Purchasing Association in Central Europe COOPEURO. In 2008, Mr. Stefanov received the Medal of the Republic of Bulgaria, “Civil Merits”, for his contribution to the development and promotion of the values and institutions of the co-operative movement in Bulgaria over two decades of continuous business management.
	Felice Scalvini (Italy) Felice Scalvini, a solicitor and auditor, has a degree in Law. He first became involved with the co-operative movement when in 1976 he participated in the founding of one of the first social solidarity co-operatives in Italy. After 1981, he devoted himself to the development of the legislation on social co-operatives, work that led 10 years later to the enactment of Law no. 381/91, the first Italian law on social co-operatives. During his career, he has held various positions in the social co-operative sector, in the financial sector and in Confcooperative’s national and local governing bodies. He is currently a member of the Board of Confcooperative Brescia (a Confcooperative local union), President of the Social Housing Foundation and member of the Board ofEuricse, the European Research Institute on co-operative and social enterprises. At European and international level he is President of CECOP (European Confederation of workers’ and social cooperatives), member of the Executive Committee of Cooperatives Europe and Vice-president of CICOPA. Mr. Scalvini is serving his second board term.
	Seah Kian Peng (Singapore) Seah Kian Peng is the Chairman of Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF), the apex body representing the Co-operative Movement in Singapore . Concurrently, Mr. Seah is the Deputy Chief Executive Office (CEO) and Chief Operating Officer of NTUC FairPrice Co-operative and the CEO of NTUC Media Co-operative. NTUC FairPrice is a leading retailer in Singapore , running a chain of over 130 supermarkets and convenience stores with a combined turnover of over USD 780 million and a staff of over 5,000 employees. NTUC Media is in the radio and broadcasting and publishing business. In February 2003 Mr Seah was elected as a member of the ICA Asia-Pacific Standing Committee. Prior to his involvement in the Co-operative Movement, Mr. Seah has worked in both the public and private sectors. He is Board member of various subsidiaries with the NTUC Group and also serves various public and community organisations. Seah Kian Peng is serving his second board term.
	Americo Utumi (Brazil) Mr Utumi has most recently worked as the ICA President's chief advisor and is member of the Consultative Committee of Sao Paulo State Organisation of Co-operatives (OCESP). He began his co-operative career in 1952 in a farmers' co-operative and has held a variety of positions in the Brazilian co-operative movement including Vice-President of OCB, President of OCESP (for four mandates), Director-General of OCB and President of CAC Rural Credit Co-operative. Mr Utumi has been member of the Board of the Organisation of Co-operatives of the Americas (OCA) as well as Executive Secretary of the International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation, an ICA specialised organisation. He has also held governmental posts such as Secretary of Supply for the City of Sao Paulo, and advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture of Sao Paulo State and to the Institute of Co-operatives and Associations.
	Len Wardle (United Kingdom) Mr Len Wardle is Chairperson of the Co-operative Group of the United Kingdom. The Group has four million members in the UK and business interests in food, pharmacy, funerals, travel, banking, insurance and farming. As Chairperson he oversees the strategic direction of the businesses so that they fulfil co-operative principles, and adopt ethical values such as fair trade and responsible retailing. Mr Wardle is also a member of the Board of the Co-operative Insurance Society, Co-operative Financial Services and the Co-operative Bank. He is a graduate in economics and has experience in teaching, management and strategic planning.