Board of Directors

Smt. Mereena Paul Chairperson & Managing Director

Smt. Mereena Paul is a renowned social entrepreneur from Thrissur, Kerala and co-founder of ESAF group of Social enterprises, which had its humble origins as a social movement way back in 1992. She has been instrumental in the growth and expansion of ESAF as a brand through her vision and strategic course corrections she provided, which enabled the welfare of the underprivileged masses through various livelihood interventions with a firm footing on the unique triple bottom line approach of ESAF having the three pillars of people, planet and prosperity.

Smt.Paul has contributed in a big way in the development of HR policies of ESAF from the initial stages, that are unique with its employee centric approach. During her tenure as the Head – Human Resources of ESAF, the institution could bag a place in the coveted ‘Great place to Work’ survey. She has been invited by various institutions of repute to talk about the ESAF Model of women empowerment and also about Self Help Group movement.

Shri. Abraham ThariyanIndependent Director

Abraham Thariyan is the former Executive Director of South Indian Bank. Prior to the 6 year stint at South Indian Bank as ED, he had an extensive work experience of 36 years at Federal Bank.

Abraham Thariyan has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and a Post- graduate Degree in Sociology. He has completed his Master of Business Administration from Cochin University. He is also a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers.

He began his career with Federal Bank by joining Federal bank’s 100th branch and 2nd outside Kerala Branch at Mount Road, Chennai and thereon successfully rose through the ranks by handling multidimensional assignments and heading all the major functions of the Bank at various points in time.

He was heading Mumbai Fort Branch as AGM, and later as DGM heading Mumbai region, Chennai region and Thrissur region. Elevated as General Manager in 2005 and was in charge of International Banking, Treasury, Financial services, NRI services, overseeing representative offices and retail gold business, recovery dept and SME.

He has 20 years of experience in International Banking and Foreign Exchange and was an elected Managing Committee member of FEDAI (Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India) for 15 years, representing private sector banks. Also served as an Independent director of the Indian subsidiary of UAE Exchange (Up to Mar. 2020.)

Shri. Joy Joseph CherayathtkudenIndependent Director

Mr. Joy is a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB). He has a Post Graduate degree in Management Studies (MBA) from CUSAT and Bachelor’s degree with Physics Main from Union Christian College Alwaye, University of Kerala.

He has 17 years of Banking experience in various fields mainly in International Finance, Import & Export Management; Foreign Exchange Management & Currency Trading; NRI Business. And 20 years of Industry/Business experience in General Management as the GM and Country Head of ABN International Transport Company WLL (formerly Behzad International) the Kuwait wing of ABN Corporation. He is the Director of TJSV Steel Fabrication & Galvanizing (India) Ltd since 2012 and was Joint Managing Director of the company for a year.

Currently, he is an Adjunct Faculty for MBA at University of Calicut & Kerala Agricultural University (teaching International Finance, Foreign Exchange Management; Soft Skills development; Entrepreneurship Management).

Shri. M G AjayanNon- Executive Director

Shri. M. G. Ajayan is an accomplished business leader with more than 3 decades of multifaceted experience in the banking industry across banking operations, Risk & Compliance, Transaction Banking, Credit, Rural Banking & IT.

He has held important positions like General Manager IT & CIO, General Manager Retail Assets, General Manager Transaction Banking, General Manager Pune Circle, Chief Compliance Officer, General Manager Shreyas Gramin Bank, Aligarh, DGM of Calicut Circle etc in Canara Bank, before his retirement in May 2018. Later he retired from ESAF Small Finance Bank Ltd as Executive Vice President – IT & Credit on Nov 2022. He holds a bachelor’s degree in science (horticulture) from Kerala Agriculture University and he is a certified associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers (Part 1)

Shri. Vikraman AmpalakkatNon Executive Director

Shri. Vikraman was the Chief General Manager (CGM) of Small Industries Development Bank of India and was heading the SIDBI Foundation for Microcredit (SFMC). He has got immense experience in the fields of priority sector lending, microfinance, developmental projects, SME lending and Project Finance. He is in the board of various Companies like Muthoot Finance Ltd, Samastha Microfinance Ltd., etc. He joined the Company as Director on September 30, 2008. He was redesignated as the Independent Director of the Company on September 28, 2014 and retired from the Board on September 28, 2021. He was then appointed as Non Executive Director on November 30, 2021.

Mr. Mark Robert DanielsNominee Director

Mark Daniels is a seasoned senior level executive with hands-on two decades of experience in international finance, philanthropy, and non-profit development experience across Asia, including India, Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, China, Thailand & Malaysia. In the past, Mark served on the boards of a wide range of organisations including a bank, micro finance institution, philanthropic organisation, and remittance company.

Prior to Opportunity International, Mark was a Senior Accountant in the Business Recovery and Insolvency Services Division of PwC. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in Business & Accountancy from the University of Technology, Sydney. He is also a CPA from the Australian Society Certified Practicing Accountants. In addition, Mark is a MAICD Member of Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Smt. Saleena George Nominee Director

Smt. Saleena is the nominee director of ESAF Swasraya Multi State Agro Co-operative Society Ltd (ESMACO). She has been associated with ESAF Foundation since 1996 and is the Chairperson of ESMACO from 2019. She has 36 years of Government Service in the Agriculture Department of Kerala, and retired as the Additional Director of Agriculture. She has experience as Farm Officer, Administrator and Scientist as a Plant Pathologist in Bio- Central Lab. She has undergone several Trainings in Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Delhi; National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad; Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore.

Smt. Emy Acha PaulNominee Director

Smt. Emy Acha Paul is the nominee director of the Promoter of the Company, Mr. Kadambelil Paul Thomas. She has comprehensive experience in governing many institutions in the development sector for the last 5 years. This includes Microfinance, Financial Literacy & Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment, Livelihood promotion and Child Care. She currently heads Prachodhan Development Services which works on various facts of Social Transformation, focussing mainly in East and Central India.