Find out more about our team members below
Management Team
T I M Fakruzzaman
President & CEOT I M Fakruzzaman
President & CEOMr. Fakruzzaman has a Bachelor’s degree in Geography of the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh and completed his master’s degree from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is a microfinance practitioner with more than twenty-five years of experience. He started his career at ASA Bangladesh, the NGO. His areas of expertise include field operations, program and management monitoring, partnership and development programs, disaster and delinquency management, conversion of microfinance programs from group liability to individual liability approach and he is specialized in product, process and methodology designed for microfinance. In 2004, he was sent by ASA Bangladesh to the Philippines as one of the Consultants of the UNDP-Micro Start Program (MSP), as ASA Bangladesh was the lead International Technical Service Provider of the program. From 2004 to 2006 he was assigned as Consultant for CARD-MRI, the largest microfinance institution in the Philippines. In 2007, shortly after returning to Bangladesh, ASA International assigned him to establish and manage the Philippine operation of ASA International, Pagasa Philippines Finance Corporation, where he presently serves as the President and CEO.
Md. Shamsul Hasan
Deputy PresidentMd. Shamsul Hasan
Deputy PresidentMr. Shamsul Hasan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Dhaka University, Bangladesh. He joined ASA Bangladesh, the NGO in 1993 as Manager of Finance and MIs. In 2011, he was promoted to Joint Deputy Director for Operations and in 2016 he served as Joint Deputy Director for Risk Management. In 2006, he provided consultancy services to Total Rural Development Cooperatives in the Philippines. He has attended courses on financial analysis, risk management, management strategies and SME financing in Bangladesh and Thailand. He brings to Pagasa 24 years of experience in microfinance operations, financial management, and risk management.
Md. Azizur Rahman
Chief Operating OfficerMd. Azizur Rahman
Chief Operating OfficerMr. Azizur Rahman has a Bachelor degree in Commerce and Master’s degree of Commerce from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He has more than 22 years of experience in microfinance and social development sectors on a managerial and supervisory level. He started his career in microfinance by joining ASA Bangladesh. Mr. Rahman held various positions such as, Area Supervisor/Branch Manager, Regional Manager, Divisional Manager, Cluster Manager and rose to the position of Assistant Director of Programs. His expertise is in program design, product development, and financial model design for microfinance operations, planning, monitoring, financial ratio analysis and institutional assessment of microfinance programs.
Genaro L. Kong
Chief Financial OfficerGenaro L. Kong
Chief Financial OfficerMr. Kong is a graduate from the National College of Business Administration with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a major in Accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He has a Master degree in Business Administration (MBA), Major in Finance from De La Salle University Graduate School of Business, Philippines. He joined Pagasa Philippines in 2011 as Finance and Accounting Manager. Prior to joining Pagasa Philippines, Mr. Kong worked at Singer Asia Retail and its subsidiaries specifically in the Philippines.
Atty. Joselito L. Fernandez
Corporate SecretaryAtty. Joselito L. Fernandez
Corporate SecretaryMr. Fernandez has extensive work experience in accounting, finance and administration acquired from various industries, notably, commodity futures trading, finance, banking, education, IT-enabled engineering and shared services. Prior to joining Pagasa, he worked at Odfjell Drilling Philippines Corp. in Makati City as its Chief Financial Officer. A Certified Public Accountant and lawyer by profession, Mr. Fernandez has a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City and Arellano University in Manila, respectively.
Ann Margaret DL Sacro
Manager, HR & Administration DepartmentAnn Margaret DL Sacro
Manager, HR & Administration DepartmentMs. Sacro is a graduate of B.S. Psychology at St. Paul College of Iloilo, with a Certificate Course in HR Strategic Planning at Dela Salle College of St. Benilde and has 9 units of Masteral Degree in Values Formation and Education at the Miriam College Foundation. She has more than 20 years of experience in the field of Human Resource Management. Her area of expertise includes all HR facets particularly in Philippine labour law and jurisprudence, training and developmental programs, public speaking, presentation and communication.
Joan S. Alfarero
Sr. Accounting Manager, Finance & AccountsJoan S. Alfarero
Sr. Accounting Manager, Finance & AccountsMs. Alfarero is a Certified Public Accountant with 11 years of professional experience in audit, accounting and treasury services. She has five years of in-depth external audit and tax experience at EY Philippines in manufacturing, information technology, advanced communication services, investment property, investment funds, mining, logistics, schools, service and trading industries; and four years of treasury accounting experience at Nestle. She has also performed comptrollership activities for various wholesale and retail companies. She joined Pagasa in January 2019 as a Senior Accounting Manager. She also manages the various relationships with local banks and government agencies.
Jorge O. Romano
Manager, FMPU and Risk ComplianceJorge O. Romano
Manager, FMPU and Risk ComplianceMr. Romano is a graduate of the Collegio de San Juan de Letran, Intramuros, City of Manila, one of the oldest Catholic universities of the Dominican orders in the Philippines. His expertise focuses on the multi-faceted systems and procedures of accounts and financial work with emphasis on financial statement preparation and the conduct of internal audit and controllership, as well as providing management service reports. He started his career in accounts/finance as cost clerk and rose up to the position of Project Finance Officer, responsible for the establishment and improvement of project based financial management systems to local business entities. He managed the Finance and Admin Group of the company.
Eufrecina T. de Jesus
ConsultantEufrecina T. de Jesus
ConsultantMs. De Jesus is a registered Social Worker and holds a degree in BS Social Work at Philippine Christian University where she was a Presidential Scholar. In 2003, she earned her Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship for Social Development Entrepreneurs at the Asian Institute of Management and received the highest award of Superior Performance. Ms. De Jesus started her career in an NGO as Project Manager for eight years before working as a Community Social Worker in Saudi Arabia and Egypt for two years. Ms. De Jesus was elected as member of a local legislation unit and served for numerous terms while also being the Project Manager of Microfinance/NGO in Ermita, Manila for eight (8) years. Ms. De Jesus is well-known in the microfinance industry as one of the Filipino microfinance practitioners who first used and embraced the ASA Methodology that originated from Bangladesh. At present, Ms. De Jesus is the President of Pagasa ng Masang Pinoy Microfinance, Inc. an NGO which operates in the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Isabela, and is an affiliate of Pagasa Philippines Finance Corporation. She is also one of the Board of Directors of Pagasa ng Pinoy Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. as its Treasurer.
Board of Directors
Karin Kersten
Karin Kersten
Ms Kersten is the Chief Executive Officer of ASA International. She joined the Group Executive Committee as Corporate Development Director in October 2021. She previously worked for ABN AMRO Bank, where she had a distinguished career, most recently as Managing Director, Trade & Commodity Finance. Ms Kersten is a member of the Supervisory Board of Mondriaan Fonds and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Mondriaan Fonds. She is also a member of the selection committee of Hotelschool The Hague.
T.I.M. Fakruzzaman
T.I.M. Fakruzzaman
Mr. Fakruzzaman is an ex-officio member of the Board of Pagasa Philippines by virtue of his position as country head.
Md. Shamsul Hasan
Md. Shamsul Hasan
Mr. Hasan is an ex-officio member of the Board of Pagasa Philippines by virtue of his position as Deputy President.
Md. Azizur Rahman
Md. Azizur Rahman
Mr. Rahman is an ex-officio member of the Board of Pagasa Philippines by virtue of his position as Chief Operating Officer.
Genaro L. Kong
Genaro L. Kong
Mr. Kong is an ex-officio member of the Board of Pagasa Philippines by virtue of his position as Chief Financial Officer.
Eufrecina T. de Jesus
Eufrecina T. de Jesus
Ms. De Jesus is an ex-officio member of the Board of Pagasa Philippines by virtue of her position as Consultant.
Ronald T. Chua
Ronald T. Chua
Mr. Chua is a cum laude graduate in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines. He finished his Master in Business Administration at the Asian Institute of Management (Philippines). Since 1992, Mr. Chua has been involved in the microfinance sector in various capacities. His roles in the sector have included being a practitioner, a board member, a researcher, a policy and industry advocate, a trainer, workshop facilitator, educator, and consultant. His field of expertise includes operations, strategy, social entrepreneurship, and microfinance and microenterprise development.
Azim Hossain
Azim Hossain
Azim Hossain assumed the role of Chief of Operations ('CO') of ASA International in July 2023, having served as the Group's Director of Investment, Treasury and Risk Management since 2005. Mr Hossain has over 34 years of experience in the microfinance industry, having worked for 20 years at ASA NGO Bangladesh, where he held various positions including Director of Finance & MIS and Senior Finance Professional. At ASA Bangladesh, Mr Hossain established the finance and MIS systems, was involved in the development and design of the AMMS, assisted in the establishment of risk management frameworks and was in charge of the NGO Partnership Programme, providing technical and financial assistance to microfinance institutions. He has also worked with the UNDP MicroStart programme in the Philippines and Nigeria, where he was responsible for development, products and services, financial management, performance analysis and business planning.