Corporate Governance

Olivier graduated in 1991 from the Law University of Aix-en-Provence and subsequently from London University. He holds a DESS and Magistère in business law, tax law and accounting and a postgraduate law degree (LL.M) from University College London. He was admitted to the Paris Bar in 1994.

Olivier spent his entire professional life as a lawyer in the Paris office of two world leading international (UK and US) law firms, Linklaters and Weil Gotshal Manges, 22 years of which as a partner of each Firm successively. He has over 30 years’ experience as a fully versatile banking lawyer advising creditors and debtors (banks, funds and corporate) across the whole spectrum of products on the bank debt markets with in-depth knowledge of all financing and regulatory features. He was the head of the Paris banking practice at both Firms with a focus on clients and transactions with an international footprint and was widely recognized as one of the few leading banking lawyers of his generation. Olivier is a former member of the Paris Bar and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Business Law from University College London. He also obtained a Diploma of Advanced Legal Studies and a Master’s degree in Law from Aix-En-Provence University.

Marie Jennifer Jean-Louis, Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of AfrAsia Bank, is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years of experience, which includes financial strategy, audit, taxation, regulatory reporting and advisory. She has been part of the Bank’s journey since its inception, contributing significantly to its financial architecture and long-term value creation.

Jennifer has a strong track record in executing complex mergers and acquisitions (“M&A”) and capital raising initiatives, driving the Bank’s growth agenda. She has also led the Bank’s adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), reinforcing transparency and alignment with global investor expectations.

As an Executive Director since 2022, she continues to bring strategic depth, disciplined financial oversight and a strong governance assurance for stakeholders, supporting the bank’s positioning as a trusted and forward-looking financial institution. Jennifer is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a qualified Chartered Tax Advisor.

Vikas Monawer was appointed Risk and Compliance Director of The Access Bank UK Limited in 2011. He is a graduate of Aston Business School and brings over 30 years of expertise in Risk Management, Compliance, Operations Management, Anti-Money Laundering and both Internal and External Auditing across various firms in the UK.

Before joining The Access Bank UK Limited, Vikas gained a wealth of experience in Compliance, Risk and AML through senior roles at various institutions, including PwC UK and Deloitte UK.

Jamie Simmonds was appointed as the founding CEO/MD of The Access Bank UK Limited in January 2008. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, a member of the Association of Foreign Bankers, and a certified financial adviser. He has a wealth of experience in financial services, having held several director roles at National Westminster, Coutts, Royal Bank of Scotland, Gerrards, and Close Brothers.

He has a proven track record in the start-up and turnaround of financial service businesses, delivering sustainable benefits for all stakeholders. He has extensive knowledge of corporate, retail, and private banking.

Andy is the Company Secretary of AfrAsia Bank Limited and its subsidiary. He is a Chartered Governance Professional with more than 12 years of experience in corporate governance matters and company secretarial practice.

Prior to joining AfrAsia Bank in 2022, he was responsible of the Corporate Affairs cluster of the main subsidiary of a leading global multinational operating in the pharmaceutical industry. Andy also worked for various companies offering outsourced corporate and secretarial services to a diverse range of companies in various sectors. He started his career with a local conglomerate.

Andy is a member of the Mauritius Institute of Directors (MIOD) and a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland. He holds an MBA with specialisation in Financial Services and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Law and Management from the Open University of Mauritius and University of Mauritius respectively.