Karien van Gennip elected ICC Vice-Chair

Karien van Gennip has been a member of the ICC Executive Board since July 2012, the Chair of the ICC Finance Committee and also a member of the Governing Body of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. She is the CEO of ING France, a leading international finance group.

Joining ING Group in 2008 as Director of Group Public & Government Affairs, Karien was later appointed Director of Private Banking & Investments before rising to head the group’s French activities.

Karien began her career in 1994 as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company in Amsterdam and San Francisco. Moving into the public sector, she continued her career with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets in 2002.

From 2002 to 2007, Karien was State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Minister for Foreign Trade, with responsibilities covering bilateral and multilateral trade, entrepreneurship, regional policy, investment climate and consumer policy. She also served as a member of the Dutch Parliament from 2006-2008.

Karien’s election as Vice Chair of ICC’s Executive Board marks the first time a woman has held the position.

New members from Africa and Asia Pacific

Patrick Obath from Kenya and Harsh Pati Singhania from India were also elected as new members of the ICC Executive Board. Mr Obath is Chair of ICC Kenya and a highly respected member of the Kenyan and East African business community, with 35 years’ experience as an oil and gas professional. At Shell East Africa, he set up and managed corporate health, safety and environment for the region.

Mr Singhania is the ICC Regional Coordinator for the Asia Pacific Region, Director of J K Organisation and Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of J K Paper Ltd, India. Mr Singhania was Chair of ICC India from 2011-12 and his uncle, Hari Shankar Singhania, served as ICC Chair from 1993-94.

Ms van Gennip, Mr Obath and Mr Singhania will begin their respective roles commencing 1 July.