The new board of governors at the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (AmCham) has a wealth of experience at the helm after the announcement on Wednesday that Anthony Galliano has been voted the organisation’s next president.

Galliano is the CEO of Cambodia Investment Management and will serve in the post for the next year. He was a career senior corporate banker with 27 years of international experience with ANZ, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of New York.

He served as chairman of the Hong Kong Securities Industry Group from 1998 to 2000 and was appointed as a consultative panel member of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd.

“I am blessed with the opportunity and honour to assume the role as president of AmCham and work with a hugely talented board. I am inheriting a strong and flourishing chamber thanks to the outgoing president, Allen Tan, who did a spectacular job during his tenure.

“AmCham has successfully strengthened relations with the Cambodian government, worked closely with the US Embassy and served the best interests of our membership.

“We will continue to build on this momentum and increase our focus on advocacy, corporate social responsibility, community relations and the matters that most concern our members.

“Despite challenging times, I am very optimistic that Cambodia has a great future ahead and AmCham can play an important role in the nation’s success and prosperity,” Galliano told The Post.

Pily Wong was voted in as vice-president, with Chris McCarthy to serve as secretary. Tean Ly will be treasurer. Terms for these board positions are also one year.

Wong is the CEO of Hung Hiep (Cambodia), while McCarthy is CEO of marketing services company MangoTango Asia. Ly is managing partner at Seeva Capital.

Galliano, Ly, McCarthy and Wong, along with Pauline Teoh, Michael Berg, Ashley Irving, Steven Path and Sophea Ros, were voted in as new members of the board of governors at the AmCham Annual General Meeting (AGM) on November 24.

They all officially take up their positions on January 1.

Governors sit for a two-year term and may stand for re-election at the end of their term.

Voting opened on November 13, with the new members selected from 15 candidates.

US Ambassador to Cambodia W Patrick Murphy joined the AGM, which was held at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, as the association enjoyed a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner.

HE Chea Serey, director-general of Central Banking at the National Bank of Cambodia, and HE Buon Sarakmony, secretary of state at the Ministry of Commerce, were also guests of honour.

Ambassador Murphy delivered welcome remarks acknowledging the strong economic ties between the US and Cambodia, and thanked AmCham for its work in promoting business.

Outgoing president Allen Dodgson Tan, who has served the maximum two terms, thanked AmCham for its support in heartfelt remarks.

“I would like to thank all of our members and partners for your support over the past two years. It has been a deep honour to have been entrusted with our organisation.

“I would like to give special thanks to our partners the US Embassy. To the Royal Government for their continued support of the private sector and of AmCham in consultation and partnerships. And to our fellow business chambers, which help us build this strong private sector,” Tan said.

Founded in 1996, AmCham supports, advocates and promotes forward-looking public and private sector collaborations that contribute to the regional and global advancement of the Kingdom’s business environment.

In his final speech to the AmCham members gathered at Raffles, Tan proudly declared the association to be in its strongest ever position

As he reflected upon his successful tenure, which included the unprecedented challenges faced this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tan expressed optimism for the road ahead.

“The 2020 membership survey revealed that 90 per cent of AmCham members are satisfied with their membership.

“The survey also revealed that despite Covid and the challenges to the global economy . . . the majority [of member businesses] feel optimistic about their future in 2021.

“As an organisation, there is no doubt that the AmCham I stand before today is the best I have ever seen – engaged, diversified and inclusive,” Tan said.