The Board of Directors of SBM Holdings Ltd comprises a team of high-calibre profiles who are responsible for the strategic direction and its long-term success in all the markets we serve.
Group Board of Directors Holdings
Mr Mahendra Vikramdass Punchoo
Date of Appointment
15 September 2025
Qualifications
• Masters in Economics with Merit – Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
• Maîtrise in Economic Sciences – University of Aix-Marseille III, France
• Licence in Economic Sciences – University of Aix-Marseille III, France
Background and Experience
An economist by training in France and the United Kingdom (UK) and by profession, Mr Punchoo worked close to 25 years in the Bank of Mauritius (BoM) Department of Economic Research, Analysis and Statistics during which he held various senior positions before stepping in as Second Deputy Governor in December 2014 until his retirement in February 2020.
During his career at the BoM, he has developed core competencies in economic analysis and research, banking regulation and supervision, financial markets and foreign exchange reserves management. His diverse skill set comes from the high offices he has occupied as deputy governor and member of the Board of Directors and of the Monetary Policy Committee of the BoM, as director on the Statistics Board and member of the Financial Reporting Council and member of various internal committees as well as years of interacting with international and regional organisations as representative of the BoM.
His atypical background offering a rare combination of a macroeconomist with a fairly deep knowledge of the economic and financial development of Mauritius and of a banking sector specialist in the field of regulation and supervision creates a unique value proposition in terms of his outlook and insights.
Mr Punchoo was the former Chairperson on the Board of Directors of La Prudence Leasing Finance Co. Ltd and a Panel Member of Rating Committee of CARE Ratings (Africa) Pvt. Ltd.
Directorship in other entities
SBM (NBFC) Holdings Ltd (Chairman), SBM (NFC) Holdings Ltd, SBM 3S Ltd (Chairman) and SBM Capital Markets Ltd (Chairman).
Mr Mohamed Javed Aboobakar
Date of appointment
16 October 2025
Background and Experience
Mr Aboobakar has wide experience in setting-up and administering private equity and credit funds, real estate funds, hedge funds, hybrid funds and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and multinational companies investing in Asia, Middle East and Africa for the last 25 years.
He was formerly the Managing Director of Citco (Mauritius) Ltd and has been also responsible for Citco’s corporate & trust offices in India, Dubai and New Zealand.
Prior to joining the Citco Group, the leading Alternative fund administrator in the world with around USD 2 trillion AUA, he was a director of one of the largest fiduciary companies in Mauritius (Multiconsult), which was part of DCDM (ex-Arthur Andersen). He was previously the General Manager of BNPI (BNP Paribas) Offshore Banking Unit and General Manager of BNPI (BNP Paribas) Mauritius Trust Corporation.
Within these various roles, he has been actively involved in investment and strategy committees, corporate and fund governance frameworks and committees, Investor relations, AML/CFT, Financial Reporting and dealing with various Regulators around the world.
Qualifications
• BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance – University of Leeds, England
• MBA (International Business) – University of Bristol, England and the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées Paris, France
• LLB (Hons) – University of London, UK
• Trust and Estates Practitioner (TEP)
Directorship in other entities
Samena Capital Investments Ltd (Dubai International Financial Centre), The Union Sugar Estate Company Ltd (DEM) and various companies in the global business sector.
Mr Pramod K. Bissessur
Date of appointment
11 April 2025
Qualifications
• Doctorat en Droit privé et Sciences Criminelles (currently reading) – Université Paris Nanterre, France
• Master of Laws with specialisation in Commercial Law (Company Law, Insurance Law, International Tax Law) –
University of Birmingham, UK
• Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – University of Mauritius, Mauritius
Background and experience
Mr Bissessur is a seasoned legal scholar who has been lecturing law at University level for over two decades. He has also been a lead corporate trainer and has conducted several workshops for the Board of Directors and the Management teams of companies that are mainly in the financial sector. He has carried out extensive legal research and his articles have been published both in international peer reviewed journals and in local newspapers. He has moreover regularly participated in international conferences and webinars. His core competencies are in Corporate Governance, Company Law, Risk Management, Insolvency Procedures and Public Governance.
He is a propounder of good governance procedures and international best business practices to be adopted by the Board of Directors of companies. He also aligns with modern decision-making concepts such as climate governance and artificial intelligence, which are pertinent to the financial and banking sectors.
Mr Raoul Gufflet
Date of appointment
28 November 2022
Qualifications
• Advanced Management Programme – INSEAD, France
• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) – Institute of Internal Auditors, USA
• Post Graduate Diploma International Finance – Université de Paris XIII, France
• Master’s Degree in Economics (specialisation in Finance) – University of Paris (La Sorbonne), France
• BSc Economics – University of Paris (La Sorbonne), France
Background and experience
Mr Gufflet is a seasoned professional with over three decades of experience in banking and finance. Throughout his career, he has gained extensive knowledge of banking and financial markets across multiple and diverse jurisdictions. He began as a strategic consultant in audit and corporate advisory at PwC, working with banks and central banks across France, Central and Eastern Europe, and Africa. He has also contributed to studies conducted in collaboration with the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, focusing on financial institutions in both developed and transitional economies. Before joining the SBM Group, he served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer at a leading bank in Mauritius, where he also sat on the boards of its entities across Africa and the Indian Ocean. He has been instrumental in building the international franchise of that bank, establishing its footprint in Structured Finance and Commodities Trade Finance across Africa. He also played a key role in transforming other business units, creating alignment with international best practices, regulatory and technological trends. A strong advocate for ESG principles in responsible banking and finance, he is dedicated to fostering sustainable banking practices - key drivers in unlocking long-term shareholder value.
Directorship in other entities
Banque SBM Madagascar SA, SBM (Bank) Holdings Ltd, SBM Bank (India) Limited, SBM Bank (Kenya) Limited, SBM Bank (Mauritius) Ltd, SBM Capital Markets Ltd, SBM Factors Ltd, SBM (NBFC) Holdings Ltd and other entities of the SBM Group.
Mr Deobruthsingh Jaypaul
Date of appointment
11 April 2025
Qualifications
• Masters in Business Administration - University of Cork, Ireland
• PgDL- Bar vocational course – University of Northumbria, UK
• LLB (Hons) – University of Wolverhampton, UK
Background and experience
Mr Jaypaul is a highly skilled litigator with 16 years of experience in civil and criminal matters. He has been the intellectual property rights representative of a foreign digital imaging technology company and acts as legal advisor to several private companies. He has also been the legal advisor of the Medical Council of Mauritius and the Medical and Health Officers Association - MHOA.
Mr Jaypaul has been involved in several companies in Mauritius providing legal assistance and guidance in their transformation journey for streamlining their operations and strategies. He is a member of the Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inn London, UK and the Mauritius Bar Association.
Directorship in other entities
SBM (Bank) Holdings Ltd (Chairman)
Mr Aakash K. Kalachand
Date of appointment
11 April 2025
Qualifications
• Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ACA, ICAEW)
• BSc (Hons) in Accounting & Finance - London School of Economics, UK
Background and experience
Mr Kalachand is a distinguished business and finance expert with over 15 years of extensive experience across diverse sectors, including financial services, risk management, investment, operational and strategic management and corporate governance.
Currently, he holds the esteemed position of Executive Director at J Kalachand & Co. Ltd, where he contributes significantly to the management team, overseeing the company’s operations with strategic insight.
Mr Kalachand had served as an independent director on the Board of SBM Holdings Ltd (SBMH) and SBM Bank (Mauritius) Ltd (SBMBM) from 2014 to 2015. In his capacity as the former Chairman of the Risk Management Committee of SBMH and SBMBM, he was instrumental in fortifying their risk management framework and ensuring adherence to regulatory standards, notably the Basel III regulations.
His professional journey also encompasses roles at EPIC Private Equity LLP in London, where he functioned as an Investment Executive, and Deloitte LLP, where he served as a Senior Consultant. His expertise lies in audit, risk advisory, and regulatory compliance, having worked with prominent financial sector groups such as Morgan Stanley, Barclays Capital and BNP Paribas.
Directorship in other entities
J Kalachand & Co. Ltd, Mauritius Freeport Development and SBM Bank (India) Limited
Mrs Danisha Sornum
Date of appointment
11 April 2025
Qualifications
• Master of Public Policy (MPP) - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, USA
• Master of Laws with Distinction (LL.M. International Commercial Law) - University of Birmingham, UK
• Bachelor of Laws (Honours) - University of Mauritius, Mauritius
Background and experience
Mrs Sornum is a barrister-at-law, specialized in International Trade and Investment Law, Arbitration, and ESG compliance in banking practices. Mrs Sornum has been a Consultant with numerous international institutions, including the World Bank. She currently works with the Independent Recourse Mechanism of the African Development Bank, conducting compliance reviews to ensure the sustainability and accountability of projects funded by the Bank across the African region. Mrs Sornum leverages her unique mixed legal and policy background to promote alternative dispute resolution methods, and to mainstream ESG imperatives in business operations and management. She is a Fulbrighter and has authored the book “Getting into International Arbitration” with a focus on Mauritius as a seat of arbitration for international dispute resolution. She has also been the youngest member of the Equal Opportunities Commission, investigating into alleged cases of discrimination, and collaborating closely with public and private stakeholders to foster inclusion across the workplace and the community at large.
Directorship in other entities
LeadInclude Africa Ltd
Mrs Belinda Wong-Vacher
Date of appointment
16 October 2025
Background and Experience
Mrs Wong-Vacher is a dynamic and distinguished finance expert and corporate law advisor with over 20 years of experience across listed and international companies in Mauritius, the UK, and Africa. She has served in senior leadership roles within diversified conglomerates, driving strategic, financial, and operational excellence at both group and functional levels.
Her core expertise lies in high-finance engineering, mergers and acquisitions, capital structuring, fund-raising, and complex deal execution, combined with a strong command of corporate governance, risk management, and audit oversight. A proven architect of transformation, she has led major reorganisations, turnarounds, and capital allocation strategies that strengthened performance and sustainability.
Mrs Wong-Vacher’s track record includes raising capital in multi-jurisdictions, listing on stock exchanges and fund-raising for leading entities, structuring financial products and championing ESG integration across corporate frameworks. Her leadership approach blends strategic vision, financial discipline, and cross-border execution, positioning her as a leader capable of steering growth and transformation across complex organisations.
Qualifications
• LL.M. International Business Law – Université Paris II, Panthéon-Assas, France
• Graduate Diploma in Law (In progress) – University of Lancashire, UK
• Master of Business Administration – University of Mauritius, Mauritius
• BSc (Hons) Finance – University of Mauritius, Mauritius
• Certificate of Business Accounting – Chartered Institute of Management Accounting, UK
• Strategy Execution for Business Leaders – INSEAD, France (Executive Education)
• Financing the Entrepreneurial Business Programme – London Business School, UK (Executive Education)
Directorship in other entities
Ascencia Ltd and Velogic Holding Company Ltd