H.E. Dr. Kao Thach KAO is a Delegate of the Royal Government in charge as CEO of the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (ARDB) in Cambodia. Concurrently, he is a member of Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC) with the rank to Secretary of State and Labor Arbitrator of the Arbitration Council since 2003.

Before holding ARDB’s portfolio, he was Deputy Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia with the rank and privilege to Undersecretary of State and the Head of Financial Market Division, Financial Industry Department, Ministry of Economy and Finance. He used to be a Legal Officer in the Ministry of Justice and also in court. He was one of the key persons working toward the establishment of Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia and Cambodia Securities Exchange.

Since joining the Ministry of Economy and Finance in 2003, he has undertaken numerous assignments relating to financial sector development in Cambodia. These assignments include being a member of working groups responsible for drafting Law on Government Securities and Law on Issuance and Trading of Non-government Securities; and member of working group responsible for developing Financial Development Strategy 2006-2015 and 2011-2020. As a representative of the Ministry of Economy and Finance he has been involved in various ASEAN working groups in relation to capital markets development such Asian Bond Markets Initiative (ABMI), ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF), and Financial Services Liberalization.

Dr. Kao Thach holds a Bachelor of Law Degree (LLB-Faculty of Law and Economics) and Master of Laws from Bond University (Australia) with emphasis of International Trade Law System, WTO Legal Framework, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Dispute System Design. He graduated Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from EU Business School; and Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy from the University of Cambodia.