Career biography:

Over the past 18 years, Martijn has built an extensive career across emerging markets, particularly in Asia and Africa. In 2007, he played a pivotal role in the founding of ASA International, which, following years of strategic expansion, has grown into one of the world’s largest microfinance institutions. ASA International provides small working capital loans — typically with tenures of six to twelve months — primarily to female micro-entrepreneurs across 13 countries in Asia and Africa. ASA’s financial products provide vital access to capital for underserved clients, enabling them to grow their businesses and support their families and communities.

As ASA International’s chief legal officer, Martijn has been a key driver behind the company’s major strategic and operational milestones. “I’m extremely proud to have been a driving force behind all major strategic and operational initiatives at ASA International,” he shares. His contributions have included establishing entities in hard-to-access jurisdictions, securing licenses aligned with business needs, transforming certain subsidiaries into deposit-taking microfinance banks, and ultimately leading the company to a successful listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2018. This journey from start-up to scale-up has provided Martijn with deep exposure to a broad spectrum of issues beyond legal affairs, including regulatory, tax, and compliance matters in emerging markets.

His path as chief legal officer has been quite unconventional. He has seamlessly blended a strategic commercial focus with the responsibilities of a traditional legal role. “I’ve often found myself navigating complex business and operational decisions while also being the neutral voice in the organisation,” he explains, highlighting his position as a member of the Executive Committee and advisor to the Board of Directors. Operating in the dynamic and often unpredictable environments where ASA International works, Martijn has frequently had to craft creative legal solutions to launch and sustain business ventures.

Operating across over fifteen jurisdictions, Martijn provides strategic advice to the company by effectively translating legal, regulatory, and tax frameworks into actionable business decisions. In his view, a modern chief legal officer must go beyond legal expertise to also incorporate financial, accounting, and tax considerations into the decision-making process.

In his role, Martijn is also deeply engaged with governance. Leading the legal function in a UK-listed company offers significant exposure to UK governance standards, which serve as a benchmark for compliance frameworks across the group. His unique positioning as an independent advisor within the organisation allows him to balance stakeholder interests and uphold governance with integrity. “I see it as my duty to uphold the highest standards of good governance while fostering a culture of compliance,” he notes.

Martijn is proud to support a mission focused on financial inclusion and poverty reduction — values that align closely with strong ESG principles. As chief legal officer, he ensures compliance with evolving standards like the TCFD and CSRD while embedding ethical, sustainable practices across the business. “ESG truly is at the heart of who we are and what we do,” he says.