Hal is a Senior Advisor at Vriens & Partners, bringing over twenty years of experience in banking, fintech, private equity, and development finance across Asia, and EMEA. His work has spanned executive leadership and investment across international markets, with particular expertise in emerging economies and navigating complex operating environments.
Hal was CEO and Executive Director of Yoma Bank in Myanmar, where he led the bank’s growth into one of the country’s largest commercial banks. During this time, he also co-founded Wave Money, a joint venture with Telenor that became Myanmar’s largest mobile payments platform.
Prior to this, Hal spent a decade with the World Bank Group, serving in both the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). He established MIGA’s Hong Kong office and helped develop its Small Investment and Private Equity programs, supporting investment into emerging markets.
Hal has also held Board and Investment Committee roles with Delta Capital in Myanmar, Jambo Pay in Kenya, and AIDONIC in Switzerland.
Most recently, he served as CEO and Executive Director of PreComb Therapeutics, leading the company’s Series A financing and subsequent acquisition by 2Curex, a Nasdaq-listed biotechnology platform.
Hal holds an MA with Distinction in International Finance and Southeast Asian Studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, a Global Executive MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, and a BA with Honours in Economics and Political Science from McGill University. He has also completed Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School and the IFC Audit Committee Master Program.
Specialties: Banking, Fintech, Private Equity, Development Finance, Southeast Asia.
