Tonik Digital Bank, Inc. has recently appointed Maria Lourdes “Long” Pineda as the non-executive Chair of its Board of Directors. Maria, with a background in financial inclusion and banking, was previously the President of Tonik since 2019.
Her career, spanning nearly three decades, includes various roles across the financial sector in the Philippines and other emerging markets in Asia and Latin America. Maria’s journey began in an investment bank, followed by a position in a government agency focused on grassroots lending. She then ventured into entrepreneurship and subsequently returned to banking, serving as a compliance officer in her family-owned rural bank in Davao del Norte.
Maria has been involved in numerous local and international microfinancing programs. She played a pivotal role in setting up the microfinance operation for Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) and was the founding president of Rizal Microbank, a subsidiary of RCBC.
Following a brief break from banking in 2016, Maria continued her involvement in financial inclusion through independent consulting. Her roles before joining Tonik included Lead Independent Director of BDO Network Bank and as an international consultant for MicroKonsult.
This latest leadership appointment marks a continuation of her extensive career in banking and microfinance, as she takes on as a non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tonik Digital Bank.
In addition, Greg Krasnov, Founder and CEO of Tonik Group, who previously held the position of Chairman at Tonik Digital Bank, will be stepping into the role of President of the bank’s subsidiary.