ASA International Group plc announces that Md. Shafiqual Haque Choudhury, co-founder and Chairman of ASA International, has decided to resign as a Director and as Chairman of ASA International, for health reasons with effect of 31 December 2020. Mr. Choudhury initially planned to resign at the Company's AGM in June 2020, but was requested by the Board to stay on until the end of 2020 and assist in navigating the Company through the COVID-19 crisis. At the request of the Board, Mr. Choudhury will be assigned the role of President of the Company following his resignation as Director and Chairman. This will enable the Company to continue benefitting from Mr. Choudhury's valuable guidance and counsel. The Board and the Company's senior management are grateful for Mr. Choudhury's inspiration and leadership in founding and expanding ASA International into one of the world's largest and most successful, international microfinance institutions with operations in 13 countries throughout Asia and Africa. Following Mr. Choudhury's resignation, Guy Dawson will be appointed as Chairman of the Board as of 1 January 2021. Mr. Dawson will continue to chair the Nomination Committee and the Independent Directors Committee. Mr. Dawson has been a Non-Executive Director of ASA International since 2013. Mr. Dawson has extensive experience as a Non- Executive Director and previously served in that capacity on the Boards of The BOC Group plc and Alliance Boots plc. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Egerton Capital, Citywire Holdings and Ridgeway Partners. He was a founding partner of the independent corporate advisory firm Tricorn Partners, and prior to that held senior investment banking positions in London at Nomura, Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank. Having originally joined the Board of ASA International in 2013, Mr. Dawson might normally be expected to retire in 2022, nine years after his original appointment. However, as the bulk of his service to date has been before the Company's listing in July 2018, the Board deems it appropriate for him to serve as Chairman beyond 2022 (subject of course to his annual re-election by the shareholders) so that the Company can continue to benefit from the knowledge and expertise that he has accumulated both before and since the listing. This matter will be kept under review by the Board in the light of its broader succession and diversity planning, as well as the Chairman's performance in the role. Mrs. Hanny Kemna, Non-Executive Director of the Company since 2018, will take over Mr. Dawson's responsibilities as Senior Independent Director.