During the Board meeting on 31st March and 1st April 2017, Jean-Michel Bouchard decided to stand down as President, after overseeing a long period of development and professionalization of the charity. The directors thank him for his dedicated service for PSE, since 1993, first as Treasurer and then President.
The Board of Directors elected Ghislaine Dufour to be President of the charity..
Ghislaine discovered PSE in April 2003, during one of Christian and Marie-France des Pallières’ tours. Ghislaine lived in Phnom Penh for a year with her husband Patrice on a mission for the World Bank in Cambodia. As soon as she arrived in Phnom Penh, Ghislaine went to see Christian and Marie-France to volunteer. She was interested in using her training and experience in psycho-pedagogy, and for a year she facilitated workshops on teaching methodology. On her return to France, she joined the Yvelines branch and Bertrand Voisard asked her to succeed him to direct it. In September 2015, the Yvelines and Paris branches were merged to form a charity (under the French law of 1901) of which until now she has been vice-president. In March 2013, Jean-Michel Bouchard invited her to join the Board of Directors and the PSE Executive, her field of reference, with particular focus on training, accommodation, general education, mental health, the adapted teaching section and the recruitment of young volunteers for missions to the Centre.
Ghislaine will be supported by an Executive team comprising:
► Martin de Roquefeuil, Vice-President in charge of Corporate Communications and Public Relations
►Jean-Michel Drouault, Treasurer
►Anthony Tigé, in charge of monitoring major projects and vocational training. Anthony spent 4 years at PSE in Phnom Penh.
►Thomas Valleteau, Secretary General, standing invitee to the executive, in charge of the headquarters in Versailles and the smooth running of reporting and decision making between the Board of Directors and the management team in Phnom Penh. Thomas spent 2 years at PSE in Phnom Penh.
Elisabeth Bardon-Debats, PSE Director, continues to act as interim general manager of activities in Cambodia pending the arrival of a new Cambodian general manager on 16th May. The Board of Directors thanks her for the professionalism and success of her assignment.
Jean-Michel Bouchard is a standing invitee to the executive and continues to advise Ghislaine to ensure a smooth transition. Jean-Michel will also advise the team on a wide range of management issues of which he knows the background.
Fernando Alonso, Director of PSE, heads an audit committee in charge of controlling the charity’s operational activities internationally, and in particular in Cambodia.
At the Annual General Meeting on 1st April 2017, two new directors joined the board: Michel Sebban (Phnom Penh, adviser to the PSE health programme) and Pierre-Yves Rambaud (marketing professional, adviser for the professionalization of our operational communication tools and operations with companies). Pierre-Yves will be invited to advise on fundraising related topics from time to time.
The General Assembly thanks Bertrand de Gaulejac, outgoing Board member and former President, for his substantial contribution to the Board of Directors over all these years. Bertrand has been a PSE supporter since the beginning and a friend of Christian and Marie-France, whom he helped in drafting the charity’s charter as well as the construction of buildings and the securing of the land that makes up the PSE Centre in Phnom Penh, which now welcomes 2,000 children on a daily basis!
