YEREVAN, May 18. / ARKA /. Speaking at an event last Friday at the National Sundukyan Drama Theater in Yerevan dedicated to Stepan Gishyan, the prematurely deceased head of ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK, the bank’s CEO Hakob Andreasyan announced the establishment of ‘Stepan Gishyan’ charity foundation.

Andreasyan said the charity foundation’s objective will be to help deepen the Armenian-French cooperation and friendship. He said also that the beneficiaries of the foundation will be socially active young people who will shape the new future of the Armenian-French friendship by creating new values.

According to him, the Bank’s Board of Trustees will discuss on a yearly basis the proposed programs and select the ones that will be consistent with the objectives of the foundation.
Hakob Andreasyan thanked also the French Credit Agricole bank ‘for helping us since from the moment when this idea emerged until its implementation."

The event,” was attended by Stepan Gishyan’s mother, his relatives, friends and colleagues.
"One year without Stepan Gishyan and his presence,' Hakob Andreasyan said when speaking about his university friend.

"During this year he was not with us, but we often remembered him, talked to him, consulted with him, laughed with him, because Stepan had a good sense of humor. Very often, we discussed his point of view because what he had managed to do is a serious reserve for all of us and in the future we will go back to that and discuss it," he said.

According to Andreasyan, Gishyan had introduced new standards, approaches and culture in Armenia’s banking system.

"This explains the fact why ACBA Bank has its own special place in the banking system differing from other banks in terms of many questions. We owe this first of all to Stepan," he said.

Stepan Gishyan served as chairman of the Agricultural Cooperative Bank of Armenia from 1995 to 2000 and as its CEO from 2000 to 2006. In 2006 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK.

In 2003 he was also appointed CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of CJSC ACBA Leasing, the first leasing organization registered in Armenia.

He also served as president of the Union of Banks of Armenia in different years. Stepan Gishyan untimely passed away on March 22, 2014 at the age of 49. 0-