Our Leadership

Leadership Team - Automatic Systems Ltd

The long-term success of the Company and its reputation rest with the Board of Directors and his Management team.

Board of directors
M.A. Eric Espitalier-Noël
Chairperson and Non-Executive Director
M. L. Jean HARDY
Non-Executive Director
J. O. Guillaume HARDY
Executive Director
Ravindra CHETTY S.C
Non-Executive Director
Sarah A. M. HELLER
Non-Executive Director
Farouk A. A. HOSSEN
Non-Executive Director
Michel J. L. NAIRAC
Non-Executive Director
John A. STUART
Non-Executive Director
Arvind Lall DOOKUN
Non-Executive Director
Mushtaq M. O. N. OOSMAN
Independent Director
Angelique Anne COQUET-DESVAUX DE MARIGNY
Independent Director
Senior Management
Robert C.Y.F. AH YAN
General Manager
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M.A. Eric Espitalier-Noël (65 years)
Chairperson and Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director in 2004

Appointed Director in 2004, Chairperson of the Company since July 2004, Eric Espitalier-Noël, born in 1959, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Natal in South Africa and a Master degree in Business Administration from the University of Surrey (UK). In 1986, he joined ENL Limited of which he is today an Executive Director.

Directorship in listed companies: Eric is currently the CEO of ENL Commercial Limited. He is also a Director of the following listed companies: Rogers and Company Limited, ENL Limited, Livestock Feed Limited (DEM), Les Moulins de la Concorde Ltée (DEM), Swan General Ltd, Swan Life Ltd (DEM) and Tropical Paradise Co Ltd (Alternate Director) (DEM).

M. L. Jean HARDY (76 years)
Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director at incorporation in 1991 and as Alternate Director to Farouk Hossen in 2002

Jean HARDY, born in 1948, is the promoter of the Tote Betting System in Mauritius. He was one of the co-founders of Hardy Henry & Cie Limitée in 1976 and is a director of Hardy Henry & Cie Limitée and its affiliated companies.
Directorship in other listed companies: Nil

J. O. Guillaume HARDY (49 years)
Executive Director

Appointed as Director in 2013 and Managing Director in 2014

Guillaume Hardy, born in 1974, holds a BA (Hons) Business Administration from South Bank University – London. He worked 2 years in London as Financial Analyst from 1998 to 2000. Then he started his career in Mauritius at PriceWaterhouseCoopers as Project Coordinator to afterwards move to Barclays Bank PLC in the Premier Banking Department as Personal Banker for 2 years. He joined the Tote in September 2003 as Off-Course Manager and was nominated General Manager of Automatic Systems Ltd. in 2012 and Managing Director in 2014. He resigned as Managing Director in August 2020 and acted as a Consultant until the 31st December 2022. He has been appointed as Executive director of the Company as from 1st January 2023.
Directorship in other listed Companies: Nil

Ravindra CHETTY S.C (61 years)
Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director in 1997

Ravindra Chetty, born in 1962, read Law at Balliol College, Oxford University. He was called to the bar in Middle Temple, England and in Mauritius in 1987. Since then he is practising as a barrister at law in Mauritius. His practice involves various areas such as civil, commercial, tax and insurance law. He took silk in 2010. Directorship in listed companies: Nil

Sarah A. M. HELLER (51 years)
Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director in July 2018

Sarah HELLER, born in 1973, holds a Bachelor degree in Business & Administration with a specialisation in Finance from INSEEC Paris. She is also an investment dealer on Stock Exchange of Mauritius. She is currently Director and Project Manager at Senior Homes Ltd, the promoter, developer, and operator of an assisted living facility. Her non-profit activities include being a member on the Board of Le Lyceen Ltd. In 2022, as part of her continuing professional development, she obtained a diploma in Corporate Governance under the Directors’ Development Program offered by the Mauritius Institute of Directors and Open University of Mauritius.
Directorship in listed Companies: Nil

Farouk A. A. HOSSEN (79 years)
Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director in 1991

Farouk HOSSEN, born in 1945, holds the Fellowship of the Association of British Opticians and Masters for practice in contact lenses. He practised the profession in England for three years before settling in Mauritius where he established practice as an optician since 1972 and founded F. Hossen Opticians Ltd, F. Hossen Optical Manufacture Ltd and F. Hossen Medic Optics Ltd. He is a Director of a number of companies and sat on the Board of the State Bank of Mauritius for two years. He is also the Chairperson of Viva Voce Ltd (Radio1).
Directorship in listed Companies: Nil

Michel J. L. NAIRAC (69 years)
Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director in 2012

Michel NAIRAC was born in Mauritius in 1954 and completed his Articles of Clerkship with Coopers and Lybrand in Durban South Africa. He started his own agency business, Michel Nairac Bloodstock in 1986, which continues to operate in the Equine Industry. He became a Director of the KZN Owners and Trainers Association, a membership entity for Owners and Trainers in KwaZulu-Natal, and was elected its Chairperson in 2000. With the amalgamation of the Racing Clubs in KwaZulu-Natal he became a Director of Gold Circle (Pty) Limited, the company that operates thoroughbred horseracing and totalisator betting in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. In 2001 he was appointed as CEO of Gold Circle, a position he currently holds.
Directorship in listed Companies: Nil

John A. STUART (68 years)
Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director in 2008

John Stuart, born in 1956, holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He has worked in the totalisator industry since 1979 when he joined the then TAB KwaZulu-Natal as Internal Auditor. He filled various roles in that organisation and then joined Phumelela and Leisure Ltd in 1997 as Business Development Manager with his primary focus on alternative forms of gambling. After occupying various roles in the organisation, he took responsibility for the International Division in May 2006 with specific focus on simulcasting and commingling. In September 2018 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Phumelela. Since leaving Phumelela in May 2020 he now consults to various businesses in the horse racing and betting industry.
Directorship in listed Companies: Nil

Arvind Lall DOOKUN (60 years)
Non-Executive Director

Appointed as Director in 2013

Arvind Lall DOOKUN, born in 1963, holds a Textile Technology Diploma from the University of Bolton (Textile Technology Dept.) formerly known as Bolton Institute of Higher Education, Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK; a Higher National Diploma in Clothing Technology and an Institute Diploma BA Hons in Fashion & Clothing Business Management from the London College of Fashion part of the University of the Arts, London UK. He is an Associate member of the Textile Institute (TI) Manchester, UK with an Associateship (CText ATI) Chartered Professional Qualification and a Fellow of the Mauritius Institute of Directors (FMioD). He is the Managing Director of General Export and Economic Development Services Ltd, an Export Service Company (ESC) and the Executive Director & Co-founder of A-Brokers Ltd, an FSC registered and licensed Insurance Broker operating in the Insurance sector.
Directorship in listed Companies: Nil

Mushtaq M. O. N. OOSMAN (70 years)
Independent Director

Appointed as Director in 2016

Mushtaq OOSMAN, born in 1954, trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Sinclairs in the UK, before returning to Mauritius in 1983, when he joined the audit department of De Chazal Du Mée. He then joined Roger de Chazal & Partners (founders of Price Waterhouse in 1988 in Mauritius). He was a Partner in PwC Mauritius from July 1991 up to November 2015. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He served on the Africa Central Governance Board and is well versed with the working and responsibilities of a Governance Board.
Directorship in listed Companies: Mushtaq is a Member of the Board of Directors of ENL Limited, The Mauritius Union Assurance Co Ltd, United Docks Ltd, Forges Tardieu Limited, La Prudence Life Assurance Ltd, Les Moulins de la Concorde Ltée and Happy World Properties Ltd.

Angelique Anne COQUET-DESVAUX DE MARIGNY (49 years)
Independent Director

Appointed as Director in 2023

Angélique Anne Coquet-Desvaux de Marigny is a barrister having been admitted to the Bar of England and Wales in 2000 and to the Mauritian Bar in 2001 after graduating from King’s College London and Université de Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne) with an LLB (First Class Honours) and a “Maîtrise en Droit Privé (Droit des Affaires) respectively. She focuses on advisory work and litigation in civil law, general commercial law, employment law, private international law, corporate law and family law. She has appeared in numerous complex cases at all levels, including before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Directorship in listed Companies: Rogers and Company Limited.

Robert C.Y.F. AH YAN (55 years)
General Manager

Robert AH YAN, born in 1969, holds an IATA/UFTAA Diploma since 1992 and a Diploma in Management from Cambridge Tutorial College, Jersey, Britain since 1994.
He joined Hardy Henry & Cie Limitée as Administrative Officer in 1992. He was promoted Assistant Manager in 1995 and as Manager in 2002 when the Company was awarded ISO 9001. He was the Tote and Sports Systems Manager of Automatic Systems Ltd. since 2002 and has been appointed as General Manager of the Company, effective as from 1st August 2020. Over his years of service, he followed numerous Management and IT courses and workshops and is continuously updating his skills, knowledge and professional competence.
He is a Professional Member of ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association) since February 2013 and is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

Committees
  • Audit and Risk Committee

    The composition of the ARC consists of:

    • Mushtaq M. O. N. OOSMAN
      Chairperson
    • O. Farouk A. A. HOSSEN
    • Arvind Lall DOOKUN
  • Corporate Governance (Nomination and Remuneration) Committee

    The composition of the CGC consists of:

    • Ravindra CHETTY
      Chairperson
    • M. A. Eric ESPITALIER NOEL
    • M. L. Jean HARDY