Treinen speaking at the 2025 World Credit Union Conference.
The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) has officially appointed Paul Treinen as its permanent president/CEO, removing the interim tag after he guided the organization through one of its most challenging periods.
Treinen stepped into the interim role in April, shortly after WOCCU lost U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding for international development programs. Since then, he has worked closely with the Board to craft a new three-year strategy focused on core trade association functions, including international advocacy and member engagement. He also delivered a well-received State of the Movement Address at the 2025 World Credit Union Conference in Stockholm, rallying thousands of global credit union professionals.
“The Board had already begun the formal process of conducting a thorough search for a new leader,” Michael Lawrence, WOCCU Board Chair and CEO of the Customer Owned Banking Association in Australia, said. “But seeing the way Paul was so proactive in helping us create a new strategy, how he presented such a positive view of WOCCU’s future, and the feedback we received from staff convinced us we didn’t need to look any further.”
Treinen, who retired from WOCCU in 2023 after serving seven years as COO and EVP, said returning to lead the organization permanently was “a great honor.” He pledged to strengthen WOCCU’s advocacy work and deliver new services to members worldwide.
He will travel to Manila in September for his first official engagement as permanent CEO, attending the Asian Credit Union CEO Workshop hosted by the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions.
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