Tan Sri Azman Hashim, FCB

Chairman
Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers

On behalf of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB), it is my privilege and pleasure to extend my heartiest congratulations to all 100 of our esteemed members who have achieved the Fellow Chartered Banker and Chartered Banker statuses today. It has often been said: Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. This achievement is testament to your dedication and commitment towards excellence, proving that you are not only capable, but also willing to go above and beyond to achieve your goals.

As Chartered Bankers, you are well placed to apply your expertise and knowledge to drive positive change in a banking landscape that is increasingly propelled by digitalisation, sustainability, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities. More importantly, your skills will stand you in good stead to secure a prosperous and equitable future.

Hartley Withers, an English financial journalist, author and editor of The Economist, once said, “Good banking is produced not by good laws, but by good bankers”. My fellow Chartered Bankers, the banking profession is more than the money we manage, the investments we finance, and the services we deliver. The financial industry holds the power to reduce poverty, build communities, and restore the earth, but only if it promotes responsible and sustainable banking.

The environmental, social, and ethical elements of banking have never been more crucial than now, and as bankers, we have a responsibility to embed these considerations into our every decision, thought, and action. It is through this practice that we gain — and maintain — the confidence and trust of our customers, employers, business partners, and other stakeholders, and redefine the reputation of the banking profession as one worthy of respect.

As Chartered Bankers and AICB members, it is important to hold ourselves to the highest standards of professional conduct, knowledge and competence. The Code of Professional Conduct that you will recite today illustrates the basic tenets of ethical professionalism expected of a Chartered Banker and an AICB member. As a banker, live by its principles and let them be your guide in the discharge of your professional responsibilities from this point forward.

AICB remains committed to steering you in the right direction by advocating for your continuous professional development through our various banking qualifications and programmes. The Institute is working towards offering a wide selection of certifications in key banking trends and has recently introduced a new programme — the Certificate in Climate Risk (CICR) — which is awarded by the Chartered Body Alliance, comprising the Chartered Banker Institute (CBI) UK, the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).

And with our exclusive training partner, the Asian Banking School (ABS), and other distinguished industry affiliates, we continue to work on several other related initiatives and provide unwavering support to financial practitioners, enhancing their skills, knowledge, and competence, ultimately creating a sustainable pipeline of competent bankers that are technically sound, ethically centred, and socially conscious.

I am delighted to share that over 35,137 members have graduated with various AICB qualifications to date, and our membership base stands at over 34,000-strong today, with members from 26 countries across Asia, primarily Cambodia, Vietnam, Maldives and the Philippines. It is encouraging that our membership retention rate also remains high at 96%, giving us the impetus to continue professionalising the banking industry and providing the best value to our members.

In closing, I would like to commend you once again for the hard work, dedication and commitment you have shown to your profession, and I am glad that it has paid off handsomely in the form of the prestigious Chartered Banker designation that you now hold. As you forge ahead with your careers, you would do well to remember: Every great achievement builds on preceding accomplishments. May you continue to build on your success and reach for the stars.

Finally, I would like to convey my gratitude to Bank Negara Malaysia for their constant support, my fellow Council Members, our partners, the Chartered Banker Institute, UK, and the Asian Banking School, and as always, to the management and staff of AICB for all your hard work and dedication.