Tan Sri Azman Hashim, FCB

Chairman
Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers

As Chairman of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB), it is my honour to extend my heartiest congratulations to all of you on attaining the prestigious Chartered Banker status. This career milestone is especially significant given the challenging circumstances we have been facing for close to two years.

Although I would have preferred to meet you in person, the current situation has made it quite impossible for us to have our annual physical conferment ceremony. Nevertheless, I am glad that we are able to meet virtually today and I would like to applaud the 276 Chartered Banker conferees this year for your diligence, resilience and determination in attaining the Chartered Banker status under these difficult circumstances — you and your families should be very proud.

The number of Chartered Bankers in Malaysia continues to rise to a total of 511 to date — a 49.6% increase compared to 2019 — bearing testament to the growing number of bankers dedicated to the pursuit of becoming future-ready, well-skilled, and strong advocates of professionalism in the banking industry. Our membership remains at over 32,500 members to date, with a healthy retention rate of 90%. We are also encouraged by the strong Chartered Banker pipeline of over 900 bankers who are on track to complete the CB programme by 2021, as AICB continues to nurture our banking talent into leaders who can contribute significantly to the industry and successfully navigate today's challenging environment in a post-pandemic world.

I would like to acknowledge the close support of our partners, the Chartered Banker Institute (CBI), UK, and the Asian Banking School, in assisting us and our members towards these achievements. To the many employers present today, thank you for investing in the professional development of your employees. We strongly believe that organisations that invest in their talent will benefit from a more efficient and skilled workforce.

The pandemic has certainly laid bare the many vulnerabilities in our society. There has never been a time that so greatly tested the resilience and resourcefulness of Malaysians. It was heartening to see our member banks pulling together swiftly and effectively to address the financial needs of the public and provide aid and support to the communities affected by shortages of medical equipment, beds, food and basic amenities, etc. This is truly a remarkable demonstration of the responsibility, professionalism and kindness of our banking community. I understand Malaysia was the only country in Southeast Asia to have implemented a blanket, automatic loan repayment moratorium for individuals and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which benefitted millions of Malaysians, and I am glad that our banks continue to proactively offer various other targeted repayment assistance programmes until today.

As The Economist Editor Hartley Withers once wrote, “Good banking is produced not by good laws, but by good bankers”. Laws alone are insufficient to prevent bad behaviour. In addition to the various corporate ethical frameworks and processes in place, developing individual capacity for good decision-making and professionalism is key to strengthening the industry’s reputation and improving public trust. When ethics becomes a shared responsibility, we will see real change that may even become our strongest defence against a future financial crisis. This is where AICB’s role as a professional body for bankers helps to develop this mindset and capacity in the banking workforce.

Since the banking industry plays a significant role in the economic growth of our nation, it is essential to build a strong talent pipeline capable of ensuring its sustainability, adaptability and growth. But in this fast-evolving global environment, the skills and qualifications that are in demand today can quickly become outdated. For AICB to maintain the high standards and relevancy of our qualifications, we have been working closely with the Chartered Banker Institute, UK, to continuously review and update our professional education and membership framework. The new AICB qualification and membership framework, which is currently being implemented in phases, features updated qualification content, streamlined progression pathways, a robust online examination framework, and an even greater focus on professional ethics, which will further support our members in helping them meet the extensive shift in customer needs.

I remain optimistic knowing that we have a growing number of Chartered Bankers that will lead us to a better future.

I would like to leave you with this message, my fellow Chartered Bankers: As you progress towards your respective career goals, adopt a set of good core values that will serve as a moral compass and guide your judgment and decisions. Always remember the oath that you will take today reflects a personal commitment and responsibility to uphold our Code of Professional Conduct by observing the highest standards of professionalism and integrity throughout your careers. Your Chartered Banker status accords you that competitive edge that distinguishes you from your fellow contemporaries as a trusted banking practitioner equipped with detailed knowledge of modern banking and its ethical and professional requirements.

While the road ahead is filled with uncertainties, I am hopeful that Malaysia’s economic outlook will continue to evolve positively, especially with the encouraging progress on the vaccine front. I would like to assure you that moving forward, we at AICB remain committed to providing you with the resources and support to achieve banking excellence. I am sure that under the new leadership of AICB Chief Executive Edward Ling, there will be many exciting, new developments at the Institute, which will bring greater value to our members.

Once again, my heartiest congratulations to you, our Chartered Banker conferees. Well done indeed on your hard work and lasting achievement!

I would like to convey my thanks and appreciation to the Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia and her senior colleagues for their continuous support, our Council Members, the Chartered Banker Institute, UK, the Asian Banking School as well as our other institute partners and to the dedicated AICB team for ensuring the success of this virtual event.