From trading desks to lending divisions, this issue of Banking Insight invites readers to think about managing volatility. Not just for the next quarter or upcoming financial year, but to ‘go long’ and suit up for the impending recovery.

I am deeply aware that many teams are overwhelmed doing things they never thought they had to do. Which is why Winning the Battle and the War, our cover story on page 12, shines a light on ‘war room fatigue’ – a scientifically proven phenomenon with real consequences on the human psyche – which many are feeling after months of firefighting the effects of the pandemic. Drawing on the latest research and techniques which have helped build the resilience of troops in the trenches, we trust that bankers will benefit the same from applying it with their teams.

Our featured Chartered Banker, Datuk Nora A Manaf, Group Chief Human Capital Officer at Malayan Banking Berhad, who is also a member of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers’ Board of Examiners, talks about the science of building people to which she has dedicated her 25 year career. In a brief dialogue, she captures the essence of her philosophy which has earned her recognition as one of the Top 50 Human Resource Professionals in the world.

We take the bull by the horns in AML Hanging on a Wire and address financial institutions’ lacklustre performance on the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing front. I acknowledge that this reality check may not be kosher to all, but it is our duty to red-flag bankers on issues that will negatively impact economic recovery and are counter-intuitive to the goals of sustainability and resilience. Banking has emerged relatively unscathed from the current crisis in good part due to Basel-era reforms; we should not let these hard-won gains slip through our fingers.

While some contemporaries may regard blockchain expert Roberto Capodieci of Blockchain Zoo as an unconventional mind, his work has helped law enforcement agencies across the world unravel mafiosi networks and others of the same ilk. In a frank interview, Savant or Subverter?, he talks about the imperative of getting fintech right if banking is serious about wresting financial crime and terrorism financing.

In The Quandary of Digital Payments, Dr Eli Remolona, Professor of Finance and Director of Central Banking at the Asia School of Business, draws from his wide-ranging regulatory experience and provides an introduction to the major questions every financial institution will encounter, if they haven’t already. He primes us on the potential “three futures” which banking could see in the coming years.

In his wisdom, the philosopher St Augustine said, “We are the times: such as we are, such are the times.”

In both good times and in bad, we create our reality. Our thoughts, words, and actions shape who we are, the quality of our relationships, and the strength of our communities. The way our industry has come together is a good indication that we’re on the right path. All that’s left is to follow through.

Like every curveball, banking must anticipate and get into position for the economic rebound.

Be sure to catch the ball when it does.

The Editor