This is what we need.

With prolonged chaos on so many fronts, it’s crucial to not lose sight of the bigger picture and keep our eyes trained on the long game.

That’s what this issue of Banking Insight is about.

Ready to Face the Wind, our cover story, captures the essence of how we should prepare to face the headwinds that will invariably come our way. Although Asia’s banking sector emerged unscathed from the recent crises in the EU and US, in today’s increasingly interconnected world, it is no guarantee that the tables will not turn in the future. Which is why Malaysia’s recovery and resolution planning is steadily underway. Preparedness is our only armour for financial resilience. We need professionals who can see the bigger picture and execute this vision within their organisations.

Expanding on this message, our featured Chartered Banker, Faradina Ghouse, CB, Group Chief Compliance Officer at AmBank Group, lends insight into her decades-long career and her thoughts on what lies ahead. As Chairman of the AICB Compliance Officers’ Networking Group, Ms Ghouse’s tenure is characterised by her dedication towards future-proofing the increasingly complex world of compliance.

Our Well-being segment, which was introduced post Covid-19, recognises that supporting our banking professionals includes giving them the requisite tools to meet their emotional and intellectual needs. Do You Know of the Emotional Bank Account? is a pivot around the traditional concepts of money, value, accounting and is reminiscent of the German economist E F Schumacher, whose revolutionary philosophy of ‘small is beautiful’ in the 1970s challenged conventional wisdom in business and finance. This article inspires similar thinking as it redefines how we value and grow our relationships, an intangible but crucial aspect in our line of work.

It has been a memorable year for the Institute. In addition to our flagship annual conference, the International Conference on Financial Crime and Terrorism Financing, I am particularly appreciative of the 600-strong delegate turnout at the Institute’s 2nd Malaysian Banking Conference held from 26–27 June 2023 on the theme of Banking and the ESG Revolution – Going Beyond Aspirations. With a keynote address by the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Yang Berhormat Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and a special ministerial address by the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Yang Berhormat Tuan Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the intensity of dialogues throughout the plenary, breakout, and masterclass sessions underscore the growing imperative of economic, social, and governance standards and why sustainable banking is the future of finance. It is proof that the Institute and its members remain excited, engaged, and earnest in being a force for good.

Every moment is the right moment to step up, speak out, and get involved. And if anyone tells you otherwise, keep calm and carry on.

The Editor