Assalamualaikum and a very good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to be with all of you to celebrate the graduation of the Batch 19 participants. Even though this event is being done virtually, like so many other events in 2020, I am pleased that the success and achievements of the FSTEP graduates today have not been diminished and is being duly recognised.

The financial industry has also not been spared from Covid-19’s devastating impact. Even with existing Business Disruption Plans in place, these unprecedented times have called for unprecedented measures to be taken. To be better prepared, financial institutions have had to re-examine talent development strategies to ensure that their people are equipped with the right skills necessary to take them through the recovery period and beyond.

Recognising this and its responsibility for bringing in the right talent to the industry, the FSTEP team at the Asian Banking School immediately set out to take steps in optimising and transforming its learning plan and strategy to meet the immediate needs of financial institutions. All training were taken online within 24 hours of the announcement. A great effort by ABS. Syabas!

This agility and quick-thinking are a testament to the capabilities and strength of the Asian Banking School together with its FSTEP team. Appropriately, “Shaping an Agile Workforce” was the theme chosen for this year’s batch. The programme crafted around it has produced graduates that are ready for today’s world with skills that could be of benefit to the industry as a whole.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

To create agile talent, having a mindset change is key. Working from home. Zoom meetings. Webinars. Remote access. Virtual platforms. These are all words that have become second nature to us in these days of the new normal. We have had to relearn how we function, communicate and work.

In FSTEP, Executive Presence training focuses on creating a mindset open for change and growth. This is where the participants learn to turn weaknesses and challenges into strengths.
At the same time, the FLAME leadership programme trains them to listen to the ideas and thoughts of others, and while working together in groups, build upon each other and act constructively for the best results.

The qualification programmes incorporated into FSTEP for this batch then set about laying a strong foundation in technical skills. I am pleased to know that the graduates have all successfully completed the following:

Certifications in Financial Services;
AML/CFT;
Human Centred Design;
FinTech;
Ethics in Banking and
Retail Credit

Accomplishing all that is remarkable considering the circumstances that you have been through to achieve this and to the 66 participants of Batch 19, I would like to congratulate you on your achievements. But I ask that you do not stop here. In this new day that we live and operate in, access to learning has become unlimited and without boundaries. Learning is a life long thing, Henry Ford said. It is really up to you to seize the opportunities available to empower yourself with the knowledge that you need to get ahead in life – be it at home or at work.

As Chairman of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers as well as the ABS, I have a responsibility also to encourage you to consider professional qualifications as part of your pathway in learning and become Chartered Bankers. It is now up to you, the new generation, to continue on this path towards professionalising the industry.

While this event is being held to celebrate the achievements of the graduates, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the 10 sponsoring financial institutions, without whom Batch 19 would not have been possible. 2021 will see two FSTEP intakes again, the first in March and a second in September, and I hope for your continued support.

My thanks to Bank Negara Malaysia for their continuous support and my heartiest congratulations to the learning partners and faculty, and the team at the Asian Banking School for another successful batch of FSTEP graduates. I am confident that on an industry level, the graduates of FSTEP will continue to enrich the talent pipeline with entrants that are capable, highly skilled and effective.

Thank you, and I wish all of you every success in the future.