Good management in the banking industry has paramount importance, specifically in problem-solving, managing multiple operations, and making way for opportunities. With this, the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) together with the Banking, Finance and Insurance Institute of Nepal (BFIN) jointly organized the Customized Program on Management Development held from April 29 to May 3, 2024. The program was participated by 8 Nepalese bank managers of Rastriya Banijya Bank Limited, Nepal Investment Mega Bank, and Machhapuchhre Bank Ltd.
The goal of the program was to make the participants understand management challenges, professional accountabilities, and be aware of the emerging trends in the finance sector in the Philippines which they may adopt in their respective institutions. The participants were also expected to be prepared as managers upon coping with the current digital world.
The program was supervised by Prof. G.L.D. Wickramasinghe, CPSC Director General, and Dr. Binod Atreya, BFIN Managing Director. Meanwhile, CPSC Senior Faculty Specialist Engr. Dr. Mian Khuram Ahsan served as the Program Coordinator as well as the Resource Person together with Dr. Kesavan Ulaganathen, CPSC Governing Board-Engaged Faculty Consultant.
The program was inaugurated on April 29, 2024. In his welcome remarks, Prof. Wickramasinghe expressed his hope that through this program, the participants would be exposed to the banking sector of the Philippines and get a glimpse of foreign exposure in the banking industry. BFIN Deputy CEO Mr. Sujan Subedi also welcomed the Nepalese participants and handed over a token of appreciation to Prof. Wickramasinghe.
Nepalese delegates on their study visit to ASA Philippines Foundation Inc.
Throughout the program, study visits were conducted for the participants to have firsthand discussions with the banks and financial institutions about some of their best practices, strategies, and talk about potential areas for collaborations between the parties. The participants first visited the headquarters of the ASA Philippines Foundation Inc. in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines. The participants were welcomed by President and CEO, Md. Kamrul Hasan Tarafder together with Ms. Faisah Moh’d Sharief, Vice President under the Training, Research and External Department. They briefly oriented the delegates about the ASA Foundation and gave a tour in their office. Afterwards, Chief Operating Officer Ms. Maria Regina Pacifico moderated a short table discussion with the Nepalese delegates and Md. Tarafder where he shared how ASA has been one of the leading microfinancing, non-profit organizations in the country providing financial loans and protection to Filipino entrepreneurs and small enterprises.
Md Kamrul Hasan Tarafder, President and CEO of ASA Philippines Foundation, receives a token of appreciation from CPSC Senior Faculty Specialist Engr. Dr. Mian Khuram Ahsan (bottom left); Group photo of the Nepalese delegates from Rastriya Banijya Bank Limited together with Md Kamrul Hasan Tarafder and Ms. Maria Regina Pacifico, Chief Operating Officer of ASA Philippines (bottom right)
CPSC Senior Faculty Specialist Engr. Dr. Mian Khuram Ahsan gives a lecture on Leadership for Global Competitiveness: Role of Top, Middle Management and Board of Directors for Smooth Operations of Banks
Lectures were facilitated by Engr. Dr. Mian and Dr. Kesavan on the succeeding days, which included cultural tours around Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces such as the Rizal Province and Batangas.
Participants during their visit to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
The Nepalese delegates also held a study visit at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) in Pasay City, Philippines on May 3, 2024, wherein they attended a panel discussion presented by the Financial Supervision Department of the Central Bank.The topics focused on (1) The Philippine Banking System: Developments and Updates and (2) Risk Management for Financial Institutions. This was followed by a question-and-answer session led by Ms. Myra F. Flores-Dagdagan, Deputy Director, FSD5.
Furthermore, the program concluded with a closing ceremony wherein participants expressed their delight and gratitude towards CPSC and BFIN for the opportunity to upskill and direct them to the continuous improvement of their banking industry in Nepal. Overall, the participants were able to capture the key points from the learning experience brought by this program.
Group photo of the Nepalese delegates (standing) together with (sitting from leftmost) Dr. Kesavan, Prof. Wickramasinghe, Mr. Subedi, and Engr. Dr. Mian
