Banks, as deposit taking institutions, are less reliant on external sources of funds and therefore less vulnerable to any reversals in foreign capital flows and shifts in investor preferences as a result of the crisis. While the diversification and commercialization of sources of funding has been seen as a positive industry development, retail deposits remain significant as a stable core funding base.
Nevertheless, I strongly believe that, at this one-and-a-half day conference, we will address the issues we currently face and find our way forward through lively discussions.