Zeti Akhtar Aziz: Building human capital for emerging challenges Speech by Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, at the 9th Bank Human Resources Conference 2008 organised by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF): "Building Human Capital for Emerging Challenges", Kuala Lumpur, 29 February 2008. *  *  *  Let me first of all extend a warm welcome to the participants of this 9th Bank Human Resource Conference organised by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF). It is our honour to host this conference that is being held outside India for the first time. This is one of the concrete outcomes of the alliance that has been entered into between the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance and the International Centre for Leadership in Finance following the MOU that was signed about three months ago between the two organisations. The development of human capital has to be a constant undertaking in an environment of constant change. As recent as ten years ago, we have seen the economic and financial environment dramatically transformed. There has therefore required a corresponding change in the knowledge, skills, competencies and capabilities that are now required, in particular, by the banking industry, which is a highly knowledge-intensive and skills based industry. New challenges have also emerged in this environment arising from the rapid globalisation and internationalisation of the financial system and the significant advancement in technology.
Finally, this initiative of bilateral engagement on the issues in developing talent in the industry will also gain from the synergy and will contribute to strengthening the ability to further the agenda of building human capital in the financial services industry. On this note, I wish you a productive and successful conference. Thank you. BIS Review 25/2008  3