Mohd Razif bin Abd Kadir: SME Credit Bureau in the financial landscape of Malaysia Keynote address by Mr Mohd Razif bin Abd Kadir, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, at the SME Credit Bureau Seminar, Kuala Lumpur, 27 May 2008. *  *  *  It gives me great pleasure to be here with you this morning. I would like to express my appreciation to the Credit Guarantee Corporation or CGC, for inviting me to deliver the keynote address. It is encouraging to see many financial institutions and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the audience. The Bureau is also Malaysia’s first, under a joint initiative of CGC and Dun and Bradstreet Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of Dun and Bradstreet Corporation in the US, which has vast experience in establishing and operating credit bureaus globally. The development of a strong and dynamic SME sector is a priority on the national economic agenda. The reasons for this are clear when one considers that 99.2% of the total business establishments in Malaysia are SMEs. The SME sector currently employs about 5.6 million people, and contributes about 32% of gross domestic product. Given its economic potential, the Government has accorded significant emphasis to developing and strengthening the SME sector, to enhance its contribution to the economy. The Government took a major stride forward in June 2004 with the establishment of the National SME Development Council.
13.12.2017  “The relationship with bank customers” Opening Session of the 13th Banking Industry Meeting “Competitive Banking in a New Society”, IESE (Madrid) Javier Alonso Deputy Governor  Good morning. It is a pleasure to open this 13th edition of the Banking Industry Meeting and I thank the organisers, and IESE in particular, for their kind invitation to join this eminent gathering today. The information disseminated by the organisers states, by way of introduction to the programme for today’s conference, that “following an intense shake-up of the industry, the banking sector must address challenges and problems that place its operations at a critical juncture.” This has, indeed, been the central tenet of my public addresses throughout the year. In previous speeches I have stressed that the banking business is facing far-reaching changes whose implications are still difficult to foresee. And I have paid particular attention to what I consider are the main challenges the industry must address. I have shared my thoughts on the challenges posed to banking at the current juncture as regards: (i) maintaining appropriate profitability levels to ensure the viability of banks in the medium and long term; (ii) adapting to new and demanding regulations in response to the financial crisis; (iii) technological developments and the so-called fintech firms; and (iv) restoring the customer’s confidence.