Asian Banking School (ABS)

At Bank Islam, sustainability is not just a commitment—it is a strategic priority embedded in everything we do. As a leading proponent of sustainable finance, we continuously strengthen our capabilities to ensure that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations are at the core of our financial strategies.  Demonstrating our commitment to advancing the sustainability agenda, we recently hosted Professor Wang Yao, Director General of the International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF), Central University of Finance & Economics, Beijing, China. A renowned expert in green finance, Professor Wang provided critical insights and global best practices from Chinese banks, offering valuable perspectives on sustainable finance and climate risk governance.  This high-impact session, held in collaboration with the Asian Banking School, was attended by our Board of Directors and Senior Management team, underscoring the seriousness with which we approach sustainability leadership. By engaging global experts and continuously enhancing our knowledge, we reaffirm our dedication to integrating climate resilience and sustainable finance into our operations.  As we move forward, Bank Islam remains steadfast in shaping a future where responsible finance drives meaningful change. We are committed to equipping our leaders with the expertise and tools to spearhead industry-wide transformation, ensuring that sustainability remains at the forefront of our growth and impact. #BankIslam #WeBuildLivesNotJustCareers #GoBeyondAtBankIslam #SustainabilityAndMe

IBF Sustainable Finance Masterclass: Green Financing Flows from China to the World   We were thrilled to kick off our first IBF Masterclass after a year-long hiatus through a collaboration with Asian Banking School (ABS) on the topic of “Green Financing Flows from China to the World – Aligning with the Multi-Jurisdiction Common Ground Taxonomy”.   The masterclass featured an insightful presentation by Professor Yao Wang, Director General of the International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF) and member of MAS’ Sustainable Finance Advisory Panel. Professor Wang spoke on the importance of the Common Ground Taxonomy to enable cross-border green loans, green bond issuance, and fund investments.   Following the presentation, we had an engaging panel discussion with Professor Wang, Amanpreet Singh, Managing Director, ESG Finance, Asia Pacific, MUFG Bank, and Assyl Ikhsan, Executive Director, Sustainability Solutions, OCBC. The panellists discussed the exciting green financing opportunities arising from this partnership and the industry's roles and initiatives in strengthening financial connectivity between Singapore and regional markets.   A big thank you to all our speakers and participants for making this masterclass a success. Stay tuned for more updates and insights on sustainable finance! #SustainableFinance #GreenFinance #IBF #ABS #GreenBonds #CrossBorderInvestment #FinancialConnectivity

It was an enlightening morning, with over 200 participants converging at the Azman Hashim Auditorium in Bangunan AICB for the "Talk on Sustainability", proudly hosted by the AICB Centre of Excellence! We were privileged to hear from published author and award-winning researcher Prof. Wang Yao, Director-General of the International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF), who shared invaluable lessons from China's low-carbon energy #transitionjourney. Building on Prof. Wang’s insightful presentation, the subsequent panel discussion on "Navigating the Path of Transition Financing: Global and Local Perspectives" highlighted the key challenges and successes faced by Malaysia and China in their journey towards #carbonneutrality. The discussion provided valuable insights: 🔸Targeted tax incentives encourage businesses to adopt sustainable practices and invest in green technologies. This directly reduces carbon emissions by making low-carbon alternatives more financially viable. 🔸The Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technology plays a vital role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors. China's leadership in CCUS, driven by government funding, demonstrates the potential of this technology in achieving significant emissions reductions. 🔸Malaysia's commitment to #sustainability is exemplified by the implementation of various initiatives, including the RHB–TNB greenfield solar farm in Kedah; Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3)'s Climate Finance Innovation Lab, which drives the development of innovative financial instruments for sustainable projects; Bank Negara Malaysia's Low Carbon Transition Facility, which supports SMEs in adopting sustainable and low-carbon practices; and the Centralised Sustainability Intelligence (CSI) Solution by Bursa Malaysia–LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group), a platform that helps Malaysian companies improve their ESG reporting. 🔸Future #decarbonisation plans must recognise the role of nature and biodiversity in carbon sequestration, and strengthen the focus on blue finance and gender finance to promote inclusive and equitable sustainability. 🔸Malaysia's role as ASEAN chair provides an opportunity to drive regional sustainability efforts, emphasising innovation and leadership. 🔸Achieving #netzero requires collaboration across all sectors, including enterprises, media, think tanks, regulators, governments, academia, and the public and private sectors. Thank you to our esteemed speakers: 🔹Prof. Wang Yao, Director-General, IIGF 🔹Amanah Aboobucker, CB, Chief Sustainability Officer, AmBank Group, and 🔹Ai Chin Tan, CB, Managing Director, Senior Banker and Head of Investment Banking, OCBC, for sharing their extensive knowledge and experience, and AICB Chief Executive Edward Ling for moderating this excellent panel session. Thank you as well to everyone who joined us today.

We are pleased to share that 9 of our PFS Credit Graduate Trainees have successfully completed the FSTEP (Financial Sector Talent Enrichment) Program facilitated by the Asian Banking School (ABS). Conducted over a three-month timeframe from September to December 2024, the program evaluated participants on their cumulative achievements across four key dimensions: Technical Acumen, Communication with Impact, Executive Presence, and Future Leadership. Participation in the program also saw participants vie for prestigious awards at the graduation ceremony. Representing HLB, Lee Nan Lye was awarded the Best Overall Achiever Title and ranked among the Top 3 in the Communication with Impact category. Meanwhile, Nhimal Suparamaniam was recognised as a Top 3 Achiever in the Future Leadership category. Note: The FSTEP Program is an intensive graduate training program designed to equip talent with the right skills and knowledge for their transition in the financial services industry. #fstep #graduateprogram #banking #financialservices