ADFIAP’s CEO Forum XI a great success
Over 120 chief executives, senior officers, speakers and guests from development financing institutions (DFIs) in the Asia-Pacific region attended, networked and shared their experiences at the 11th International CEO Forum for Development Banks (CEO Forum XI) held on December 7-9, 2015 in Makati City, Philippines. The event themed, “DFI Governance and Leadership: Practices, Challenges and Trends”, was organized by the Manila-based ADFIAP Secretariat and was jointly hosted by ADFIAP members, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and Landbank of the Philippines (Landbank), with support from their co-ADFIAP members, PhilExim, Pag-Ibig Fund and Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI).
Focusing on the theme, this year’s CEO Forum tackled various relevant and timely topics which were discussed in different sessions during the two-day conference. A special seminar on December 7 focused on governance and leadership of DFIs in four (4) different sessions that covered the following topics: “Governance on a Macro Level,” “Governance and DFIs,” “National Competitiveness”, and “Role and challenges of DFIs in a Constantly Changing Economic Realities,”. The session Chair for this Special Seminar was Mr. Julio D. Climaco, Jr. , Executive Vice President, Land Bank of the Philippines, and the main speakers were: Dr. Jesus P. Estanislao, Chairman Emeritus, Institute of Corporate Directors, Mr. Francis G. Estrada. Chairman, Institute of Corporate Directors; Mr. Guillermo Manuel Montinola Luz , Private Sector Co-Chairman National Competitiveness Council Philippines; and Mr. Anatoly Ballo, Deputy Chairman, Vnesheconombank.
Following the special seminar was “face-to-face (F2F) consultation with experts” where the ADFIAP Consulting (AC) Group sat down with members to identify areas for increased productivity and sustainable growth in stakeholder value through mutual exchange of ideas and discussion of options covering, among others, sharing of best practices on risk minimization and profit maximization; bridging of capacity gaps; internal process review and re-engineering; and product/programme enhancement or development.
Conference Proper
The conference proper (December 8) dissected various topics on the practices, challenges, and trends affecting DFIS in four (4) different sessions. Session I on “Asia Pacific Macro Economic Trends and Challenges” covered two parts. The first part focused on the “CEO Panel on Development Banks & ASEAN Integration” with Mr. Benel D. Lagua, Exec. Vice President/Chief Development Officer, Development Bank of the Philippines as the session chair, and the main speakers were: H.E. Kao Thach, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Development Bank (Cambodia); Datuk Mohd. Radzif Mohd Yunus, Managing Director, SME Bank Malaysia; and Mrs. Teh-Kwok Chui Lian, Chief Executive Officer, AFC Merchant Bank (Singapore).
The second part focused on the “Development Banks & Economic Trends and Challenges”, with Mr. Kishor Piraji Kharat,Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, IDBI Bank Limited as Session Chairman and the main speakers were Mr. Joseph Ernest Zveglich, Jr. Director, Macroeconomics Research Division, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Mr. Rogier van den Brink, Lead Economist and Program Leader, Macrofiscal and Management Unit, The World Bank-Manila Office.
Session II covered “DFIs Best Practices” which covered the topics: “Re-emergence of DFIs – Improving National Competitiveness through MSMEs”; “Market Catalyst – DBJ’s Role in Finance Mobilization”; “Risk Management in SME Lending”; “Attracting and Retaining Talents for DFIs ”; “JICA’s Initiative: Bridging between Build Back Better and Disaster Risk Finance”; “Financial Incentive Mechanism for Improving Disaster Resilience”. The session chair for this session was Mr. Antonio Owen S. Maramag , Senior Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer, Development Bank of the Philippines, and the main speakers included Ms. Fumiyo Harada, General Manager, International Strategy & Coordination Department, Development Bank of Japan, Inc.; Datuk Mohd. Radzif Mohd Yunus, Group Managing Director, SME Development Bank (Malaysia); Mr. Peter Lawler, Senior Vice President, Credit Risk Management, Business Development Bank of Canada; Mr. Hayato Nakamura, Project Formulation Advisor, Disaster Risk, Risk Management, Japan International Cooperation Agency; and Mr. Mitsutaka Ozaki, Head of International Division; Japan Economic Research Institute.
Session III covered “Governance Practices & Challenges” which discussed following topics: “Governance and Leadership: A Conventional View”; “Corporate Governance Structure and Processes”; “Effective Board/Management Relationships”. The session chair was Mrs. Matautia Rula Levi, Chief Executive Officer, Samoa Housing Corporation and the main speakers were: Mr. Nafitalai Cakacaka, General Manager, Business Risk Services, Fiji Development Bank and Mr. Arjun Rishya Fernand0, Director/Chief Executive Officer, DFCC Bank.
Session IV covered a “Panel Discussion on Leadership Styles in DFIs” where Mr. Isidro A. Sobrecarey, Chairman &CEO, Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines, served as the moderator and the CEO Panel Speakers were: Atty. Darlene Berberabe, Chief Executive Officer, Pag-IBIG Fund; Ms. Anna Mendiola, President and CEO, FSM Development Bank, and Mr Mohd Zamree Mohd Ishak President and CEO, Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Bhd.
Inaugural, Keynote address & Opening Remarks
Invited to deliver the inaugural address was Philippine Treasurer, Roberto Tan while Deputy Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) delivered the keynote address. Also present to deliver their welcoming remarks during the opening ceremony were: Mr. Pema Tshering, Chairman, ADFIAP , Managing Director, Bhutan Development Bank Ltd.; Mrs. Gilda E. Pico President and Chief Executive Officer, Land Bank of the Philippines, and Mr. Gil A. Buenaventura, President and Chief Executive Officer, Development Bank of the Philippines.
The CEO Forum of chief executives and senior managers of development banks and other financial institutions has gained prominence and relevance as an effective platform for best practices and exchange of ideas, relationship-building as well as for advocacy and business cooperation. In 2016, the 3rd ADFIAP-AADFI (African Association of DFIs) Joint CEO Forum (CEO Forum XII) will be held in Gabarone, Botswana on November 9-11, 2016 and to be hosted by the AADFI./.
Source: Adfiap.org