By Naa Dzagbley Ago
The Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) Ghana, Robert Dzato, has urged banking professionals to continuously upgrade their skills and adapt to the rapid transformation taking place in the financial services sector.
He said digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and changing customer behaviour were redefining the banking industry and requiring practitioners to move beyond traditional approaches to banking.
Mr Dzato made the call at the maiden CIB-ADB Chapter Retreat held at Akosombo in the Eastern Region.
The two-day retreat, held under the theme, “Recharge, Reconnect, and Reinvent,” brought together members of the CIB-ADB Chapter from across the country, executives and industry experts for professional development, strategic discussions, mentorship, networking and team-building.
Mr Dzato stressed the importance of professional banking education in building a resilient and sustainable financial sector. He also urged bankers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct, noting that trust remained fundamental to banking despite the rapid pace of technological change.
“Banking may be changing in the way services are delivered, but professionalism, competence, integrity and trust will remain at the heart of the profession. The banker of the future must therefore be technically competent, digitally aware, innovative and deeply committed to ethical practice,” he said.
Mr Dzato commended the CIB-ADB Chapter for setting the pace by organising its first chapter retreat and encouraged members to take advantage of the Institute’s programmes to continuously improve their knowledge and professional capabilities.
The Managing Director of ADB PLC, Edward Ato Sarpong, commended the leadership of the CIB-ADB Chapter for introducing the retreat, describing it as an important platform for bringing professional development closer to employees.
He said transforming ADB into a stronger, more competitive and customer-focused institution required deliberate investment in the people responsible for implementing the bank’s strategy.
Mr Sarpong noted that although digital technology was rapidly transforming the delivery of financial services, people would remain central to the success of banking institutions.
He therefore encouraged participants to embrace continuous professional development and remain responsive to emerging trends in the industry.
“As banking continues to evolve, the institutions that will lead are those that combine innovation and technology with knowledgeable, ethical and highly motivated people. Our investment in professional development is therefore an investment in the future of ADB,” he stated.
He urged members of the Chapter to translate the knowledge, relationships and ideas gained during the retreat into improved customer experience, stronger teamwork and greater value for the bank’s stakeholders.
The President of the CIB-ADB Chapter and Deputy Managing Director in charge of Operations at ADB, Sylvia Naa Kwakai Nyante, said the initiative reflected the bank’s growing emphasis on human capital development and the need to build a new generation of banking professionals.
She said banking professionals must be equipped with the requisite knowledge, leadership capabilities, ethical grounding and innovative mindset to support ADB’s strategic vision of becoming one of the top three banks in Ghana and a globally admired institution for its people, processes and performance.
Speaking on the theme of the retreat, Mrs Nyante described the maiden event as more than a gathering of banking professionals.
She said it provided an opportunity for members to reconnect, strengthen professional relationships and collectively reflect on their role in shaping the future of banking.
According to her, the theme, “Recharge, Reconnect, and Reinvent,” speaks directly to the realities of the modern banking environment, where institutions and professionals must constantly adapt to technological advancements, changing customer expectations, emerging risks and increasing competition.
She stressed that the strength of the CIB-ADB Chapter would ultimately be measured by the quality of its members, the professional standards they uphold and the value they contribute to ADB and the wider banking industry.
“The future of banking will require professionals who are prepared to continuously learn, collaborate and reinvent or reposition themselves. This retreat provides us with an opportunity to recharge, strengthen the bonds among us and develop the collective capacity required to contribute meaningfully to the transformation of ADB PLC and the banking profession,” she said.
Mrs Nyante added that stronger professional relationships among members would promote mentorship, knowledge sharing and a greater sense of belonging within the Chapter.
The maiden CIB-ADB Chapter Retreat is expected to strengthen the professional banking culture within ADB while providing a sustainable platform for learning, mentorship and leadership development.
The initiative also highlights the growing recognition that the competitiveness of financial institutions will increasingly depend on their ability to build agile, innovative and highly skilled workforces capable of responding to disruption, adapting to changing market conditions and creating value for customers.
The organisers said the retreat would further support the development of a professional community within ADB equipped to navigate the evolving demands of the banking industry.
