future. only through a collaborative approach in the banking industry can “ the whole be greater than the sum of its parts ”, if i may echo the wise words of aristotle. transcending individual and institutional results for the collective good demands a special sort of person. a person who can surmount extreme inertia. a transformational leader. the foremost quality that distinguishes a transformational leader from others is the drive for more than just results. it is a leadership that is driven by virtue, with professionalism at the core. we should never forget that investment in human capital also means investment in future social capital. we should recognise that investments in social capital have long term consequences. the banking industry today stands strong and resilient because the generations before us had built a foundation of trust, nurtured over many years. indeed, it takes many generations to build what we have today, but mere moments for this to crumble. it is now our turn to continue this legacy. professionalism to my mind ought not to be a competitive advantage. rather, it is the minimum expectation that should define the banking sector. professionalism and trust are especially critical in an industry that is becoming highly complex. exercising the right judgment calls and demonstrating the right behavioural traits, at all levels, demand more than just a competent banker. it needs the combination of competency, integrity and an unwavering sense of mission. in short, true professionalism. closing remarks the presence of inertia in our lives is just one piece of the story. in fact, newton has left us with more than one insight. newton surmised that once inertia is overcome, an object achieves momentum and acceleration, but not without force being applied first. in a similar way, the same areas of corporate inertia today can be harnessed to drive the momentum of tomorrow. but only through a combined force of action and leadership can we truly achieve this. 3 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches

muhammad bin ibrahim : harnessing human capital investment and forward looking leadership remarks by mr muhammad bin ibrahim, governor of the central bank of malaysia ( bank negara malaysia ), at the launch of the asian banking school's cambridge summer school programme, kuala lumpur, 18 april 2017. * * * i would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the asian banking school on the launch of the cambridge summer school programme. this is an exciting collaboration with cambridge university, an institution synonymous with academic excellence and thought leadership. the advent of this programme represents yet another important milestone in the transformation journey on which we have collectively embarked, for both the asian institute of chartered bankers and the asian banking school. participants of this programme can look forward to being part of a landmark initiative that will provide vast opportunities to expand knowledge, experience and networks. cambridge university is truly prestigious. many ideas by scholars from this great institution have transformed entire professions, understanding and thinking. some of the ideas resonate to this day. over 300 years ago, isaac newton, a cambridge university alumnus and one of the most brilliant scientists in generations, first introduced the law of inertia – “ the tendency of an object to resist change ”. while newton ’ s principles referred to physical objects in motion, it is equally thought provoking when considered in other contexts, including the pace of change in the banking sector. today, we find ourselves at the centre of a digital revolution, perhaps the most significant breakthrough in financial services of our time. change is upon us. the tsunami of digital technology will forever change our banking landscape. yet, like newton ’ s observation centuries ago, the path of embracing change is fraught with resistance – or, as newton elegantly called it, inertia. in the words of the renowned scientist, this power of resisting is one in which every object endeavours to “ preserve its present state ”. at its core is a realisation that, individually and institutionally, we are not inherently calibrated for change. in fact, we instinctively resist change, whether intentionally or passively. change doesn ’ t feel natural, even when it is positive or unavoidable. while the expectation of disruption is not new to us, the greater issue of interest to banking leaders today relates to our readiness in navigating changes. we must learn to break down inertia within our institutions. i will elaborate. let me contextualise this subject from two sources of corporate inertia, which i think