It was in July of 1997 when I started my first job in Nabil Bank. Even back then it was difficult getting a job as there was tough competition, especially in the banking industry.
I was fortunate to be selected by Nabil Bank in my first attempt. I would call myself lucky as it was more difficult getting selected in joint venture banks. Being a fresh young graduate who had just entered the job market, I was placed in operation and was assigned various roles ranging from the cash counter, remittance and letter of credit to marketing. This allowed me to grasp all the basic knowledge of banking. However, areas like letter of credit and marketing taught me more than the basics of banking. I can proudly say that the knowledge and skills I gained at that time have helped me a lot in today’s leadership position. As we all know, leadership is all about people management. I know the pros and cons of almost every position, from the junior to the senior level, and this has helped me in the decision-making process. Banking is all about the effective delivery of services, with utmost priority given to customer service.
As I was doing good in any department that I was assigned to, I never thought of leaving the banking profession. I was later approached by Kumari Bank and they offered me the position of the Head of Treasury and Correspondence Banking. Along with this new opportunity after having worked for almost eight years in Nabil Bank, my passion for the banking sector grew stronger. I was able to prove myself at Kumari Bank too and I never had any thought of shifting to another profession.
Later, I decided to join CSI Development Bank, which was a problematic bank back then. We were a few young bankers who decided to be part of the team in this bank, where new promoters had injected additional capital. It was a huge challenge that we had undertaken but we all felt it was time to take on new challenges and contribute our knowledge to uplift this institution, and we can all see where it stands today. I guess this is the biggest contribution that I have had in my career and I am proud of it.
Wherever there is a challenge, there is also an opportunity. I believe survival is the only agenda that organisations should focus on during difficult times. If you are able to do so then this will lead to the institution becoming stronger during normal times. High asset prices in real estate, fuelled by indirect lending, are a major concern. Resolving these issues will be a slow process, but new transactions can still occur. This suggests a shift where real estate demand becomes the primary driver for banks.
Human resources are always a major factor in any organisation’s performance. Therefore, I believe the performance of human resources should be well measured and deserving candidates should be rewarded. This will automatically create a gap between performers and others. Low performers should be given enough opportunity and support via training and counselling. On the other hand, I strongly believe in diversity and the more diversity we have the lower is the risk in organisational functions. That is why we have been fostering diversity in our organisation.
I would like to advise the youths who want to pursue a career in banking to be patient – that is the first quality required. Banking is not a job where you can rise in position in a quick span of time. Yes, if there is demand then individual growth will be faster, but if the economy is in a slowdown like what we are facing since Covid 19, then patience is the only tool. Youths should clearly understand that there is no shortcut to any success story.
