There is absolutely no glass ceiling for women, sky is the limit
Women should strengthen their psychological state and become always ready to face any challenge to find success in the banking sector.
There is enormous scope for women to work in corporate banking, SME banking, treasury banking, but also for all that, ensuring an enabling environment for them is crucial.
Humaira Azam, CEO and managing director of Trust Bank, made the comments during an interview with The Daily Star.
She took charge of the lender this month and set a milestone when you are the first female CEO and managing director of any commercial bank in the 50 years' history of Bangladesh.
The veteran banker has seen every up and down of the country's banking sector. From her experience, she believes it's the duty of the predecessors to create opportunities for women so that they are able to flourish as a banker.
"Most importantly, support from the family is also required for women to have success in banking. Otherwise, it might be very tough."
Maintaining a balance between work and life is essential to find success in life for a woman, she said.
"Women have to home based and beyond home simultaneously. Even, I had to walk completely to my office in Hadi Mansion from Gulshan many times during countrywide strikes to make sure smooth banking services for the customers."
Longer office hours have been part and parcel of the banker because the beginning of her career.
"I've always tried to concentrate on my work. I made all the way to reach this position through effort."
Becoming the CEO and managing director had not been a fresh thing for the mother of 1. She's earlier served IPDC of Bangladesh-which happens to be known as IPDC Finance Ltd-as CEO and managing director from April 2009 to October 2011.
Humaira Azam
"Competency can't ever be the parameter to anticipate while appointing a CEO. The organisations, which believe in transparency and follow corporate guidelines, give the highest importance on finding out the best option and skilled one for the very best post."
The efficiency of a leader can be measured about how well he/she can form a skilled workforce, she said.
The empowerment of employees is essential for the leaders to make sure continuous growth of any organisation, she said.
The leaders also needs to inspire the employees to are a team, she added.
Humaira started her career with ANZ Grindlays Bank in 1990 as a management trainee.
She said ANZ had given the strong base on her behalf career.
"This bank has helped me think that I could do it. It has developed the all-roundedness in me."
She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Muhammad A (Rumee) Ali. "A decision taken by banking stalwart Muhammad A (Rumee) Ali has played a major role at the start of my run in the organization sector."
"My hubby has encouraged me to enter the banking sector, but the ladder that I needed to find success in banking was extended if you ask me by Muhammad A (Rumee) Ali."
Humaira joined HSBC during its inception and laid an extremely strong framework for corporate, offshore banking, custodian and institutional banking.
"I worked hard in HSBC for its authorised dealer licence, offshore banking licence and set up the bank's work arrange for another decade."
Humaira left HSBC as its head of finance institutions in 2002 and used the post of a director and group head of special asset management in the same year in Standard Chartered Bangladesh.
"I helped Standard Chartered within their four most critical years to cover for the shortfall in the united states budget through a successful recovery."
"I have already been the bank's first female banded staff and the first female member of the management committee."
As a member of the united states management committee, Humaira played a solid role in StanChart in developing the united states strategy, restructured and broadened role in finance institutions, covering investors and intermediaries and donor organisations.
After joining IPDC of Bangladesh in April 2009 as managing director and CEO, Humaira made significant progress in business and operational growth both in conditions of quantity and quality and restored the capital of the institution.
Humaira worked to upgrade different systems and develop various teams in Bank Asia when she joined the bank in 2012 as deputy managing director and chief risk management officer.
"Around 42 per cent of the bank's profit originated from the branches, that have been mentored by me."
The first female person in the Shariah council of Bangladesh, Humaira said the amount of women entrepreneurs is increasing day your day, and an elevated number of them are getting banking services now.
Banks are now not merely extending loans but also doing work for developing women entrepreneurs, she said.
"Women should come to the banks, plus they should reach us. We will certainly help them and hold their hands."
The ongoing Covid-19 epidemic has taken much toll on the Bangladesh economy, she said.
"The pandemic compelled many factories to close their operations. It had been not possible to gauge the financial lack of the economy. However, the downward movement of the GDP actually reflects losing."
The government has found some success with the disbursement of stimulus and helping the indegent who were affected by the epidemic, she said.
All businesses should ethically come forward for the sake of the united states, she said
Many big industries faced losses, and many orders have already been cancelled for the Covid-19 outbreak at the same time when the world was experiencing a global monetary meltdown, she said.
"For Bangladesh, the SME sector ought to be kept alive. Steps should be taken for them to recover the Covid losses. If an SME falls for once, it becomes very tough for it to stand again as a result of their poor capital base."
Banks should extend special help the SME sector, and the federal government should also come forward with special incentives for them, she said.
Humaira spent some time working for both foreign and local finance institutions in her career.
She thinks local banks should upgrade their work culture and work for winning people's acceptance to be as successful as the foreign ones.
Foreign banks are systemically and digitally very advanced, and the local kinds lag far behind the foreign banks in the field of information and technology, she said.
A transparent operational structure works as a motivation for the employees in the foreign banks, Humaira said.
"They have quality people who have been upgraded intellectually through training. They are also awarded and recognised for his or her advancement."
Because of the global standing and acceptance of the foreign banks, they are able to accept deposits at an extremely low priced, which is problematic for local banks.
Towards the end of the interview, Humaira expressed her gratitude to the chairman, vice chairman and the board of directors of Trust Bank for believing in her and appointing her as the bank's CEO and managing director.
"My hubby, Ershadul Haque Khandker, has been my pal, my mentor who was the main reason behind me to be in the banking sector."
"Definitely, my mother, family and mentors have there been to guide me, but my hubby played the largest role."
Humaira lost her father, Syed Ali Azam, a late professor of Dhaka University, after her secondary school certificate exam. "After that, our mother Shahana Begum had singlehandedly raised our five siblings."
"I love working a whole lot. I do everything, beginning with gardening to cleaning all of the corners of the home to cooking," the cheerful banker said.
