KUALA LUMPUR (May 17): RHB Banking Group has announced several key internal movements and appointments within its senior management team to further strengthen the senior leadership bench and ensure greater focus on key growth areas that will drive the group’s medium and long-term performance.

Group managing director and group chief executive officer (CEO) Mohd Rashid Mohamad said the movement and expansion of roles within the existing senior management team takes effect from May 16.

"It underlines our focus towards the growth and development of our internal talents, and demonstrates our commitment in adapting to changes in the business landscape, while ensuring the effectiveness of our senior leadership bench in driving better performance paving the way for the implementation of our new group strategy that will be announced in due course," he said in a statement on Tuesday (May 17).

RHB said the changes include the appointment of Syed Ahmad Taufik Albar as managing director of group wholesale banking, succeeding Mohd Rashid, who was appointed as group managing director and group CEO, effective April 1, 2022.

"As managing director of group wholesale banking, Taufik will drive the formulation and execution of business strategy for group investment banking, group corporate banking, group treasury & global markets, group asset management, group transaction banking, commercial banking, as well as oversee the group’s economics function," it said.

Taufik was group chief financial officer until January 2021 and subsequently appointed as managing director of group international business prior to his appointment to the new position.

The bank said succeeding Taufik as managing director of group international business is Wendy Ting, who is currently head of group corporate banking.

"Pursuant to the reorganisation, Wendy has been appointed as managing director of group international business & group corporate banking.

"In addition to her existing role in managing the group’s corporate banking portfolio, she will also oversee and drive the group’s regional business and operations, which include that of Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Brunei," it said.

Meanwhile, the bank said to further drive innovation and ensure that digitalisation is being embedded in every aspect of the group’s business, which includes driving the operationalisation of its upcoming digital bank in partnership with Boost, Dr Siew Chan Cheong has been appointed as group chief strategy and innovation officer, an expansion to his previous role of group chief strategy officer.

As part of the enhancement to the group’s sustainability governance structure which acts as a catalyst towards achieving the group’s sustainability aspirations under its five-year (2022-2026) Sustainability Strategy, RHB has also expanded the role of Norazzah Sulaiman with her appointment as group chief sustainability and communications officer.

RHB said the senior leaders will continue to report to the group managing director and group CEO of RHB Banking Group.