The Brunei Institute of Leadership & Islamic Finance (BILIF) recently organised the HR Symposium 2026 at The Rizqun International Hotel. Carrying the theme “Workforce of the Future: Agile. Resilient. Evolved.”, the symposium aimed to equip human resource (HR) department and business leaders with practical insights and strategies to build an agile, resilient and future-ready workforce.
Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah binti His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah has also consented to attend as one of the participants during the symposium. The symposium brought together HR professionals from both the public and private sectors.
The event began with welcoming remarks by Afero Eswandy Mohamad, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BILIF. In his speech, he emphasized that while technology is reshaping the workplace, the true driver of success remains people, particularly their adaptability, resilience, and willingness to learn. Highlighting evolving roles and rising expectations across Brunei and the region, he highlighted that achieving Wawasan Brunei 2035 requires not just policy, but continuous investment in talent and mindset. He also underscored the growing role of HR as “Human Relationships” in building trust and capability, and concluded by encouraging leaders to learn across industries and reminding that while strategies provide direction, it is people who drive real transformation and outcomes.
The morning session featured two presentations, followed by a panel discussion. The first presentation, titled “AI and Workforce Design: The UOB Experience”, was delivered by Vikas Verma, Managing Director of Human Resources at United Overseas Bank. The second presentation, titled “Champion’s Mindset: Sustaining Excellence Through Resilience”, was
delivered by Mohammad Ahsan, a three-time Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Champion, Thomas Cup winner, and two-time All England Open Badminton Championships champion.
A panel discussion titled “Creating Strategic Advantages with Agile, Resilient and Evolved Workforce” was moderated by Nur Rizqin Sabri, Head of Corporate Services at BILIF. Panellists comprised of Afero Eswandy Mohamad, Acting CEO of BILIF; Haji Shahrildin bin Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Utama Dato Paduka Haji Jaya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Syarikat Takaful Brunei Darussalam, Takaful Brunei AM and Takaful Brunei Keluarga; Veronica Chong, Head of Group Human Resources and Administration, Baiduri Bank Berhad and Vikas Verma, Managing Director of Human Resources, United Overseas Bank, Singapore.
In the afternoon, a fireside chat session with Mohammad Ahsan was moderated by Ida Nazrena Haji Bujang, Head of Professional Development at BILIF. The programme continued with a presentation titled “Workforce Evolution in Action: Rewiring Work, Careers and Trust for 2026 and Beyond” by Mayank Parekh, Associate Trainer at Society for Human Resource Management and former CEO of Institute for Human Resource Professionals.
The symposium concluded with a panel discussion titled “Workforce Evolution in Action” moderated by Mohammad Hanizam bin Mohd Alidin, Head, Client Solutions, BILIF. Panellists included Pg Hjh Nurul Ihsan binti Pg Hj Damit, Director, Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC); Yazdi Yahya, Senior Vice President of Human Capital Management at Unified National Networks; Pg Nurahlina Pg Hj Alli, Head, Human Capital Development Department, Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd; and Mayank Parekh.
BILIF, as the Centre of Excellence for the finance industry in Brunei Darussalam, continues to develop future leaders, experts and innovators through high-impact training programmes and industry events. For more information, visit www.bilif.com.bn or follow BILIF on Instagram at @BILIF.bn.