CORPORATE GOVERNANCE FORUM
Wednesday, 3 Zulhijjah 1447H corresponding to 20 May 2026M
Brunei Institute of Leadership & Islamic Finance (BILIF) hosted the Corporate Governance Forum on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, at the Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam. This year’s forum was held in collaboration with the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) Singapore as the Education Partner.
Held under the theme “Governance in Crisis: Risk, Reputation and Board Accountability”, the forum addressed the growing challenges faced by boards and senior leaders in responding decisively during times of crisis. The programme aimed to deepen understanding of the evolving nature of risk and crisis management in today’s increasingly complex business environment, where cyber threats, ethical breaches, audit failures, and reputational issues can escalate rapidly and have far-reaching consequences.
The event commenced with welcoming remarks by Afero Eswandy Mohamad, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BILIF. In his remarks, he noted that governance is not truly tested during periods of stability, but when circumstances become difficult. He underscored the importance of strong governance in enabling organisations to remain composed, make sound decisions, and respond with clarity when it matters most.
The keynote address was delivered by the guest of honour, Dayang Hajah Noorrafidah binti Sulaiman, Acting Managing Director, Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB). In her address, she emphasised that governance today extends beyond regulatory compliance and plays a critical role in organisational resilience, strategic leadership, and sustaining stakeholder trust during times of crisis. She also highlighted the need for boards and senior leaders to remain agile, accountable, and forward-looking in addressing emerging risks, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, geopolitical uncertainty, and reputational exposure.
The morning session featured a presentation entitled “Lessons from 2025: When Corporate Governance Failed”, delivered by Mak Yuen Teen, Professor (Practice) of Accounting at the National University of Singapore (NUS). This was followed by a panel discussion titled “Corporate Governance Breakdowns – Audit, Control and Accountability”, featuring Pengiran Azaleen bin Pengiran Dato Haji Mustapha, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Group Treasurer and Institutional Banking, Baiduri Bank Berhad; Dato’ Dr. Nik Ramlah Nik Mohd Mahmood, former Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Securities Commission Malaysia; and Professor Mak Yuen Teen. The session was moderated by Nuralia binti Haji Abdul Rahim, Acting Assistant Managing Director, Regulatory & Supervision 1, BDCB.
The afternoon session featured two presentations. The first, entitled “Delivering Sustainability: Board Decisions That Drive Outcomes”, was delivered by Josette Soh, Partner at Deloitte Southeast Asia Sustainability & Climate Advisory & Assurance and a member of the ISCA Sustainability Reporting Standards Sub-Committee. The second presentation, “Personal Data Protection Order 2025: What Every Director Must Know”, was delivered by Farah Atiyah binti Haji Zainal Abidin, PDP Policy Manager, Authority for Infocommunications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI).
A panel discussion on “Governance Under Pressure: Reputation, Cyber and Ethics” featured Norshahrul Nizam bin Othman, Assistant Chief Executive, AITI, and Dk Dewi Sarwani binti Pg Hj Sarpuddin, Senior Investment Manager of Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd. The session was moderated by Dr Haji Mohd Nabil Almunawar, Professor, UBD School of Business and Economics (UBDSBE), Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
The programme concluded with a dialogue on “Path Towards Directorship”, moderated by Ida Nazrena binti Haji Bujang, Head of Professional Development, BILIF. The invited speakers were Mohammad Salehin bin Haji Basir, Chief People Officer, Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC) and Ms. Zoey Xie, Chief Operating Officer, ISCA Academy.
BILIF, as the Centre of Excellence for the finance industry in Brunei Darussalam, continues to pursue its mission of shaping future leaders, experts, and innovators, particularly in the fields of Islamic finance and leadership, through immersive programmes and world-class events. For more information on BILIF, please visit the BILIF website at www.bilif.com.bn or BILIF’s Instagram @BILIF.bn.