MTE: Sustaining the BCM Programme for Financial Institutions (FI): How Can We Do More and Meet Stakeholders KPIs?

Sustaining the BCM Programme for Financial Institutions (FI): How Can We Do More and Meet Stakeholders KPIs?

Who do we blame when something bad happens? Bad usually means losses in this context and sometimes it’s no one’s fault as it is natural and unavoidable. In an ideal organisation, the higher level of the hierarchy are responsible for most of the decision making, losses as well as achievements. Business Continuity Management is where these losses are predicted and plans are developed to face these threats. A plan is nothing if it’s never tested. In order to advise the management, we have to be equipped with information and confidence that our plan will work successfully and timely.

One of the main challenges is to continue managing the Business Continuity Management for the bank with limited resources as well as instilling awareness of the importance. Business Continuity Management Program which includes Risk Assessment and Review, Business Impact Analysis, Business Recovery Strategies, Business Continuity Plan and Testing and Exercising need to be done in a more efficient and creative ways. Some of the centralization includes changing the method of assessment such as doing the Risk Assessment and Review according to demographic locations and does not require submission from every department. This saves time for Business Continuity Coordinators and results concluded will be accurate as well.

Over the last few years, BCM team has nominated the Business Continuity Coordinators for each Business Unit as representatives to delegate tasks in managing the manpower shortages and understand further on the business processes.  The coordinators were equipped with training from the BCM Institute via its BCM-300 Business Continuity Certified Specialist course, as well as coaching sessions by the BCM team in the bank.

Operational risk is defined as risk of direct and indirect loss resulting from failed internal processes, people, systems and external events while BCM acts as the safety net by providing continuity plans in order to reduce the downtime and losses caused by the failures.  The linkage of Operational Risk Tools with Business Continuity Management Program proved to have eliminated redundant processes i.e. streamlining the process catalogue of the departments in both Operational Risk Assessment such as Risk Control Self-Assessment and Business Continuity Management exercise.

Who is Ruzita Rashid?

Ruzita joined the then Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (M) Berhad in 2007 (now known as MUFG Bank (M) Berhad) and is today Head of the Bank’s Operational Risk Management Department.

After a year with the Bank, she was given the opportunity to head the Operational Risk Management Department. Under her leadership, an ORM Framework was developed and subsequently rolled out the RCSA, KRI & LED within the bank. Under her leadership, the Bank established Business Continuity Management Framework which benchmarked against the ISO22301. Her responsibility also includes Business Continuity Management, Outsourcing Management, Product Review, Information Security, Shariah Risk as well as Internal Inspection. Certified as a Business Continuity

She started her career with the then Perwira Affin Bank, (now known as Affin Bank Berhad) in IT Security Administration Department. Her first exposure was in technical writing and establishing security documentation – developing from Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to policies and framework related to IT Security, having the opportunity to help set the security standards for the Bank.

She then led the Systems Security Team and had hands-on experience performing server hardening, security event monitoring, conducting vulnerability assessment as part of the security program planned for the team. Ruzita has experienced in managing perimeter defence for the Bank – firewall, IDS, IPS and other network security components – email filtering, anti-virus systems, digital forensic etc.

Ruzita graduated with BSc. Computer Science (Hons) from USM in 1999 and obtained her Master’s in Business Admin (MBA) in 2009 from the Open University. She is a Certified Planner (BCCP), Certified in Risk and Information System Control (CRISC), Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), Associate Qualification in Islamic Finance (AQIF) and an ITIL certified professional.

Current BCM Career

Academic Qualifications