BE - September 2026

ISSUE 213 SEPTEMBER 2026 the BANKING EXECUTIVE 1 Editorial LEADERSHIP IN THE AGE OF CHANGE The financial sector is entering a period in which change is no longer episodic, but continuous. Economic uncertainty, technological acceleration, shifting expectations and increasingly complex operating environments are redefining what strong institutions must look like. In this context, leadership is no longer measured only by the ability to respond to events, but by the capacity to build organizations that remain steady, adaptive and purposeful over time. This places resilience at the heart of the institutional agenda. Yet resilience should not be understood merely as the ability to withstand disruption. It is also the ability to anticipate, to adapt intelligently, and to preserve sound judgment when conditions evolve rapidly. It is built through governance, culture, human capability and the quality of decisions made long before a challenge becomes visible. The same principle applies to excellence. In banking and finance, excellence is becoming broader in meaning. Financial strength remains fundamental, but it increasingly coexists with innovation, responsibility, institutional credibility and the ability to create enduring value. The strongest organizations will be those that combine ambition with discipline, technological advancement with human expertise, and progress with a clear sense of purpose. Artificial intelligence illustrates this balance particularly well. Its potential is considerable, but technology alone does not create advantage. Real value emerges when institutions move beyond adoption toward meaningful integration—when data, governance, people and strategy work together. The distinction between appearing advanced and becoming genuinely more capable will therefore become increasingly important. As innovation accelerates, the quality of institutional foundations will matter as much as the sophistication of the tools themselves. For senior decision-makers, the central question is not simply how quickly institutions can embrace change, but how wisely they can do so. The future will reward neither hesitation nor uncritical acceleration. It will favor organizations able to distinguish substance from momentum, long-term capability from short-term visibility, and enduring value from temporary advantage. At a time when the financial landscape is being reshaped on many fronts, the defining quality of leadership may ultimately lie in this balance: the confidence to move forward, the discipline to remain grounded, and the foresight to build institutions prepared not only for what is changing today, but for what may come next. Dr. Joseph Torbey, Chairman - World Union of Arab Bankers