[Profile] Dato' Khairussaleh Ramli: The Architect of Maybank's Regional Talent Strategy

The Profile Snapshot

In the high-stakes world of ASEAN finance, few leaders possess the dual acumen of deep banking expertise and transformative human capital vision. Dato' Khairussaleh Ramli, the President & Group CEO of Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank), is one such figure. At the helm of Malaysia's largest financial institution, he is not just steering balance sheets but actively shaping the future of work across the region.

• 👨‍💼 Name: Dato' Khairussaleh Ramli
• 🏷️ Role: President & Group CEO, Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank)
• 🔑 Key Superpower: Strategic Talent Architect & ASEAN Integrator

The Catalyst: Why It Matters

Dato' Khairussaleh is making headlines for his incisive commentary on the region's evolving talent landscape. In a recent closed-door industry forum, he dissected the stark disparities in projected 2026 salary increments across Singapore, where tech and sustainability roles command up to 25% raises, while traditional administrative functions lag at 3%. For him, this isn't just a Singapore story; it's a critical signal for Malaysia's own competitive trajectory. His analysis frames this wage polarization as a direct reflection of skill relevance in the digital and green economy—a challenge and an opportunity for Malaysian businesses and professionals aiming to compete on the regional stage.

The Leadership Dialogue: Inside The Mindset

Reflecting on the data from Singapore, Dato' Khairussaleh leans forward, his tone shifting from analytical to urgent. He sees these numbers not as a distant forecast but as a live map of value migration. "The market is ruthlessly efficient at pricing skills," he emphasizes, his conviction palpable. "A 25% premium isn't just for coding. It's for problem-solving in the language of the future—be it AI, renewable energy finance, or cross-border digital ecosystems." For him, Maybank's role transcends banking; it's about future-proofing its 40,000-strong workforce and, by extension, influencing the national talent pipeline. He candidly admits that the gap between 3% and 25% is a leadership failure if left unaddressed—a failure to reskill, to invest, and to envision. When speaking about building Malaysia's own pool of high-premium talent, his eyes light up, detailing Maybank's aggressive upskilling programs and regional job-rotation schemes designed to give Malaysian employees exposure to the region's most dynamic markets.

Career Milestones & Achievements

• Spearheaded Maybank's "Humanising Financial Services" strategy, successfully navigating the group through the pandemic and achieving record profitability in 2023.
• Architected and drove the bank's regional expansion, significantly deepening its presence in Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, making ASEAN integration a core operational reality.
• Championed the Group's sustainability agenda, launching ambitious green financing frameworks and making Maybank a regional leader in ESG-linked banking products.
• Personally oversees the Group's future talent agenda, instituting large-scale digital literacy and leadership programs that have become industry benchmarks.
• Recognized as one of Malaysia's most influential business figures, consistently ranking in top regional CEO lists for his strategic and stakeholder-focused leadership.

The Editor's Take

Dato' Khairussaleh Ramli embodies the modern ASEAN CEO: a strategist who views P&L through the lens of people and long-term societal trends. He is less a traditional banker and more a builder of institutional capability and resilience. His leadership is characterized by a rare blend of analytical rigor and deep empathy for the human element in corporate growth.

• 👁️ Visionary Thinking: 9/10
• ⚡ Execution Capability: 8/10
• 🌟 Industry Influence: 9/10

"In ASEAN, our greatest asset isn't capital; it's our collective, evolving talent. The future belongs to organizations that can bridge the gap between today's workforce and tomorrow's value creation."