Banking regulators worldwide have spent the past two decades tightening the rules around how financial institutions are run, and the reason is simple: weak oversight inside a bank rarely stays contained, it spreads to depositors, markets and, eventually, entire economies. This Training Course in Governance, Risk and Compliance for Banks, delivered by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, looks at governance not as a compliance checkbox but as the operating system that keeps a bank stable.

Participants examine how governance principles translate into day-to-day banking practice: board oversight, regulatory compliance, risk control and transparent reporting. The course draws on the accelerating pace of financial-market change, cross-border capital flows and growing competitive pressure between banks and non-bank institutions, all of which have made governance a continuously moving target rather than a fixed set of rules.

Who Should Attend?

• Bank managers and branch directors working to raise governance standards inside their institutions.
• Compliance officers and internal auditors responsible for regulatory adherence.
• Risk management professionals looking to connect governance with risk control.
• Board members, executives and financial analysts involved in strategic oversight and advisory work.

By the End of the Course, Participants Will Be Able To:

• Apply core governance principles and structures within a banking context.
• Interpret current regulatory requirements and adapt compliance practices accordingly.
• Assess, mitigate and monitor financial and operational risk through a governance lens.
• Support ethical conduct, transparency and accountability across bank operations.
• Evaluate internal control and audit documentation as part of ongoing governance oversight.

Module 1: Governance as the Operating System of a Bank

• The concept, objectives and importance of governance.
• Core principles and determinants of governance in banks.
• An overview of global banking governance models.

Module 2: Corporate Governance Structures and Oversight

• The roles of the board and senior management in bank governance.
• The importance of independent oversight.
• The role of regulatory authority in applying governance.

Module 3: Regulatory Compliance in a Changing Landscape

• Key regulatory requirements for banks.
• Adapting to changes in banking legislation and international standards.
• The role of internal control departments in applying governance.

Module 4: Governance and Risk Management Together

• Governance approaches to managing financial, operational and compliance risk.
• Techniques for risk identification, assessment and mitigation.
• Integrating governance with risk-control processes.

Module 5: Audit, Reporting and Internal Oversight

• Standards for effective governance reporting.
• Oversight and audit of documentation issued by accounting functions.
• Assessing how far banks are actually committed to applying governance.

Module 6: Ethics, Transparency and Global Trends

• Promoting ethical conduct and corporate integrity.
• Case studies on governance failures and lessons learned.
• Challenges facing governance application in banks, and emerging digital governance and fintech trends.