The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has urged Executive Support Professionals to recognise and embrace their strategic role in strengthening institutions, improving efficiency and supporting effective decision-making.
RBM Executive Director for Corporate Services, Mrs Mercy Kumbatira, made the call during the official opening of the 11th Annual Conference of High-Performing Executive Support and Professional Administrators held at Sigelege in Salima.
The conference is being held under the theme: “Empowering Executive Support Professionals to Lead with Excellence, Influence and Strategic Impact.”
In her address, Kumbatira emphasised that leadership goes beyond job titles and formal authority, noting that professionals can influence institutional performance through credibility, strategic understanding and initiative.
She encouraged participants to uphold high standards of professionalism by maintaining confidentiality, ensuring accuracy in their work and aligning their contributions with the strategic priorities of their respective institutions.
Kumbatira also highlighted the growing importance of adapting to the changing digital landscape, urging Executive Support Professionals to combine digital competence with critical thinking and ethical decision-making.
She observed that digital tools, automation and artificial intelligence offer opportunities to improve efficiency and productivity, but stressed that these technologies cannot replace sound judgement, integrity, discretion and trust.
The RBM executive’s message underscored the importance of recognising Executive Support Professionals as strategic partners in organisational leadership, whose contributions can shape decisions, strengthen institutional performance and deliver meaningful results.
The 11th annual conference has brought together Executive Support Professionals and administrators from various departments in both the public and private sectors to discuss ways of enhancing professional excellence, influence and strategic impact in their respective workplaces.
