Financial Services

Since the political reforms of 2011, a number of significant steps towards liberalisation have been taken in the banking sector. The Central Bank of Myanmar has been given much needed autonomy and ATMs are now allowed in the country. Further aiding accessibility, mobile banking services have been introduced. New private banks are being set up and foreign banks have been granted licences to open branches. After years of stop-and-go liberalisation, a critical mass of changes has been instituted that promises to improve sector performance and greatly contribute to the development of the country. This chapter contains interviews with U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, Governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar; Linus Goh, Head of Global Commercial Banking and Executive Vice President, Oversea-Chinese Corporation; and Daw Chawsu, Head of International Banking, Kanbawza Bank; and a viewpoint from Brad Jones, CEO, Wave Money.