Increased pressure on professionals to keep up with changes

Ongoing regulatory changes, AI adoption and offshoring made upskilling more important than ever for Malaysia’s Commerce Finance professionals in 2025.

“The past year saw the rollout of Pillar Two tax framework, tariff adjustments and updates to service tax. This placed pressure on industry professionals to understand and adapt to these changes at speed. They were also responsible for implementing and communicating the impact of these changes to stakeholders,” recounts Melvin Yong, Associate Director at Robert Walters Malaysia.

Demand for transactional work fell as businesses integrated AI and offshored certain roles. Accounting talent keenly felt the need to upskill to stay relevant in an evolving labour market.

Read on to find out more about the labour market and hiring trends for Malaysia’s Commerce Finance professionals in 2026.

Companies make do with smaller teams and limited talent

Job scopes are rapidly changing with the introduction of new systems and technologies, and there is a growing gap between roles and the supply of skilled talent. As such, Melvin believes that companies will need to hire based on potential – employing promising candidates with the view of training them to meet new business needs.

The ongoing trend of outsourcing and offshoring is set to continue in 2026. Large companies with relatively stable operations will persist with this approach to hiring as a way of managing costs amidst economic uncertainty.

Businesses will also rely more on contract positions when hiring. This gives them the flexibility to hire short-term staff who can support immediate business needs as budgets and headcounts remain tight.

“Be open to new ways of working and adopting new technologies, even if resources are limited, as this helps your business stay competitive in the hiring market.”

Top roles and skills in demand

Roles that will see the most hiring activity in 2026 will be in the areas of financial reporting and management, financial planning and analysis, and those that require speaking proficiency in Asian or European languages.

Professionals with strong business partnering and communication skills will stand out. With ballooning data volumes, finance professionals are now prized for their ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights for stakeholders in other functions.

Adaptability and change management skills also give professionals a distinct advantage, with Melvin considering it incredibly important for employees managing regional or global portfolios. “They will be expected to navigate economic uncertainty and regulatory changes,” he says.

How candidates can AI-proof their careers

Roles that predominantly entail transactional, routine work have the highest risk of redundancy due to AI integration.

“Professionals with an understanding of the business and technology will continue to play an important role in finance operations,” Melvin shares. “The value they bring will shift towards understanding work processes, identifying gaps, offering insights and contributing to system improvements.”

Advice for talent attraction and retention

Candidates remain open to job moves. In evaluating potential opportunities, they tend to consider a company’s outlook and job stability, whether they can contribute and add value in the role, and remuneration.

Companies looking to attract and retain talent in 2026 should provide growth pathways. In particular, Melvin recommends that business leaders help employees cultivate a growth mindset by learning without shying away from mistakes. An environment that champions ownership and purpose also enables employees to deliver meaningful impact through their work.

Finally, investments in tools go a long way. “Be open to new ways of working and adopting new technologies, even if resources are limited, as this helps your business stay competitive in the hiring market.”

Salaries pegged to inflation

In 2026, wage growth will rise to match Malaysia’s inflation rates. With the exception of in-demand roles, no significant increments are expected.

Find out more

Request access to our 2026 Salary Survey to benchmark salaries and to find out more about key hiring trends in the Commerce Finance industry in Malaysia.