Hiring to be driven by digital integration, sustainability and change management

Geopolitical tensions and inflation loomed over Malaysia’s Financial Services industry in 2025, making for a hiring market marked by caution and cost consciousness. Nevertheless, according to Emily Lim, Senior Principal of Executive Search at Robert Walters Malaysia, select domains and positions saw sustained hiring demand.

Banks experimented and adopted AI and other digital technologies more extensively in the past year, seeking to improve operations, customer experience and risk management. The push for digital transformation and innovation bolstered hiring for project and product managers.

Fintech startups also continued to disrupt traditional banking models, prompting banks to turn to partnership management and product innovation professionals for support with creating new products or collaborating with fintech firms.

Across the industry, hiring volumes for legal experts, compliance officers, and risk managers soared as stricter regulations around data privacy and financial compliance came into play. In particular, professionals with knowledge of regulatory frameworks and certifications in compliance, like Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), were highly sought after.

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

Hiring trends for 2026

Hiring activity will be dominated by the search for talent who can bridge the gap between technology and finance. As banks look to integrate digital solutions into operations, demand will spike for roles such as project managers and data analysts.

Malaysian banks will also make sustainability practices a greater priority by bringing more sustainability experts and risk managers with ESG expertise into their ranks. Regulatory requirements make this a necessity, though this also brings the added benefit of attracting socially conscious investors.

Change management remains a key feature of the hiring market. Since the pandemic accelerated the adoption of hybrid work models, banks have, and will continue, to embrace more flexible work arrangements.

Top roles and skills in demand

The most popular roles in the hiring market in 2026 will be project managers, credit risk modellers, and positions in traded market risk.

The demand for project managers comes as organisations integrate AI tools into banking systems. Meanwhile, hiring volumes have been consistent in the latter two domains, as talent outflows – candidates relocating to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or the UK due to stronger currencies, or pursuing opportunities in sectors like consulting, shrink the candidate pool.

High on the list of soft skills in hiring are leadership, creativity, communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability and resilience.

With the integration of AI, businesses want talent who can adapt fast to new tools, processes and workflows. Meanwhile, in areas like credit approvals, investment strategies and fraud detection, roles are evolving away from routine work to rely on human judgment for insight analysis, risk assessment and decision-making. Innovation and communication are key as banks strive to compete against fintech startups, or even to present ideas and negotiate partnerships with them. Finally, strong leaders are expected to nurture a positive workplace culture that boosts talent attraction and retention.

“To stay relevant, focus on developing skills that complement technology and consider moving into more strategic roles. Learning AI tools used in banking and pursuing specialised certifications such as AML/CFT can be particularly useful.”

Upskilling and remaining relevant against AI

Roles in operations, customer service, and loans are at high risk of being integrated with AI. Tasks like data entry, reconciliation and report generation are increasingly taken over by AI-powered systems, while chatbots powered by natural language processing (NLP) are now capable of handling basic customer inquiries. More institutions are also using AI algorithms and big data analytics to assess creditworthiness.

Emily’s advice for professionals seeking to stay relevant is to focus on picking up skills that complement technology and to consider transitioning into strategic roles. Specific recommendations include learning AI tools in banking and pursuing specialised certifications such as AML/CFT.

Advice for talent attraction and retention

Banks are becoming more aggressive in making counteroffers to retain talent. Therefore, hiring teams may need to dish out generous increments to win over top talent.

However, Emily finds that many in-demand candidates are more interested in strategic roles that offer them the platform to innovate. If such a position opens up or is newly created for them within their existing organisation, they are willing to move without a substantial pay bump.

Salary aside, employers looking to attract top talent will need to offer hybrid work models, competitive benefits and compelling growth opportunities. This is particularly important for Millennial and Gen Z employees, who prioritise flexibility, work-life balance and purpose-driven careers.

Larger salary increments expected

Job seekers may enjoy salary increments of 30% or more, especially if they have secured a niche, in-demand role.

Find out more

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