Cambodia Investment Review

Dr. Soeung Morarith, the Chief Executive Officer of Chief Bank, spoke with CIR Leader Talks on his journey in Cambodia’s banking sector so far, his future ambitions, and his current position as CEO at Chief Bank.

Dr. Soeung Morarith is described as a true banker by profession and a seeker of knowledge and education by choice. His pursuit of knowledge has earned him many accolades and certifications from various reputed institutions of the world.

The latest in his bag of accolades has been the Chartered Banker of Experience certification awarded by the reputed Chartered Banker Institute on completion of the “assessments prescribed by the Board of Trustees” in November 2022.

Read more: Trust at Chief Bank, where ethical banking builds success

“After completing my BBA (Accounting) from the National Institute of Management, Phnom Penh, in 2004, I went on to pursue an MBA (Master of Business Administration) from the same institute in 2007. That was just the beginning of my pursuit of knowledge and certifications. In 2014, I earned the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from his alma mater,” Dr. Soeung Morarith said.

In 2017, Dr. Soeung Morarith was awarded the Professional Certificate in Authentic Leader Development by the well-known Harvard Business School, Boston (US). The next year, he received the Professional Certificate in Disruptive Innovation from the same institution.

In 2019, he received two certificates – the Certificate of Management Excellence (CME) and the Professional Certificate in Strategy, Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage – from Harvard Business School, Boston.

Sharing the vision and mission of Chief Bank

His pursuit of knowledge and excellence continued as he was awarded the Certificate of Achievement: Innovating in the Digital World in 2021 by the prestigious London Business School in the United Kingdom. Dr. Soeung Morarith’s hunger for knowledge remains unsatiated, and the pursuit of excellence continues. Meanwhile, his professional career as a banker continued to bloom and he kept scaling the ladder of success.

“In my spare time, a rare thing in my busy life as a committed banker and chief executive of one of the major banks in Cambodia, I like to go to the farm in the countryside a couple of times a month, grow crops, keep animals, raise fish, read newspapers, share knowledge with the students, develop new friendships and expand his involvements such as helping the poor, etc. This probably helps me recharge for my next goals as a banker as well as a student of life,” he said.

Sharing the vision and mission of Chief Bank, Dr. Soeung Morarith says our corporate vision statement is ‘The Chief Way’.

“It describes us as the most innovative and efficient foreign bank, the one to guarantee and enhance service excellence. Secondly, it shows us as having become a full-fledged and respected bank, having the largest branch networks. Thirdly, it is emblematic of our being the “Bank of First Choice” by offering enjoyable customer experiences. Finally, it declares the ensuring of good corporate governance and compliance in everything we perform,” he said.

“Our corporate mission – ‘The Chief Way’ – is a promise of our commitment to fulfilling customers’ needs and helping them succeed financially. ‘The Chief Way’ builds mutual trust and partnership with our customers. That is the key to shared prosperity and the way our business is conducted, sincerely and with the highest professional ethics,” he added.

A client-first approach

On what drives and keeps him motivated as the chief executive officer of the bank, Dr. Soeung Morarith says that he has been inspired by the top management of the group and personally has the highest commitment to building Chief Bank into a renowned bank in Cambodia.

Showing his ‘clients first’ approach, he thanks them for selecting Chief Bank Plc to be their long-term business partner as the bank continued to flourish.

Displaying the trait of a good team leader, Dr. Soeung Morarith added that he is very proud to have professional and dedicated team members who have actively been forging the image and future of Chief Bank in Cambodia. Indeed, they have a deep commitment and have been working very hard with a high standard of professional ethics to take it to new heights.

“I am proud of the significant progress we have made so far. Together, we are confident that we are delivering a better and more innovative bank, a bank of first choice, a bank that our employees, customers, and stakeholders can genuinely trust,” the top banker says.