Course Details

Business Continuity Management in Financial Institutions Training Course

Introduction

In the highly regulated and interconnected world of finance, the ability to maintain continuous operations and protect sensitive data is not merely a best practice, but a strict regulatory mandate and a cornerstone of public trust. Financial institutions face unique and intensified threats, ranging from cyberattacks and systemic market disruptions to natural disasters and geopolitical instability, any of which can trigger a crisis with far-reaching consequences. Our intensive 10-day "Business Continuity Management in Financial Institutions" training course is meticulously designed to equip professionals within the banking, insurance, investment, and FinTech sectors with the specialized knowledge and practical expertise required to develop, implement, and maintain robust Business Continuity Management (BCM) programs that meet stringent regulatory requirements and safeguard financial stability.

This comprehensive program delves into the specific challenges and compliance obligations faced by financial entities, covering critical aspects such as real-time payment system resilience, data integrity for financial records, market operations continuity, and stringent reporting mechanisms. Participants will gain in-depth understanding of regulatory frameworks (e.g., Central Bank of Kenya guidelines, Basel Accords), conduct financial-sector specific Business Impact Analyses, and design recovery strategies tailored to critical financial processes. By the end of this specialized training, you will be proficient in establishing a resilient BCM framework that not only ensures operational continuity but also upholds regulatory compliance and maintains investor and customer confidence in the face of any disruption.

Duration

10 Days

Target Audience

The "Business Continuity Management in Financial Institutions" training course is essential for professionals working within the financial sector who are responsible for ensuring operational resilience, compliance, and risk management. This includes:

• Business Continuity Managers/Coordinators: Specifically within banks, investment firms, insurance companies, and other financial institutions.
• Risk Management Professionals: Focused on operational risk, systemic risk, and resilience within financial services.
• Compliance Officers: Ensuring adherence to financial regulatory requirements for BCM (e.g., Central Bank of Kenya, prudential guidelines).
• IT Disaster Recovery Planners: Within financial institutions, responsible for the resilience of critical financial systems.
• Operations Managers: Overseeing front-office, back-office, and payment processing functions.
• Internal and External Auditors: Specializing in financial services and BCM audits.
• Information Security Professionals: Bridging cybersecurity with business continuity in finance.
• Legal Counsel: Advising on regulatory obligations and liabilities related to BCM in financial institutions.
• Senior Management and Executives: Accountable for organizational resilience and regulatory compliance.
• FinTech professionals: Designing resilient systems for emerging financial technologies.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the "Business Continuity Management in Financial Institutions" training course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the unique threats and regulatory landscape for Business Continuity Management (BCM) in financial institutions.
• Interpret and apply specific BCM guidelines from central banks (e.g., CBK) and international financial regulatory bodies.
• Conduct a financial-sector specific Business Impact Analysis (BIA) for critical banking, trading, and payment processes.
• Define precise Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) for financial transactions and data.
• Develop robust continuity strategies tailored for financial operations, IT systems, and market infrastructure.
• Implement effective communication and reporting mechanisms required by financial regulators during disruptions.
• Understand the importance of third-party risk management and supply chain continuity in the financial sector.
• Design and execute rigorous testing programs for BCM and IT Disaster Recovery in a financial context.
• Ensure the BCM program aligns with global standards like ISO 22301:2019 and relevant financial regulations.
• Contribute effectively to maintaining the stability and integrity of financial services during crisis events.

Course Modules

Module 1: The Regulatory Landscape & Importance of BCM in Finance

• Understanding the systemic importance of financial institutions and the impact of disruptions.
• Overview of key regulatory drivers for BCM: Central Bank of Kenya guidelines, Basel Accords, regional regulations.
• Focus on prudential requirements for operational resilience and risk management in finance.
• The role of BCM in maintaining public trust, financial stability, and market integrity.
• Consequences of BCM failures in financial institutions (fines, reputational damage, market disruption).

Module 2: Governance, Policy & Risk Management in Financial BCM

• Establishing a robust BCM governance framework specific to financial institutions.
• Developing BCM policies that align with regulatory expectations and corporate governance.
• Integrating BCM with Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) for financial risks (operational, credit, market).
• Defining clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability for BCM from board to operations.
• Requirements for BCM oversight by internal audit and risk committees.

Module 3: Business Impact Analysis (BIA) for Financial Processes

• Conducting a BIA tailored to critical financial processes: payment systems, trading, clearing, settlement.
• Identifying key financial functions and their dependencies (e.g., Swift, RTGS, mobile money platforms).
• Quantifying financial impacts: liquidity risk, settlement failure, market confidence erosion.
• Determining precise RTOs and RPOs for financial transactions, data, and reporting.
• Assessing the impact of disruption on customer confidence and regulatory reporting deadlines.

Module 4: IT Disaster Recovery (DR) for Core Financial Systems

• Strategies for ensuring the resilience of core banking systems, trading platforms, and payment gateways.
• High availability and fault tolerance for critical IT infrastructure supporting financial operations.
• Data replication and recovery for sensitive financial data (customer records, transaction logs).
• Cybersecurity considerations in DR planning for financial institutions (ransomware, data breaches).
• Regulatory expectations for IT DR capabilities and recovery testing.

Module 5: Continuity Strategies for Financial Operations

• Alternative processing sites and remote access solutions for financial traders and back-office staff.
• Strategies for maintaining real-time payment processing and interbank settlements.
• Contingency plans for treasury operations, cash management, and liquidity provision.
• Ensuring continuity of customer-facing channels (branches, ATMs, online banking).
• Management of market operations and trading continuity during disruptions.

Module 6: Third-Party & Supply Chain Continuity in Finance

• Managing BCM risks associated with critical third-party service providers (e.g., cloud providers, FinTech partners).
• Due diligence and audit requirements for supplier BCM capabilities.
• Contractual agreements and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with BCM clauses.
• Strategies for mitigating supply chain disruptions specific to financial services (e.g., payment networks, data providers).
• Regulatory scrutiny on outsourcing arrangements and their resilience.

Module 7: Communication, Crisis Management & Regulatory Reporting

• Developing robust crisis communication plans for financial institutions (internal, customers, regulators, media).
• Establishing a dedicated crisis management team with financial sector expertise.
• Protocols for rapid notification and reporting to central banks and financial regulators during a disruption.
• Managing public and investor confidence during a financial crisis.
• Legal and compliance considerations in crisis communication.

Module 8: Cyber Resilience & Information Security Integration

• Understanding the intersection of cybersecurity and BCM in the financial sector.
• Strategies for protecting critical financial data and systems from cyber threats.
• Integrating incident response plans for cyberattacks with broader BCM.
• Recovery from ransomware and data corruption scenarios.
• Regulatory expectations for cyber resilience frameworks.

Module 9: Testing, Exercising & Validation for Financial BCM

• Designing and conducting rigorous BCM tests specific to financial operations (e.g., payment system failover, trading continuity tests).
• Participating in industry-wide exercises and simulations (e.g., market-wide disruption drills).
• Evaluating test results against regulatory RTOs and RPOs.
• Documenting test outcomes, lessons learned, and corrective actions for regulators.
• Requirements for independent validation of BCM capabilities.

Module 10: BCM Maintenance, Auditing & Continuous Improvement in Finance

• Establishing a continuous review and update cycle for BCM plans and strategies.
• Internal and external audit requirements for BCM in financial institutions.
• Preparing for regulatory inspections and examinations of BCM programs.
• Addressing audit findings and implementing corrective actions effectively.
• Benchmarking BCM maturity against industry best practices and evolving threats in the financial sector.

CERTIFICATION

• Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with Macskills Training and Development Institute Certificate

TRAINING VENUE

• Training will be held at Macskills Training Centre. We also tailor make the training upon request at different locations across the world.

AIRPORT PICK UP AND ACCOMMODATION

• Airport pick up and accommodation is arranged upon request

TERMS OF PAYMENT

• Payment should be made to Macskills Development Institute bank account before the start of the training and receipts sent to info@macskillsdevelopment.com