The Hub March, 2022, monthly e-newsletter from Independent Directors’ Databank gives you a broad view of developments happening around Regulatory framework, Corporate world among other updates.

The featured stories in various sections cover regulatory updates, governance practices and experience sharing by Independent Directors.

For banks, COVID-19 marks the end of an era. After the 2008 global financial crisis, a conflagration that started in banks and ended many of them in spectacular fashion, the survivors went to work. They rebuilt capital, mended fences with regulators, and invested in digitization to build relationships with customers and wrest more efficiencies from their back-office processes. The gambit worked. Banks withstood the pressures of 2020, and capital reserves rose last year. But it came at a cost: the global industry’s return on equity (ROE) fell from 8 percent in 2011 to 6 percent in 2020. The industry became safer, more predictable, more commoditized. Banks have thus far endured the pandemic with losses averted but profitability depressed.

Setting in the Hub – March, 2022 issue highlights “The Great Divergence: Mckinsey Global Banking Annual Review 2021” a report from Mckinsey & Company.

Vignettes showcase the highlights of power talk with Prof. Lawrence Loh, Director, Centre for Governance and Sustainability, National University of Singapore, on the topic of “The New Sustainability Challenge for Directors: Perils and Prospects of Greenwashing”.

Regulatory Worktop shares the key updates about, a) SEBI made separation of roles of Chairperson and MD/CEO voluntary, b) CSR Reporting: Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA)’s new reporting requirements, c) India Data Accessibility and Use Policy: Government issued draft, d) Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Rules, 2022, and e) SEBI circular related to Audit committee of Asset Management Companies (AMCs);.

Regulators Eye focus on the key updates relating to a) New SEBI Chairperson: Ms Madhabi Puri Buch b) Corporate Governance loop holes in NSE’s management; c) Tata Group: Same person cannot head both Tata Sons & Tata Trusts and other important decisions; d) Global Trade Update from UNCTAD: Post Pandemic recovery and India, e) Corporate Governance issues at IPO-bound FinTech firm BharatPe, and f) Sovereign Green Bonds: Government’s effort to reach net-zero carbon.

Events Expo showcases relevant national and global upcoming events, programs, workshops, conferences, etc. for participation of the members. This issue covers Global Privacy & Data Protection Leadership Meet 2022 | Assocham | March 02, 2022 and First Annual ESG Summit | FICCI | March 09-10, 2022.

Global Events, suggested are Corporate Communications: Breaking New Ground | The Conference Board | March 09 - 10, 2022, and ESG Scores Explained: Corporates, Utilities and Banks in Latin America | Moody’s | March 10, 2022 (10:00 AM EST).