Thirty business professionals, academics and regulators today graduated from Myanmar’s inaugural Directors Certification Program, becoming the country’s first batch of directors to be certified locally.

The three – day intensive program was developed by the Myanmar Institute of Directors (MIoD) together with IFC , a sister organization of the World Bank, in partnership with the Singapore Management University Executive Development, renowned for its excellence in delivering executive programs . The Director’s Certification Program was organized with the support from the Directorate of Company Administration and the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom.

The program was set within the Asian businesses context and provided a well – rounded board – level view of key strategic areas and issues facing many companies in Myanmar.

“The Directors Certification Program will help Myanmar directors become better aware of their responsibilities and ultimately improve the performance of boards and overall corporate governance in the country. This will help attract more foreign direct investment into Myanmar,” said Ma Cherry Trivedi, the CEO of MIoD.

“The Singapore Management University is proud to be the academic partner in Myanmar’s first Directors Certification Program,” said Dr Flocy Joseph, Head Strategic Partnerships, SMU – ExD . “The curriculum that we taught here specifically addresses the needs of Myanmar boards.”

Sandra Min, Managing Partner, Burgundy Hills Company Limited, a participant at the course said, “I have learnt so many things during these three days. I am more aware of what I can do in my capacity as a company director, e specially under the new Myanmar Companies Law. I feel confident that with certified directors on boards, Myanmar companies are set to grow and reach new heights.”

The Directors Certification Program will be offered on a regular basis across major Myanmar cities alongside Yangon.