The NICO Group has officially launched its 2025 Management Trainee Program, a flagship leadership development initiative designed to build a strong, diverse, and future-ready leadership pipeline across the Group’s operating companies.

The launch took place on 14 November 2025 at Ryalls Hotel, bringing together Group Executive Management, Chief Executive Officers, Heads of Departments, and the newly selected Management Trainees.

The Management Trainee Program forms a key part of the Group’s long-term talent strategy, focusing on proactive workforce planning, talent development, and succession management. Structured as a 24-month learning journey, the program combines technical training, leadership development, professional certification support, job rotations, and targeted project assignments.

Upon successful completion, trainees are placed into suitable roles within the Group. Where immediate placement is not possible, they join a readily available talent pool to support upcoming leadership and managerial needs across the Group.

The 2025 intake attracted more than 3,000 applications, reflecting strong interest in the program. From these, 101 candidates were shortlisted for psychometric and aptitude assessments, with 68 candidates progressing to face-to-face interviews. Following this rigorous process, 33 Management Trainees were selected.

These trainees have been recruited in line with current and future talent requirements across the Group’s operating companies: 10 from NBS Bank, 5 from NICO General, 4 from NICO Life, 4 from NICO Asset Managers, 4 from NICO Holdings Functions, 2 from NICO Technologies, 2 from NICO Pension, 1 from ERIS Properties, and 1 from NICO Capital.

In line with the Group’s strategic objective to achieve 50/50 gender representation at all leadership levels, the intake includes 15 women (45%) and 18 men (55%). The program also balances opportunities between internal and external candidates, with 7 internal employees selected into this cohort.

The program officially commenced on 3 November 2025, with the month of November dedicated to induction and foundational training. These sessions cover leadership development, digital transformation, fintech and the evolution of financial services, ESG integration, effective people management, and project and change management.

The induction phase is followed by structured departmental rotations within respective companies, enabling trainees to gain practical exposure to diverse business functions. Performance throughout the program will be reviewed quarterly to support continuous development and alignment with leadership expectations.

The NICO Group has also acknowledged the strong support of its Executive Committee and subsidiary Chief Executive Officers, who have actively engaged with the trainees through mentorship and knowledge-sharing sessions. These interactions are intended to equip trainees with practical insights and leadership perspectives that will shape their professional growth.

Through this initiative, the Group continues to demonstrate its commitment to investing in people and building sustainable leadership capacity for the future.