By Chisomo Phiri
CDH Investment Bank has injected K5 million towards the 2026 Institute of People Management Malawi (IPMM) annual conference to be held from October 21 to October 23 at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi.
Speaking after the sponsorship cheque presentation in Blantyre on Wednesday September 10,2026, CDH Invstment Bank Chief Human Capital Development Officer, Chrispin Chikwama, said the bank decided to support the conference after being impressed by its theme ‘Future-Ready HR: Building Talent for Malawi’s Green and Digital Economy.’
Chikwama hands over funds cheque to Chirwa
Chikwama said the theme aligns with the bank’s interest in human capital development, innovation and sustainability.
“We have always partnered with IPMM year on year, particularly when they are having annual conferences. This year, we have been impressed with the theme they are running with, which is Future-Ready HR: Building Talent for Malawi’s Green and Digital Economy,” he said.
Chikwama said human capital development is critical to the bank’s operations as it enables employees to acquire skills that allow them to serve customers effectively.
“Particularly for us in our business model, it is very important to grow talent and upskill our employees so that they can deliver to our customers to their satisfaction,” he said.
Chikwama added that the bank has deliberately invested in initiatives aimed at building the capacity of its employees.
He said CDH expects participants to return from the conference with new knowledge and skills that can contribute to improved performance in their organisations.
“Certainly, we expect sharper minds when people return from the conference, and we look forward to seeing the impact that the knowledge they will have shared will bring to our business and many others out there,”said Chikwama.
On his part, IPMM Treasurer General,Orphan Mapopa Chirwa expressed gratitude to CDH Investment Bank for supporting the conference, saying the partnership is an example of corporate support for human capital development.
“We are very grateful to CDH Investment Bank, and this is not the first time that they are sponsoring IPMM. For us, CDH Investment Bank has shown what corporate leadership looks like by supporting human capital development, which helps a lot in the development of our country,” he said.
Chirwa said the conference will focus on skills development, technology and the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in human resources management.
He said HR practitioners need to adapt to technological changes by using AI and digital platforms to simplify their work while providing effective support to technical teams within organisations.
“If you look at human resources management today, it is different from the past. These days, we encourage HR practitioners to use AI and digital platforms to ensure that work is simplified, but also to offer real support to the technical people,” said Chirwa.
He said the conference is expected to attract more than 600 delegates from various organisations across Malawi.
Chirwa said the delegates, many of whom are involved in managing people, will have an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in modern human resources practices, including the use of AI.
“We are expecting 600-plus delegates coming from various companies in the country. These are people that manage others, and our expectation is that they are going to come and be trained into fully fledged HR practitioners who can use AI, but also manage people well in their organisations,” he said.
Chirwa added that the conference will feature speakers from Malawi and abroad who will address participants on topics relevant to the changing workplace.
He urged organisations to take advantage of the conference by allowing their employees to participate in the event.
