Earlier this month IBSUniversity welcomed a special guest from the BSP Financial Group’ Ms. Vandhna Narayan, Chief Compliance Officer & Company Secretary , for a discussion and entrepreneurial dialogue with the theme: “Corporate Compliance and Ethical Leadership: Foundations for Sustainable Entrepreneurial Growth,” hosted on April 11^th, 2025 at the university’s Socrates Theatre.

This event was another flagship activity of the Student Entrepreneurship Program (STEP) and was organized by Ms. Palakurthi Harika, STEP Coordinatorand hosted by the School of Business and Management under the guidance of the Head of School Dr. Durga Prasad. The event was attended by STEP students and also other interested students who were eager to know how ethical leadership and compliance are vital to building sustainable businesses in the rapidly growing entrepreneurial landscape of PNG.

Ms. Narayan challenged a common misconception — that compliance hinders innovation. Instead, she positioned compliance as a key enabler of trust, transparency, and long-termgain. She explained how BSP Financial Group’s compliance strategies have helped small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to confidently address challenges while upholding ethical practices.

In the present competitive business space, Ms. Narayan pointed out that ethical decision-making is not optional — it’s essential. She gave some examples in which she illustrated how ethical leadership builds brand reputation, encourage investor trust, and creates sustainable corporate cultures. She also elaborated more on the role of strong corporate values in mitigating risks such as fraud, corruption, and reputational damage.

Addressing the unique regulatory challenges in PNG, Ms. Narayan shed light on limited compliance awareness among local SMEs, particularly concerning anti-money laundering(AML) requirements. She further emphasized on BSP’s mission to bridging this knowledge gap through accessible training programs and digital compliance tools suited for small scale entrepreneurs.

One of the most notable points of her talk was BSP’s initiative titled “Compliance for Growth,” a program created specifically to engage with women-led businesses in rural PNG.

This dialogue creates a good discussion platformamong our students to integrate integrity,accountability, and regulatory responsibility into their entrepreneurial startups.