Book of the Month: Retirement at 50

There is peak time in the life of a leader just like it is for an institution. Bhuvan Dahal, 50, mentions that both peaks coincided during his career when he was serving in the banking sector in different capacities, and retired as the CEO of Sanima Bank, the youngest commercial bank in the country. The book ‘Retirement at 50’ is presented as some of his reflections while working with banks. The author has shared insights into having the first mover advantage and establishing a new entrant in the market. Initially, Dahal had intended to write a book on the success of Sanima Bank, however he decided not to confine himself to a storytelling of success and instead outlays the banking sector of the country in a broader sense. Dahal has chosen not to delve much on the darker side of Nepal’s banking sector, mal-governance, collusion of interests of the Board of Directors, nexus with regulating agencies, or about the rampant licensing that later consolidated through mergers and acquisitions. The book he has presented to his readers in a very short time after his retirement is a blend of insights, information and introspection of the banking industry of the country. The book not only talks about the success of Sanima Bank, but also about his success which he says he owes to passion and focus on delivery. The book gives glimpses into the author’s strong determination and focus on output rather than customary practices. Everyone may not be as lucky as Dahal in terms of executing their formula of ‘early to work and early to retire for happiness. Dahal is astonishingly simple and he values time and relationships. His career in the banking sector seems smooth sailing as he chooses not to write much about the hardships he faced while trying to establish himself from an initial career as a teacher, then a government employee, and finally as a banker. The readers also get the sense that Dahal enjoyed the banking profession and considers banking as the best platform for workaholics like himself. Bhuvan Dahal has selectively written about the positives of the country’s banking sector. The book is completely silent about the regulator, regulatory practices, governance, reforms and challenges. The author, a seasoned banker, has also missed out on how the banking sector transformed during his time in the profession. While ‘Retirement at 50’ reads neither like a biography of the author nor a highly insightful prose on the banking institutions, it is rather a story of why perfection and excellence only come through passion, dedication, honesty and commitment to your job. Author: Bhuvan Dahal Reviewed by: Pushpa Raj Acharya READ ALSO:

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