The global financial crisis may have dampened bonus payouts across the banking sector, but there is one role that is rapidly becoming an exception, especially in Asia: compliance.

Once relegated to a dimly-lit corner, compliance staff have become highly-sought after and increasingly prominent as banks have had to get to grips with a slew of post-crisis reforms, and as a series of scandals from rate-rigging to money-laundering have put senior management on high alert. Compensation is rising to reflect this.