KUALA LUMPUR: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) aims to expand its number of overseas branches and offices to at least 2,000 in the next few years from 1,750 currently.Its president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar said 33 per cent of the group’s loan portfolio was derived from overseas markets and this was expected to increase to 40 per cent by 2015.
He said 25 per cent of the group’s profit was derived from overseas operations and Maybank aimed to increase this to 33 per cent by 2015 in line with its aspiration to be an “undisputed regional financial services leader” by 2015.
The group currently has an extensive global network of 1,750 branches and offices in 14 countries with over 39,000 employees.
“We have plans to set up another 200 branches in Indonesia, expanding from the 250 branches currently within the next three years,” Wahid said after the launch of Maybank’s 50th anniversary celebrations here yesterday.
In the Philippines, the bank has plans to increase the existing network of 45 branches with five more branches while in Cambodia, it plans to add another four branches to the existing seven branches.
“The rate of growth for overseas operations will be faster than domestic growth,” he said.
According to Wahid, one of the key drivers behind Maybank’s growth over the years has been its human capital.
“As a group that aims to be a top quartile employer in each of the markets that it operates, Maybank annually invests in its human resource with regular training and performance-based incentive programmes,” he said.
There are also plans to invest in upgrading the information technology system, he added.
While the expected consolidation of the financial services sector will result in more competition and small players being in a better position to merge, Maybank is focused on remaining as a leading player, Wahid said.
“Our customer base has grown to 16.3 million in the region today, with 9.5 million customers in Malaysia alone,” he said.
This growth, according to him, could be attributed to the group’s focus on being a customer-centric organisation and its ability to cater to the needs of customers from all walks of life.
Maybank’s chairman Tan Sri Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor said the community in which the group is serving has always been a top priority.
“This year’s corporate responsibility initiatives will focus on the areas of environment and tiger conservation, healthcare and community development,” he said during the launch.
The first environmentally conscious campaign, due to be launched later this month, will see Maybank promoting paperless statements and bills.
Kicking off the celebrations is a consumer banking customer rewards campaign offering RM2 million in cash prizes and other rewards throughout the year.
Customers stand to win cash prizes totaling RM500,000 in the first phase of the anniversary campaign from January to April, with weekly prizes of RM5,000 each, monthly prizes of RM50,000 each and the grand prize of RM200,000. — Bernama