KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 15): Maybank Kim Eng Group announced on Wednesday (Dec 15) plans to align its brand name and the names of its entities to Maybank as the master brand.

This alignment sees the parting of “Kim Eng” from its name and logo, it said in a statement.

“The group is now known as Maybank Investment Banking Group (or Maybank IBG), and entities in its markets globally have adopted new company names and new logos. 

"In Malaysia, the group will continue to be known as Maybank Investment Bank,” it added. 

Ami Moris, the chief executive officer of the group, said in the statement: “2021 is the 10th anniversary of the acquisition of Kim Eng, then the largest equity franchise in the region, followed by the formation of Maybank Kim Eng as a brand name. From a single market entity in our home Malaysia to becoming ASEAN’s leading home-grown investment bank, it is a testament to our commitment to delivering to clients. Our success is measured against that. 

"We have been consistently ranked at the top of ASEAN league tables, and have been voted ASEAN’s best broker for eight consecutive years. In Malaysia, we have maintained our leadership by being recognised as the best investment bank six times over the last 10 years.

“From day one, we brought the whole of Maybank, including the expertise of Maybank Investment Bank in Malaysia, to serve clients’ advisory, funding and investing needs. Aligning the brand closer to Maybank reflects how Maybank Kim Eng has evolved to what it is today and how we want to move forward more cohesively to realise our ESG (environmental, social and governance)-first ambitions as a group, humanising financial services for clients and communities.”

The next 10 years for Maybank IBG will be about becoming the region’s leading sustainability-first investment bank aligned with the Maybank group's ambitions, she added. 

“As a stakeholder-oriented bank, we naturally want to take the lead in championing the ESG agenda in ASEAN. This means becoming top-of-mind for clients for sustainable investing, sustainable financing and sustainability thought leadership.

“While remaining committed to ideation and building deep intelligence in ASEAN, we now have a sharper focus on supporting clients’ transition to sustainability-first businesses, and ensuring equitable prosperity in the communities we operate in. The change in the brand name to Maybank IBG marks this new chapter for us,” said Ami.