This article first appeared in Wealth, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on March 24, 2025 - March 30, 2025

PMB Investment Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pelaburan Mara Bhd, won big as five of its funds took home a total of nine awards at the LSEG Lipper Fund Awards 2025, making it one of the biggest individual award winners this year.

Its chief investment officer Hang Tuah Amin Tajudin says the firm’s best call was identifying early opportunities in the technology and utility sectors, particularly in companies benefiting from the data centre boom, AI revolution, semiconductor demand and renewable energy investments.

He credits PMB’s win to the team’s starting the year with a moderately cautious stance, holding a higher-than-usual cash buffer to navigate market uncertainties. It then shifted gears when market conditions became clearer by aggressively deploying capital into equities, particularly in high-growth sectors such as technology, infrastructure and consumer discretionary.

While macro uncertainties made other investment firms hesitant, PMB took calculated risks in selecting mid-cap industrial and logistics players, anticipating a re-rating driven by the infrastructure boom and supply chain restructuring.

“Our conviction paid off as these investments delivered above-market returns, reinforcing the importance of forward-looking research and decisive execution,” says Hang Tuah.

According to him, PMB adopts a disciplined, yet dynamic, investment approach that balances high-growth sectors with resilient defensive plays to safeguard against volatility.

“We capitalised on macroeconomic tailwinds by overweighting sectors benefiting from policy shifts, consumer spending recovery and technological advancements. At the same time, our selective stock-picking approach focused on companies with strong earnings visibility, sound financials and competitive moats.”

All this helped PMB optimise its exposure in outperforming segments while trimming positions in overvalued areas, allowing it to quickly adapt while remaining strategic.

“Our philosophy is simple but powerful: focus on fundamentals, manage risks proactively and stay adaptable to market shifts. This [fundamentals-driven] approach not only helped us mitigate downside risks during market fluctuations but also ensured that we were well-positioned to maximise returns when the market rebounded,” he says.

Looking ahead, he notes that 2025 presents a more complex investment landscape that requires precision, agility and deep market insights. While market volatility is expected, PMB sees tactical opportunities in sectors poised for structural growth, such as AI, renewable energy and infrastructure.

The firm aims to navigate market uncertainty wisely while capitalising on emerging trends that drive long-term value creation. “We are taking a selective approach, maintaining our commitment to fundamental strength and earnings durability,” says Hang Tuah.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.