Inaugural CIMB ASEAN SME Forum expected to attract over 300 SMEs in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur: CIMB Bank today announced that it will be hosting the CIMB ASEAN SME Forum for the first time with the theme, ‘ASEAN for SMEs’. This event is expected to attract more than 300 business owners with the main aim of sharing perspectives on doing business in ASEAN. The forum will be held on 24 September 2012 at the One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya.

Renzo Viegas, Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Consumer Banking, CIMB Bank said, "This forum is a clear example of how we can leverage our regional network to offer our business customers practical advice on expanding in ASEAN. The topics covered have been carefully selected to cover the fundamentals of investing in, and trading with ASEAN markets."

"According to ASEAN Secretariat statistics, intra-ASEAN trade exceeded RM1.53 trillion (US$500 billion) in 2011 and it was further anticipated that the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will be a key driver for further intra-regional trade growth. Supported by ASEAN’s largest branch network of more than 1,100 branches across the region, and a comprehensive suite of conventional and Islamic trade services capabilities, CIMB Bank is well-positioned to meet the requirements of SMEs with ambitions to grow regionally," he added.

The forum will be officiated by Dato’ Sri Nazir Razak, Group Chief Executive, CIMB Group and will feature a line-up of speakers who are regulatory, legal, tax and property experts from across the region. The speakers will be headlined by Datuk Dr. Rebecca Sta Maria, Secretary General, Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia who will deliver the keynote address. She will touch on recent developments in the AEC, and opportunities as well as challenges for Malaysian businesses as they seek regional opportunities.

"As the backbone of ASEAN economies, the regionalisation of SMEs is a key component of creating an AEC by 2015. We hope to create more opportunities for SMEs to expand beyond their home countries and reap the benefits of regional economies of scale," said Viegas

This year, the forum will focus on the markets of Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, with special sessions on increasing liberalisation in Myanmar and trade opportunities in China. The CIMB ASEAN SME Forum is a regional roadshow with Kuala Lumpur as the first leg, followed by Bangkok on 9 October 2012 - hosted by CIMB Thai, and Jakarta on 18 October 2012 - hosted by CIMB Niaga.