 | Year | Historical Event | 1924 | Bian Chiang Bank established in 1924 in Kuching
Bian Chiang Bank was established in Kuching by Wee Kheng Chiang in 1924. In its early days, the bank's activities were mainly related to business financing and the issuance of bills of exchange.
The prominent Wee family soon became famous as founding members of the United Overseas Bank (UOB) in Singapore in 1971. | 1935 | Ban Hin Lee Bank (BHLB) established in 1935 in Penang
Ban Hin Lee Bank Berhad, founded by "Towkay" Yeap Chor Ee, was formally incorporated as a private limited company in September 17, 1935.
The Bank's original business focus was serving local businessmen in their trading and merchanting activities. In the 1960's, it also branched into real estate and house financing.
By the 1990s, the bank had become a modern and thriving financial institution, reaching throughout Malaysia and Singapore from its headquarters in Penang.
Reflecting the confidence of investors, Ban Hin Lee Bank became a public-listed company on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) on January 7, 1991. | 1965 | Southern Bank Berhad (SBB) is founded as Southern Banking Ltd. in 1965.
From humble roots in Penang, Southern Banking Limited quickly expanded to other parts of the country. In 1978, the bank set up operations in Kuala Lumpur.
Southern Bank Berhad ("SBB") was to become recognised as an important player in wealth management products, credit cards and SME lending. The bank was the first in the country to set up the MEPS / ATM system used throughout Malaysia today. | 1965 | Bank Bumiputra Malaysia Berhad (BBMB) incorporated 1965
Bank Bumiputra was established in 1965 in line with government initiatives to increase the Bumiputra participation in the national economy.
The bank grew to become the most prominent bank for all Malaysians with branches throughout the country. Its banking infrastructure provided access to banking facilities where there was none before, contributing to the growth of small-scale enterprises and assisting the flow of investment into rural areas.
By the 1980s, it had become the largest bank in the country in terms of assets and was the first domestic bank to have operations in New York, London, Tokyo, Bahrain and Hong Kong. In 1982, it was listed as the largest bank in Southeast Asia by Asian Finance magazine. | 1972 | United Asian Bank Berhad (UAB) is established in Kuala Lumpur as a result of the merger of three Indian-owned banks; Indian Overseas Bank Ltd, Indian Bank Ltd and United Commercial Bank Ltd
UAB started as a joint-venture in banking between Malaysia and India, taking over the operations of the Malaysian branches of Indian banks in 1972.
The bank's business was mainly directed at small businesses and individuals. In its time, UAB established a reputation for encouraging enterprise amongst less prosperous sections of the community. | 1974 | Pertanian Baring Sanwa Multinational Berhad (PBS) incorporated April 1974.
PBS was founded by Bank Pertanian, Baring Brothers of United Kingdom, Sanwa Bank of Japan and Multinational Bank of the United Kingdom.
Under the management of Baring Brothers, it provided corporate advisory and funding services to multinationals, and undertook corporate restructuring and merger and acquisition activities for Malaysian companies.
Practising a conservative and prudent approach, with a strict credit culture that limited its trading activities, the merchant bank remained relatively small compared to others. | 1979 | Bian Chiang Bank is renamed Bank of Commerce Berhad in November 1979.
The purchase of Bian Chiang Bank by the UMNO-owned Fleet Group in 1979 led to the formation of Bank of Commerce. Retaining the initials BCB, the new bank had a strong focus on systems and transparency from the very beginning, reflecting the management style of co-shareholder JP Morgan.
An aggressive, performance-driven work culture pushed the bank forward, contributing to its emergence as one of the most progressive banks in the industry.
In 1982, just three years since incorporation, what started out as a one-branch bank worth RM8 million had become an institution with the total assets of RM367 million and total shareholders' funds of RM12.8 million. | 1986 | Pertanian Baring Sanwa Multinational Berhad is renamed Commerce International Merchant Bankers Berhad.
In 1986, Bank of Commerce Berhad replaced Bank Pertanian as the controlling shareholder of PBS, following which its name was changed to Commerce International Merchant Bankers Berhad (CIMB). The new shareholders retained its focus on corporate finance and IPO's and in 1989 it emerged as Malaysia's top advisor for new listings.
CIMB soon added stockbroking to complement its advisory and listings expertise, establishing an award-winning reputation as an equities broker and IPO house. This positioned the firm to enjoy high profits during the early 1990s equities "bull run".
At the height of the buoyant era in equities, CIMB took a major strategic decision to build its capabilities in fixed income in anticipation of future market opportunities. This placed CIMB in an excellent position to reap rewards from the exponential bond market growth in the late 1990s. | 1991 | In November 1991, Bank of Commerce merges with UAB and a new entity is named Bank of Commerce (M) Berhad. Bank of Commerce Berhad, the listed holding company, is renamed Commerce-Asset Holdings Berhad (CAHB).
The acquisition of UAB by Bank of Commerce was the starting point for the significant expansion of this nascent force in banking. With the acquisition, the Bank of Commerce branch network increased almost fourfold, complementing its established reputation in the corporate lending market. | 1999 | October 1999, BBMB and Bank of Commerce merged to form Bumiputra-Commerce Bank under CAHB control.
In 1999, BBMB (emerged out of the Asian Financial Crisis and other financial problems to) merged with the Bank of Commerce, resulting in the biggest merger in Malaysia's banking history. Together as the Bumiputra-Commerce Bank, it became the bank of choice to many multinational and local corporations, government organizations and individual Malaysians.
Today, BCB reaches out to 4 million Malaysians around the world with its extensive 270 branch network nationwide and overseas branches across major financial centres.
Over the years, BCB has become part of the fabric of Malaysian society - a bank for the people. |
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