1986 - Pertanian Baring Sanwa Multinational renamed Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd
In 1986, Bank of Commerce replaced Bank Pertanian as the controlling shareholder of Pertanian Baring Sanwa Multinational, following which its name was changed to Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd (CIMB). The new shareholders retained its focus on corporate finance and IPOs 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.
