Webinars to help businesses future-proof by leveraging on opportunities from the halal, green and digital economies 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad (“CIMB Islamic”) and The Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (“KLSCCCI”) are collaborating to bring SME business owners a series of empowering educational webinars from October to December 2021. Sustainable long term growth forms the central theme of this initiative, key to operating in the pandemic, with three sessions covering areas including SME financing solutions, halal business, the “green” or sustainable business market as well as digital transformation as levers for growth. The sessions also aim to provide exposure to opportunities for overseas expansion as businesses grow. 

The webinars are complimentary, and open to all SME entities in Malaysia, including non-members of the KLSCCCI, who stand to benefit from this opportunity for learning and industry exposure. 

The first session, Bizready 1.0 – SME Financing Solutions was held on 8 October and brought participants on a journey of understanding for the range of financing programmes available to all SMEs, especially those that have been affected by the pandemic. Participants were also acquainted with Government-guaranteed financing schemes offered, in collaboration with Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad (“CGC”) and Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan Berhad (“SJPP”) as well as their roles in providing access to financing. The presenters for this session comprised Datuk Ng Yih Pyng, President, KLSCCCI; Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, CEO, CIMB Islamic; Paul Liang, Director, SME Sales Development, CIMB Bank Berhad; Masliza Zainal Abidin, Head of Marketing, SJPP; Sharifah Attashah Syed Ali, Vice President, Branch Sales Management, CGC with moderator Chin Chee Seong, Chairman of SMEs Committee, KLCSSSI.

The Bizready 2.0 - CIMB HalalBizReady and Digital Transformation webinar, to be held in November, will bring attention to Malaysia’s strength and leadership in the Halal sector, providing local and global opportunities in halal business, across the SME sector. This session also looks at the CIMB HalalBizReady programme, where emphasis will be given to key Halal know-how areas covering the entire Halal value chain, from JAKIM certification to global trade, leveraging on the CIMB Halal Corridor. The discussions will also highlight the power of digitalisation as a business enabler, with e-commerce playing a significant role in providing the potential for business to upscale quickly, comprehensively and cost-effectively.  

Bizready 3.0 - CIMB GreenBizReady and CIMB Trade Club Alliance will be held in December. With the increasing sense of urgency for sustainable practice, SMEs can take advantage of CIMB GreenBizReady, a sustainability solution to start and progress on their sustainability journey. In this session, SMEs will be empowered by learning about sustainability-linked financing benefits and incentives, access to sustainability service providers, training and capacity building, certification and advisory services, as well as business matching with support from industry leaders and government agencies. CIMB’s Trade Club Alliance, comprising 14 banking groups across the world, brings added value as a global network platform providing a gateway to international business, including halal trade.  

Ahmad Shahriman said, “As part of a customer-centric organisation, CIMB Islamic values the collaboration with KLSCCCI in our continuous efforts to empower the local business community to not only survive but enjoy healthy growth in the new normal. The webinar series is an impressive cooperation amongst key industry players that aim to bring the SME community closer to the halal, green and digital economies. Estimated to grow to USD2.4 trillion by 2024, the Halal economy holds great potential locally and globally, with plentiful opportunities to be accessed by all SME businesses. The webinar sessions are also consistent with CIMB Islamic’s commitment to uphold Value-Based Intermediation, responsible Shariah-compliant practices that have a beneficial and long-term sustainable impact on the economy.”  

Datuk Ng said, “With a membership base of over 30,000, the KLSCCCI is honoured to be recognised as a reliable voice for local businesses and also actively strives for the advancement and wellbeing of this community. The pandemic has affected many livelihoods within our SMEs, thus, this strategic partnership with CIMB Islamic is projected to contribute to the reinvigoration and growth of our SME community, including bringing them essential information on the potential for growth in the halal and green markets, aided by digitalisation, both at home and abroad. This inaugural set of webinars is open to all SME businesses and aims to provide a good platform for SMEs to future-proof their portfolios in the post-pandemic economy. Non-members of KLSCCCI are also very welcome.” 
 

Further details on the upcoming webinars in this series are available on the KLSCCCI Facebook page at https://m.facebook.com/KLSCCCI/ and also at the KLSCCCI website at https://www.chinesechamber.org.my/  

 

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Photo caption:
Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, CEO, CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad (left) and Datuk Ng Yih Pyng, President, The Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
 
About CIMB
CIMB is one of ASEAN’s leading banking groups and Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider, by assets. Listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, it had a market capitalisation of approximately RM46.2 billion as at 30 June 2021. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, wholesale banking, transaction banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present in all 10 ASEAN nations (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Philippines). Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, the US and UK. 

CIMB has one of the most extensive retail branch networks in ASEAN with 635 branches and around 33,000 employees as at 30 June 2021. CIMB’s investment banking arm is one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, which together with its award-winning treasury & markets and corporate banking units comprise the Group’s leading wholesale banking franchise. CIMB is also the 92.5% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.8% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand. 

About KLSCCCI
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (KLSCCCI) is one of the Constituent Chambers of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM). KLSCCCI which was founded on 27 March 1904, is one of the foremost institutions representing the Chinese business community in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor regions. It Is also one of the most active Chambers of Commerce in Malaysia. The various activities of the Chamber have attracted the attention of the Government as well as of the private sector by virtue of the fact that the Chamber is strategically located in Kuala Lumpur which is the centre of Malaysian politics and economics. 

Membership of the Chamber comprises of Trade Association; Firm/Company; Individual and Associate Member. 

Its total direct membership as at 31st July 2021 is 2,829; currently there are 82 trade association members, 205 individual members, 2,386 firm/company members and 156 associate members. Each and every trade association has its own membership and their members are indirect members of the Chamber which if taken into account has KLSCCCI members well exceeding 30,000 in number. 

Source: CIMB Group 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Lynn Guha Thakurta / Hishamuddin Omar
Group Corporate Communications
CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
Email: lynn.thakurta@cimb.com / hishamuddin.omar@cimb.com

--BERNAMA