Organisation and Business Segments

Corporate Structure: CIMB is a Malaysian universal bank with separate entities for consumer, wholesale/investment and Islamic banking. It operates through key subsidiaries (CIMB Bank Malaysia, CIMB Investment Bank, CIMB Islamic, CIMB Niaga–Indonesia, etc.). Its core business lines include Consumer Banking, Commercial/Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, Islamic Banking and Asset Management. The Group is governed by a Management Committee chaired by the Group President/CEO, with division heads for Finance, Risk, Treasury & Markets, Corporate & Transaction Banking, Technology & Data, Consumer Banking, Investment Banking and related functions.

Regional Footprint: CIMB has a broad ASEAN presence. It is active in eight ASEAN countries – Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines. For example, CIMB Bank Cambodia operates 14 branches, CIMB Vietnam has a Hanoi HQ and Ho Chi Minh City branch, and a digital-only retail bank serves the Philippines since 2018. Over 33,000 staff support roughly 28 million customers across these markets.

Business Segments

Commercial & Corporate Banking

Providing corporate lending, trade finance and cash-management services to large and mid-sized firms. CIMB’s wholesale arm (CIMB Investment Bank and Corporate Banking) handles syndicated loans, structured finance and transaction banking across ASEAN.

Consumer & Retail Banking

Serving individuals and SMEs with loans, deposit accounts, credit cards and payments. CIMB Bank Malaysia (217 branches) and its regional affiliates drive retail deposits and personal financing. The Group has heavily invested in digital channels – notably the AI-driven CIMB OCTO mobile app launched in 2024, which offers personalised features and lifestyle partnerships.

Treasury & Markets

CIMB’s investment banking arm runs proprietary trading, foreign-exchange and liquidity management for the group. It provides hedging and FX services to institutional clients, leveraging its strong debt and FX distribution capabilities across Southeast Asia.

Islamic Banking & Wealth

CIMB Islamic operates in parallel, offering Shariah-compliant loans, deposits and investment products. (CIMB is a world leader in Islamic finance.) The Group also emphasises wealth management and takaful (Islamic insurance) offerings, often via partnerships.

Key Partnerships: CIMB augments its services through strategic alliances. Long-running bancassurance tie-ups (e.g. with Allianz for insurance) distribute non-bank products through CIMB’s network. It has formed fintech and corporate partnerships as well – for instance, a past “working alliance” with India’s Kotak Mahindra Bank covered trade finance and remittances, and an asset-management venture with Principal Financial Group. CIMB’s external partners include the Principal Financial Group, MUFG Bank, Standard Bank and Daewoo Securities among others.

Key Financial Statistics (2023-2024F)

• Total Assets: ~RM755.1 billion at end-2024 (up from RM733.6b in 2023). (By Q1 2025 assets climbed further to RM770.0b.)
• Market Capitalisation: ~RM88.0 billion as of Dec 2024. (Roughly on par with a ~US$19–20 billion valuation.)
• Profitability: Net profit was RM7.73 b in FY2024 (an ~11% rise from RM6.98 b in 2023). Q1 2025 profit was RM1.97 b, +1.9% YoY. (Return on Equity for 2024 was ~11.2%.)
• Loans/Deposits: Gross loans ~RM452.3b (end-2024) and customer deposits ~RM512.3b, both up ~3–4% YoY. CASA (low-cost deposits) ratio improved with the expansion of current/savings accounts.
• Cost Efficiency: Cost-to-Income was ~46.7% in 2024, reflecting significant tech/capital investments.

Comparative Position: CIMB is Malaysia’s second-largest banking group by assets (behind Maybank) and counts as one of ASEAN’s top 5 banks by size. (It is the fifth-largest banking group in ASEAN.) Its diversification across several ASEAN economies gives it scale advantages over purely domestic peers. On this basis, CIMB’s asset base (RM755b) is substantial, though Maybank’s exceeds RM900b (as Malaysia’s Number 1 bank). Going forward, CIMB’s expansion in digital retail and regional markets under its new “Forward30” strategy is expected to drive growth in loans and customer fees for 2024/25.

Top 5 Spending & Investment Areas

1. Digital Infrastructure: Heavy investment in digital platforms and core IT. In FY2024 CIMB spent over RM800 million on technology to boost system resiliency. Key initiatives include the rollout of the next-generation CIMB OCTO banking app (with AI-driven personalisation and enhanced security), and migration of core banking to the cloud. These are aimed at eliminating past outages and improving mobile user experience.
2. Regional Expansion: Building its ASEAN footprint, especially in emerging markets. Recent efforts include growing branch and digital networks in Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and other CLMV markets. (CIMB launched Cambodian operations in 2009, opened its first Vietnam branch in 2016, and established a digital retail bank in the Philippines in 2018.) The bank is also exploring entry into underserved ASEAN niches as economies recover.
3. Technology & Security: Upgrading cyber defenses and leveraging new tech. Investments have targeted cybersecurity (anomaly detection, fraud prevention), IoT and AI analytics. For example, CIMB has implemented advanced mobile-app security (multi-factor authentication, malware protection) and AI-driven fraud monitoring. It is also piloting AI/data analytics for credit scoring and customer targeting.
4. Product Innovation: Developing new banking products to capture niche growth. CIMB is expanding its Islamic banking offerings (through CIMB Islamic and the CIMB-Principal Shariah JV). It is enhancing wealth-management services (e.g. for affluent clients via CIMB Preferred) and digital payment products. Recent product launches (like OCTOBiz for SMEs) bundle banking with cash-flow and invoicing tools.
5. Strategic Partnerships: Financing alliances and fintech tie-ups. Besides bancassurance, CIMB collaborates with fintechs and multinational banks for product reach. Current partners include Allianz (insurance), Principal Financial (asset management), MUFG (correspondent banking), and regional networks like UnionPay for payments. These partnerships help CIMB extend its customer base and offerings without solely developing in-house.

Opportunities for CelcomDigi

• 5G Connectivity: CIMB’s ramp-up of digital banking (mobile apps, cloud services) and IoT-based ATMs creates demand for high-speed, reliable networks. CelcomDigi’s 5G infrastructure can support CIMB’s nationwide branches and remote services (e.g. enabling real-time video teller services or advanced ATM monitoring).
• Cybersecurity Solutions: As CIMB emphasises mobile and online banking, robust security is critical. CelcomDigi could co-develop or resell cybersecurity enhancements (e.g. secure mobile authentication, end-to-end encryption) for platforms like CIMB OCTO. This complements CIMB’s own tech investments in anomaly detection and app hardening.
• AI & Data Analytics Services: CIMB is increasing use of AI for customer insights. CelcomDigi’s AI/analytics capabilities (e.g. network big data, customer segmentation) can be applied to CIMB’s data to enrich its personalisation engines and risk models. Jointly, they could build telecom-bank analytics tools for credit scoring or targeted marketing.
• Cloud & IT Infrastructure: CIMB is moving core systems to the cloud. CelcomDigi can offer enterprise-grade cloud computing and connectivity (e.g. private cloud, edge computing) to support CIMB’s regional expansion. Bundling CelcomDigi’s managed cloud services with network access could help CIMB rapidly deploy services in new markets (e.g. SME banking platforms in Cambodia or Vietnam).
• Joint Ventures / Co-marketing: There is scope for packaged telecom-financial products. For example, CelcomDigi and CIMB could co-market bundled offers (mobile plans with integrated banking/payment accounts or digital wallet top-ups). They might also develop unified mobile-payment solutions (leveraging CIMB’s banking license and CelcomDigi’s billing platform) to capture the e-payments market.

Key Takeaways

• ASEAN-Focused, Digitally-Driven Universal Bank: CIMB is Malaysia’s second-largest bank and among ASEAN’s top five, with a strong presence in eight regional markets. It operates across consumer, commercial, investment, and Islamic banking, and is accelerating digital transformation via AI-powered platforms like CIMB OCTO.
• Solid Financials & Strategic Tech Investments: With total assets nearing RM770 billion and a FY2024 net profit of RM7.73 billion, CIMB maintains healthy profitability and efficiency. Over RM800 million was invested in technology in 2024, focusing on cloud migration, mobile banking, cybersecurity, and product innovation.
• Partnership Opportunities with CelcomDigi: Opportunities include enabling CIMB’s digital banking via 5G and secure connectivity, co-developing AI/data solutions, offering cloud infrastructure support, and launching bundled mobile-financial services through joint ventures and co-marketing initiatives.