OCBC Quadruples Premier Banking Centre Size to Become Penang's Largest
Penang, Malaysia (PRWEB) November 28, 2014 -- Lifestyle and heritage preservation events to become permanent feature at OCBC Bank’s new-look Premier Banking Centre
Penang, 14 November 2014 – OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad (http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/08/prweb12058852.htm) has quadrupled the size of the premier banking centre at its branch in Lebuh Pantai, making it the largest in the whole of Penang.
The Centre will be officially opened by Chief Minister of Penang YAB Mr Lim Guan Eng tomorrow.
The 8,000 square-foot Centre will be used to bring lifestyle events to the Bank’s customers alongside several facilities and services that were previously unavailable. These include a comfortable private customer discussion area, ample parking with valet services, live telecast video conferencing facilities and more dedicated safe deposit boxes.
The Centre is also the largest in the OCBC Bank (https://www.ocbc.com.my/OCBCAL_Amin/BM/pb_deposits.shtml) network nationwide.
Chief Minister of Penang YAB Mr Lim Guan Eng (centre) cutting the ribbon to officially open the OCBC Penang Premier Banking Centre. Looking on are (L-R) our Head of Consumer Financial Services & Group Wealth Management Lim Wyson, Chairman Dato’ Ooi Sang Kuang, Chief Executive Officer Ong Eng Bin, and Head of Branch Distribution & Premier Banking Anne Leh.
At the offical opening event tomorrow, the Bank will treat its premier banking customers to a celebration of preservation, heritage and community with a showcase collection of arts, jewellery and antique pieces by renowned Penangites. Among the pieces that now adorn the Centre’s walls are Ali Nurazmal Yusoff’s Imitation Master – Life Goes On and works by Anisah Abdullah and Haafiz Shahimi.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the official opening ceremony, OCBC Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ong Eng Bin, said the heritage and community-centred celebration is in line with the Bank’s effort to upgrade its decades-old building while retaining its cherished heritage as one of the landmarks along Lebuh Pantai.
“The OCBC Bank heritage in Malaysia can be traced back almost a century now, with our Penang branch having been in existence since 1917 as part of the then Ho Hong Bank. This bank would later merge with Overseas Chinese Bank and Chinese Commercial Bank to give birth to OCBC Bank in 1932.
“So, tomorrow will represent a day to reflect on our existence and on how we should move forward in our quest to grow together with the community here. One result of our ongoing reflection has been the new-look Premier Banking Centre, which is the culmination of many months of planning based on a comprehensive evaluation of the needs of our Penang customers,” he said.
OCBC Bank is among the largest foreign banks operating in Malaysia with a network of 31 conventional (http://www.ocbc.com.my/personal-banking/cards/) and 10 Islamic banking (http://www.ocbc.com.my/ocbcal_amin/index.shtml) branches throughout the country.
In Penang, it has three branches, in Lebuh Pantai, Bukit Mertajam and Batu Maung.
“We are pleased that our Penang branches have been experiencing growth rates of almost 40% in assets under management (AUM) for Premier Banking over the twelve-month period ending June 2014. In addition, our investment (http://www.ocbc.com.my/personal-banking/investments/investments.html) business grew by over 20% during the same period, signifying growing confidence in our premier banking offerings. Another telling statistic is that our premier banking customer base increased by 20% during the same period.
“The numbers tell us that the relationship between us and the community is growing stronger and stronger due to the emphasis we continue to place on service excellence from every conceivable perspective,” he said.
Also present at the press conference were OCBC Bank’s Head of Consumer Financial Services & Group Wealth Management Mr Lim Wyson and Head of Branch Distribution & Premier Banking Ms Anne Leh.
As part of the celebration tomorrow, customers will be treated to a talk on Peranakan culture by Lilian Tong as well as a cultural fashion and jewellery showcase, which will include a presentation by Dr Khoo Seok Wah. Each guest will take home an exclusive limited-edition book entitled Our Living Heritage: An Everlasting Legacy, commissioned by OCBC Bank. Taking the reader through time, the book depicts the rich history and heritage of Penang and showcases the ways in which the Bank has been committed to the local culture and arts. Captured vividly in the book is the restoration journey of the Bank at Lebuh Pantai to its new look, replete with fond memories from key influential Penangites who helped to grow the bank (http://www.ocbc.com.my/personal-banking/Investments/unit-trusts-overview.html) into the trusted institution it has become today.
Among the exhibition highlights at the Centre will be a Straits Chinese Peranakan antique collection by Dreamz Foundation, an antique jewellery collection by Venessa Diamonds and an art exhibition by local Penang artists.
About OCBC Bank
OCBC Bank is the longest established Singapore bank, formed in 1932 from the merger of three local banks, the oldest of which was founded in 1912. It is now the second largest financial services group in Southeast Asia by assets and one of the world’s most highly-rated banks, with an Aa1 rating from Moody’s. It was ranked by Bloomberg Markets as the world’s strongest bank in 2011 and 2012.
OCBC Bank and its subsidiaries offer a broad array of specialist financial and wealth management services, ranging from consumer (http://www.ocbc.com.my/personal-banking/loans/), corporate, investment, private and transaction banking to treasury, insurance (http://ocbc.com.my/personal-banking/insurance/), asset management and stockbroking services.
OCBC Bank’s key markets are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China. It has over 630 branches and representative offices in 18 countries and territories. These include the more than 330 branches and offices in Indonesia operated by subsidiary Bank OCBC NISP and OCBC Wing Hang’s 95 branches in Hong Kong, China and Macau.
OCBC Bank's insurance subsidiary, Great Eastern Holdings, is the largest insurance group in Singapore and Malaysia by assets. Its asset management subsidiary, Lion Global Investors, is one of the largest private sector asset management companies in Southeast Asia. Private banking services are provided by subsidiary Bank of Singapore, which continues to gain industry recognition including being voted “Outstanding Private Bank in Asia Pacific” in 2013 by Private Banker International.
OCBC Bank offers Islamic banking (http://www.ocbc.com.my/OCBCAl_Amin/pb_financing_cash_financingi.shtml) products and services in Malaysia through its wholly-owned subsidiary, OCBC Al-Amin Bank Berhad.
For more information, please visit http://www.ocbc.com.my
Mridula A/P Sukumaran, OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, http://Mridula A/P Sukumaran, +60 162266354, [email protected]
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