14  April 2022
Maybank on track to achieve M25 goals

- Supported by innovative digital solutions, new value drivers and continued sustainability efforts

A year on from the launch of its M25 Plan, Maybank is on track to meet the goals under its M25 Plan, and will continue to accelerate efforts to unlock greater value for all its stakeholders. This will be achieved by enhancing its digital capabilities, discovering more new value drivers for business growth as well as championing sustainable practices.

These commitments were reiterated by Maybank Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, and Group President & CEO, Dato’ Sri Abdul Farid Alias during a press conference in conjunction with the 62nd Annual General Meeting of Maybank today.

Tan Sri Zamzamzairani said that despite the challenging circumstances arising from the pandemic and geo-political uncertainties, Maybank recorded commendable financial performance in 2021. Net profit grew by 24.9% YoY to RM8.10 billion mainly owing to its resilience and robust financial strength. The Bank also made a higher dividend payout in 2021, totaling 58 sen per share, recording a dividend yield of 7% which was one of the highest among banks in the region.

“With our key markets increasingly moving toward the endemic stage, the expectation is that there would be greater economic recovery across the region - boosted by enhanced vaccination rollouts and the easing of border control restrictions. These are positive signs and we believe it puts us in the driving seat to ensure we achieve our M25 goals.”

“M25 is anchored by our mission of humanising financial services and has a clear strategy focusing on three priorities - namely Pervasively Digital, New Value Drivers and Sustainability. In the course of a year, these pillars have served its respective purpose and have tracked our planned milestones.”

Meanwhile, Dato’ Sri Abdul Farid Alias said that the Group’s focus on building the three strategic priorities has enabled it to stay ahead of the curve, and continue serving the community, especially during the outbreak of the pandemic.

“Our expertise to operate as a digital bank, in addition to our role as a traditional bank demonstrates our strength to provide cutting-edge solutions for our customers. Over the last year, we have been able to design our own lifestyle applications, introduce digital financing solutions in Malaysia cutting across retail and non-retail segments for products such as mortgage, personal and SME financing, and allowed for KYC processes to be undertaken digitally in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, amongst others,” he explained.

Dato’ Sri Farid said that while Maybank will continue to develop digital products and services for customers, it will also use the capability to drive sustainable banking practices to support its communities. “We have used it successfully in the past such as for MaybankHeart, the first-of-its-kind digital social fundraising platform for NGOs as well as Sama-Sama Lokal, our zero commission online marketplace to help struggling microenterprises. This platform now has over 14,000 merchants, who have generated some RM24 million in order value, benefitting from their access to Maybank2u’s 12 million customer base. This aspect will continue as part of our humanising mission.”

He added that Maybank has made progress in capturing growth opportunities through New Value Drivers, expanding offerings in the areas of digital, sustainability, SME, wealth, insurance, Islamic banking and investment management. This has benefitted a diverse range of customers - from retail to corporate clients as well as underserved segments in the region.

Maybank is also continuing efforts to drive a responsible transition to a low-carbon economy, empower communities across ASEAN, and lead with good governance practices. Towards this end, the Bank has recorded commendable achievements for its four headline sustainability commitments under M25 as follows:

  1. Mobilising RM50 billion in Sustainable Finance by 2025
    Over RM13.6 billion in sustainable finance has been mobilised by the Group in 2021.
  2. Improve the lives of 1 million households across ASEAN by 2025
    Over 500,000 households have benefited from the Bank’s community programmes.
  3. Carbon neutral position for scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and net zero carbon equivalent position by 2050
    • Established 2019 as the baseline year for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions and in the midst of setting our Scope 3 portfolio emissions baseline.
    • The first bank in Malaysia to commit to buy Malaysia Renewable Energy Certificates, equivalent to 70% of its Malaysian operations’ Scope 2 carbon emissions.
  4. Achieve 1 million hours per annum on sustainability and delivering 1 thousand significant SDG related outcomes by 2025
    Maybank employees have spent over 1.6 million hours on sustainability in 2021, exceeding the target of 1 million hours.

“It is important to note that the implementation of our sustainability programmes was set against a very challenging operating environment and we are truly encouraged to see some of these efforts are already showing progress within a short span of time. These are meaningful outcomes that will shape the future of our generation and planet, and the work must be continued conscientiously,” shared Dato’ Sri Farid.

Tribute to outgoing Group President & CEO

Earlier at the press conference, Tan Sri Zamzamzairani also paid tribute to Dato’ Sri Farid who will be stepping down as Group President & CEO after serving nearly nine years in the position. He said that since taking the helm of Maybank on 2 August 2013, Dato’ Sri Farid has played a critical role in laying the strategic foundation for Maybank, focusing the Group’s efforts in key areas of development namely digitalisation and more recently, sustainability, to ensure that the Group remained ahead of many of its regional peers.

Tan Sri Zamzamzairani added, “It was with his steady hand that the Group successfully navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that the organisation consistently acted in the best interests of all stakeholders. Key priorities under his stewardship have been the judicious management of capital and liquidity and cost discipline, which were enablers in the Group being able to maintain its shareholder rewards during the pandemic, ensuring continuity of cash flow income for many who were dependent on it due to disruption of livelihoods.”

He also said that Dato’ Sri Farid continued to strengthen the Group’s regional franchise and income sources despite the overall slower growth environment experienced globally over the past few years, with the Group’s net operating income and pre-provisioning operating profit increasing by 37.3% to RM25.45 billion and 45% to RM13.93 billion respectively as at FY2021.

Total assets grew 58.5% to RM888.17 billion in the same duration while total dividends paid to shareholders for the past nine financial years was over RM52 billion.

“It is also under his leadership that Maybank, for the first time, surpassed a market capitalisation of over RM100 billion in 2017, making it the only listed company on Bursa Malaysia to achieve this feat,” he said.
“On behalf of the Board and all Maybankers, I would like to express our deepest appreciation to Dato’
Sri Farid and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

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