Hong Leong Bank
If any bank in Malaysia put pressure on its peers to play catch-up in 2021, it’s Hong Leong Bank, the nation’s oldest local financial institution.
HLB has come a long way from its humble beginnings in Kuching, Sarawak, in 1905.
These days, the Kuala Lumpur-based bank, which is run by CEO Domenic Fuda, is a regional powerhouse. It has a sizeable presence in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam, while its digital prowess gives it additional scale – and a well-deserved reputation for innovative services.
One reason HLB wins this year’s best bank award is because of its active use of apps and digital platforms, not just to serve its customers better, but to disrupt its own operations from within. Across retail and business banking, HLB’s priorities remain digitalizing the bank and continuing to raise the digital engagement of its customers and staff.
For example, HLB puts digital tools right at the heart of what it considers the four stages of the customer journey. Stage one is meeting customers where they spend most of their time – on digital devices, social media and e-commerce platforms.