The Bank secured four prestigious awards for its Wholesale and Retail Banking segments, including Best SME Bank in Malaysia

for the 5th consecutive year, Malaysia Domestic Technology & Operations Bank of the Year, Singapore International Foreign Exchange Bank of the Year, and the Initiative Award for SME Cross Border Finance Innovation in Singapore.

 

 

Pic 1: Woon Siew Hoong, HLB’s Head of SME Banking [left] receiving the Best SME Bank

in Malaysia award at the Asian Banking & Finance Awards.

Pic 2: Alina Grace Tan Kui Kwoon, HLB’s Head of Cash Management [right] receiving the award for

Malaysia Domestic Technology & Operations Bank of the Year. 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 AUGUST 2026 – Hong Leong Bank’s (“HLB” or “the Bank”) Business & Corporate Banking segment achieved a significant benchmark at the Asian Banking & Finance Awards, clinching four major accolades that solidify its standing as a regional industry leader. Highlighted by its fifth consecutive win as Best SME Bank in Malaysia and securing Malaysia Domestic Technology & Operations Bank of the Year, the awards validate HLB’s distinct entrepreneurial DNA and reinforce its position as a regional leader for business and SME banking. 

 

Adding to this regional momentum, HLB was also named the Singapore International Foreign Exchange Bank of the Year, and won the Initiative Award for SME Cross Border Finance Innovation in Singapore.

 

Rooted in a 120-year entrepreneurial heritage, the Bank’s approach to business banking stems from a lived understanding of tenacity, risk management, and commercial agility, positioning itself as an entrepreneurial bank, and not just a bank that builds entrepreneurs. This heritage continues to make HLB a trusted growth partner for local businesses, driving a robust 9.5% year-on-year (“y-o-y”) expansion in its SME loan and financing portfolio as of 31 March 2026, spearheaded by a standout 10.8% y-o-y growth in the community SME banking segment. 

 

Kevin Lam, HLB’s Group Managing Director and CEO commented, “At the core of our operational vision is a refusal to treat modern business banking as a binary choice between digital automation and human partnerships. We believe that true innovation and growth happens when you get the right mix of people and technology. By anchoring our 120-year entrepreneurial heritage in trusted, personal advisory relationships and augmenting them with hyper-personalized digital infrastructure and strategic AI integration, our relationship managers can focus on deepening relationships, delivering sharp advisory, and co-create bespoke solutions built entirely around the entrepreneur.” 

 

According to Yow Kuan Tuck, HLB’s Managing Director of Business & Corporate Banking, “Our philosophy is to serve as a genuine, value-adding partner to our corporate and SME clients. By supporting and empowering business owners to grow their enterprises through our dedicated suite of banking solutions, we aim to build lasting success stories that ultimately reinvest in and enrich our communities.”

 

This philosophy is reflected across the Bank’s end-to-end scalable business banking solutions, such as its specialized financing and collection frameworks for its SME clients. Supported by automated payment systems like direct debit and e-mandates, these initiatives stabilize business operations and streamline customer transactions with targeted loans and financing solutions. HLB also continues to accelerate digital adoption for its broader SME clientele through integrated digital payment solutions such as FPX, card acceptance, QR codes, and digital invoicing, simplifying cash collections for clients nationwide.

 

Extending across the Causeway, HLB also pairs robust domestic operational technology with sophisticated foreign exchange and cross-border innovation across regional markets, effectively providing a frictionless, single-bank network which ensures that business clients looking to scale from domestic roots to regional markets enjoy unparalleled financial continuity, liquidity management, and international trade support.

 

For more information on HLB’s business banking solutions, please visit: https://www.hlb.com.my/en/business-banking/home.html