HLB Private Bank & HLB Priority’s Transformation Leads To Six Wealth Management Industry Awards
HLB Private Bank & HLB Priority’s Transformation Leads To Six Wealth Management Industry Awards
Jeffrey Yap, HLB’s Managing Director & Regional Head of Wealth Management [center left], Kenneth Tan, Head of HLB Private Bank Singapore [center right] and Tay Choon Wei, HLB’s Head of Wealth Distribution [2nd from right] receiving the awards at the WealthBriefingAsia awards ceremony.
KUALA LUMPUR, 28 JULY 2026 – Hong Leong Bank (“HLB” or the “Bank”) has rapidly established itself in the regional wealth space, with HLB Private Bank and HLB Priority winning six industry awards for its excellence in wealth management and innovative value propositions. This comes as the Bank recently implemented its 3-5 year transformation plan, where it has placed deep emphasis on accelerating innovation and personalisation within its wealth management segment.
HLB Private Bank was named the Best Private Bank / Wealth Manager in Malaysia and Singapore at the WealthBriefingAsia Awards, while HLB Priority was also named Best Bank / Wealth Manager for Emerging Affluent Clients at the Global Mass Affluent Banking Awards.
In addition to the top titles, HLB Private Bank received the Rising Star Private Bank Award for Malaysia and the Best Private Bank for Wealth Creation & Preservation prize at the Global Private Banking Innovation Awards, while HLB Priority was recognised for Best Value Proposition for Emerging Affluent Clients at the Global Mass Affluent Banking Awards.
Since embarking on its bankwide transformation plan, HLB has systematically elevated and enhanced its wealth management segment as a core pillar of its growth strategy. These recognitions come as a major milestone for the Bank, reflecting that its commitment to its wealth business is being received well in the market despite being a relatively new player in the region’s bespoke wealth landscape.
According to Kevin Lam, HLB’s Group Managing Director and CEO, “We are in the business of growing wealth, and elevating our wealth management capabilities is a core priority of our ongoing bankwide transformation plan. While this naturally helps us diversify our revenue through non-interest income, its true value lies in how we show up for our clients as they succeed and grow their wealth. Traditionally, the banking industry has kept wealth services, business banking and personal wealth in completely separate silos. We want to change that by providing a continuous pathway that supports clients throughout their wealth building journey.”
This philosophy was brought to life at the Bank’s landmark Private Markets Summit 2026, the first event of its kind in Malaysia. Demonstrating its commitment to bridging the gap between institutional-grade assets and private wealth, the Bank announced the upcoming launch of two exclusive investment vehicles: the Global Private Equity Fund-of-Funds II and the Private Markets Evergreen Income Fund (Resilient Income Generation). Historically restricted to institutional players, these products are designed to help eligible customers capture illiquidity premiums and operational returns through direct ownership and bespoke financing across the private landscape.
Jeffrey Yap, HLB’s Managing Director and Regional Head of Wealth Management, explained, "The macro reality of the modern wealth landscape requires us to reimagine the infrastructure of wealth management. We are operating in an era where clients must navigate compressed market volatility alongside geopolitical tensions and the highly complex, emotional dynamics of transferring legacy to the next generation. The ultimate differentiator for us now lies in our ability to provide clients access to the best the global landscape has to offer, whether that means global market insights, sophisticated regional investment options, or market-leading advisory services. Coupled with our tailored asset allocation strategies designed for distinct client lifecycles, we ensure that this specialised access translates into robust portfolio performance and a truly customer-centric experience.”
HLB Private Bank and HLB Priority have recently introduced specific customer value propositions and exclusive offerings for its clients. For high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, HLB Private Bank has fused deep local agility with global-standard pedigree through its collaboration with Lombard Odier, offering institutional-grade portfolio advisory and multi-generational legacy transfer services. The Bank has also equipped its Relationship Managers with AI copilots, allowing them to devote their full attention to delivering hyper-personalised client strategy while utilising AI to synthesize real-time market data. HLB Priority also regularly organises client engagement events such as its annual Wealth Symposium, where clients can get access to the latest market analyses and insights into the Bank’s investment house view.