Top Malaysian banker set for Channels Dubai forum

Nazir Razak is CEO and Managing Director of Commercial International Merchant Bank (CIMB), Malaysia, the country's premier investment bank. In 2003, it was rated Best Domestic Investment Bank by Finance Asia and The Asset magazines. Razak was named 2003 Businessperson of the Year by the influential Asian Academy of Management.

He is coming to Dubai to address Channels, the four-day global banking strategy summit, from April 25-28. More than 60 experts in the global financial sector are taking part as speakers or panelists.

Razak's address is one of the most eagerly-anticipated of the forum, according to organizers. Razak says his presentation will take the audience through CIMB's hugely successful history and focus on the evolution of CIMB's business model, business growth, growth strategies and financial performance.

CIMB operates in an environment where agility and flexibility is needed, he says. Hence, we are always on a continuous improvement paradigm and our business model has evolved from a merchant banking model to that of a fully-fledged investment bank.

As the business model has evolved over time, the composition of CIMB's earnings has also transformed from primarily advisory to 50 per cent of its earnings generated from the debt side of the business today.

CIMB's strategies are aligned to the market, identifying the challenges it faces within its operating landscape, present regulatory environment as well as market conditions. In CIMB's planning process, the management team has to be forward-looking, anticipating trends.

Concerning financial performance, Razak says a five-year revenue breakdown into CIMB's core earnings, namely fees from advisory, equity and fixed income reflects sustainable growth of the firm.

Going forwards, we should expect income from growing new business lines and sustaining or improving present market shares in the respective segments of the Malaysian capital markets.

Under Razak's management, CIMB was listed in early 2003 and has emerged as Malaysia's only listed investment bank with dominant market shares in all segments of the Malaysian capital markets.

Channels Conference Director Cordelia Henry says Razak's address is certain to be a highlight of the leading event of its type in Dubai this year.

Channels is organized by IIR. Venue is the Crowne Plaza on Sheikh Zayed Rd.