Muzaffar is Bank Pembangunan's new group CEO
PETALING JAYA: Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd (BPMB) has appointed Datuk Muzaffar Hisham as its new group chief executive officer (GCEO), effective May 18, 2025.
Formerly the GCEO of Maybank Islamic Bhd, Muzaffar brings with him over 20 years of regional banking experience, the development financial institution said in a statement.
'Muzaffar has a proven track record in driving business growth and regionalisation strategies across various sectors, including wholesale and retail banking, investment banking, treasury, asset management and client coverage,' BPMB said.
He takes charge shortly after BPMB completed its acquisition and merger with Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Bhd (SME Bank) and Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd (Exim Bank).
Effective May 1, both Exim Bank and SME Bank became subsidiaries of BPMB, creating a combined asset base of about RM50bil.
'It is an honour to join BPMB at this important juncture.
'I look forward to working closely with the board, management and stakeholders to build on the bank's strong foundation,' Muzaffar said.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
SME confidence persists despite softening outlook
SME Bank acting group president/chief executive officer Datuk Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim. KUALA LUMPUR: Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Bhd's (SME Bank) sentiment index for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the first half of 2025 signals continued confidence despite a moderating outlook. In a statement yesterday, SME Bank said its SME Sentiment Index registered a solid 55.2, reflecting continued optimism among entrepreneurs nationwide, even as they anticipate economic and financial challenges from US tariffs. 'This marks a slight moderation from 55.8 in the previous half. The index remains well above the neutral 50 level, indicating steady confidence despite a softening from the strong post-Covid rebound seen in earlier surveys,' it said. The SME Sentiment Index survey, conducted between January and April 2025, reached a record 2,007 respondents from 39 sectors across all business sizes. Acting group president and chief executive officer Datuk Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim noted more cautious optimism among entrepreneurs, citing softer expectations around sales, expansion and hiring. 'Although short-term sentiment has softened, Malaysia remains on a steady growth path supported by structural reforms, high-quality investments, and a focus on resilience and shared prosperity,' he said. Meanwhile, SME Bank chief economist Lynette Lee Li Qing said the index serves as a timely barometer of entrepreneurial sentiment, suggesting Malaysia's overall economy will continue to expand in 2025, albeit at a modest pace. 'The World Bank recently revised Malaysia's gross domestic product growth forecast down to 3.9%, alongside a cut in global growth due to heightened uncertainties arising from trade tension.' — Bernama


The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
MSMEs remain confident in first-half 2025 but outlook moderating: SME Bank survey
KUALA LUMPUR: Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Bhd's (SME Bank) sentiment index for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises for the first half of 2025 has signalled continued confidence despite a moderating outlook. In a statement today, SME Bank said its SME Sentiment Index registered a solid 55.2, reflecting continued optimism among entrepreneurs nationwide while anticipating economic and financial challenges arising from the United States' tariffs. 'This marks a slight moderation from 55.8 in the previous half. The index remains well above the neutral 50 level, indicating steady confidence despite a softening from the strong post-Covid rebound seen in earlier surveys,' it said. The SME Sentiment Index survey, conducted between January and April, hit a new record high of 2,007 respondents to include participants from 39 sectors across all business sizes. Acting group president and CEO Datuk Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim said entrepreneurs showed more cautious optimism, citing softer expectations around sales, expansion and hiring. 'Although short-term sentiment has softened, Malaysia remains on a steady growth path supported by structural reforms, high-quality investments and a focus on resilience and shared prosperity,' he said. Meanwhile, SME Bank chief economist Lynette Lee Li Qing said the SME Sentiment Index serves as a timely barometer of entrepreneurial sentiment. It suggests that Malaysia's overall economy will continue to expand in 2025, albeit at a modest pace. 'World Bank has recently revised Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast down to 3.9 per cent, alongside a cut in global growth due to heightened uncertainties arising from trade tension. 'Nonetheless, Malaysia's growth rate is still above some regional peers such as Thailand (3.1 per cent) and Singapore (3.9 per cent),' she said. – Bernama


Barnama
4 days ago
- Barnama
SME Sentiment Index Signals Continued Confidence Among Entrepreneurs Despite Moderating Outlook
KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 (Bernama) -- Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad ("SME Bank") has released the results of its SME Sentiment Index for the first half of 2025 ('1H 2025'), reflecting continued confidence among Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises ('MSMEs') despite anticipating economic and financial challenges arising from the United States' Tariff announcement. The latest index serves as a timely barometer of entrepreneurial sentiment, combining MSME perspectives with forward-looking indicators to provide valuable insights into the evolving business landscape and Malaysia's economic trajectory. 'SME Bank's SME Sentiment Index registered a solid 55.2 in the first half of 2025, reflecting continued optimism among entrepreneurs nationwide. While this marks a slight moderation from 55.8 in the previous half, the index remains well above the neutral level of 50, indicating steady confidence despite a softening from the strong post-COVID rebound observed in earlier surveys. Entrepreneurs are showing more cautious optimism, citing softer expectations around sales, expansion, and hiring. This sentiment echoes broader economic signs, reflecting recalibration in alignment with the MADANI Economic Framework, which prioritises sustainable, inclusive growth. While short-term sentiment has softened, Malaysia remains on a steady growth path, supported by structural reforms, high-quality investments, and a focus on resilience and shared prosperity,' said Datuk Dr. Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim, Acting Group President/Chief Executive Officer of SME Bank.