KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 19): CIMB Investment Bank (CIMB IB) has emerged as the top winner in investment banking at an awards competition at the Southeast Asian level, for its strong and innovative capabilities in the capital markets, equities and trade finance.

CIMB IB, one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks offering comprehensive research coverage of more than 700 stocks in the region, swept 12 awards for being the best in 2017 at the Alpha Southeast Asia Best Deals & Solutions Awards.

They included the Best Bond House, Best IPO Deal, Best Sukuk Deal, Most Innovative Sukuk Deal, Best Sustainable Finance Deal, Most Innovative Islamic Finance Deal, Best Wakalah Deal, Best Islamic Finance Deal, Most Innovative Wakalah Deal, Best Ijarah Deal, Best Loan Deal and Best Islamic REIT Deal.

In a statement, CIMB Group chief executive officer Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz said the awards are a testament to CIMB IB’s strong in-house capabilities, deep Asean expertise and continued commitment to deliver the best bond and sukuk solutions for its clients, based on a good understanding of the clients need.

“We are honoured to receive these awards and [are] humbled by the vote of confidence by our clients across Asean.

“We owe this recognition to our customers' trust and continuous support, as well as our staff's consistent effort in making CIMB Group a leading Asean universal bank,” Zafrul Aziz said.

Since its inception in 2007, Alpha Southeast Asia monthly market research and insights is subscribed by investors based in Asia Pacific, Europe and the US.

CIMB Group — which offers consumer banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, asset management and insurance products and services — has about 850 retail branch network across Asean, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos.

The group also has market presence in China, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, South Korea, the US and the UK.

At 4pm, CIMB Group’s share price was up eight sen or 1.14% to RM7.09, giving it a market capitalisation of RM65.5 billion.