KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 20): Malaysian homegrown professional services specialist the ZICO Group, which has built up a network of offices in the ASEAN region, has received the licence to offer capital market advisory services.

In a statement today, ZICO Group said its subsidiary ZICO Capital Sdn Bhd (ZICap Malaysia) has received a Capital Markets Services Licence (CMS) from Securities Commission Malaysia.

ZICap Malaysia is a subsidiary of Singapore Stock Exchange-listed ZICO Holdings Inc.

With the CMS, ZICap Malaysia will be able to offer services in regulated capital market activities such as advisory for initial public offerings, secondary fund-raising and take-overs and mergers, as well as restructuring of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia.

It is headed by Chief Executive Officer Aun Siew Kuan and director Saifuddin Abu Bakar, who collectively have a combined experience of over 45 years in audit, corporate finance and investment banking.

Aun said the company’s strength extends to structuring and raising funding in the form of Bonds and Sukuk (Islamic bonds), as well as advising on project financing.

“We focus on private and public-listed companies, ranging from SMEs to large enterprises,” Aun added.

Meanwhile, ZICO Group managing director Chew Seng Kok said ZICap Malaysia would seek to offer differentiated value to the Malaysian market by leveraging on ZICO’s network within ASEAN.

“This is a regional market of over 600 million people, which is experiencing strong growth in the services sector, including cross-border business transactions.”

“The licence underscores the commitment of the ZICO Group to Malaysia’s services sector at a time when more and more local companies are starting to regionalise and seek capital market options to fund their expansion.

“The timing is especially significant, as this licence is being awarded during the 30th anniversary of the ZICO Group, even as ASEAN marks its 50th year of existence,” he said.

Having begun as Zaid Ibrahim & Co (ZI) in 1987, it was the first Malaysian law firm to expand out of the country to begin its regional expansion. It has 17 offices in all 10 ASEAN-member countries.