31 July 2024

Alliance Bank Continues Strong Momentum on Acceler8 Strategy

Press Release

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Kuala Lumpur, 31 July 2024 - Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad (“Alliance Bank” or the “Bank”) today held its 42nd Annual General Meeting and shareholders were briefed on the Bank’s performance and progress in executing its Acceler8 transformation strategy, a four-year roadmap designed to drive sustainable growth and enhance value creation for all stakeholders.

The key highlights of the Bank’s financial results for the year, underpinned by its Acceler8 strategy, include the Bank’s record revenue of RM2.02 billion. The Bank demonstrated strong profitability with a Net Interest Margin of 2.48%, a Return on Equity of 10.2%, and an Earnings Per Share of 44.6 sen. As at 31 March 2024, the Bank remains well-capitalised with a Common Equity Tier-1 ratio of 12.5% and a Tier-1 Capital ratio of 13.2%. The Bank declared a total dividend for the year amounting to RM345.2 million, representing a 50% dividend payout ratio.

“Our robust performance across key financial and non-financial metrics underscores the positive direction and momentum of our Acceler8 transformation strategy. In our endeavour of becoming ‘The Bank For Life’ for our customers, we strive to continuously innovate and enhance our offerings to deliver timely, convenient and personalised solutions tailored to their needs throughout their entire lifetime. Beyond just a bank, we are committed to being a true partner, supporting our customers at every stage of their growth journey,” said Mr. Kellee Kam, Group Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Bank.

Launched in January 2023, the Acceler8 strategy has been instrumental in driving the Bank's growth and transformation. Going into FY2025, Acceler8 will continue to drive Alliance Bank’s vision towards becoming The Preferred Banking Partner, guiding the Bank towards its ambitious FY2027 financial and non-financial targets.

In line with the Bank’s aim of becoming a bank for the community, the Bank will continue to foster meaningful relationships with the communities it serves by expanding its branch network and upgrading its IT infrastructure to deliver more personalised experiences. In FY2024, the Bank’s efforts in broadening its consumer business, particularly targeting the High Earners Not Rich Yet (“HENRYs”) and the emerging affluent segments, led to 40% of new customers being acquired through digital channels. The Bank has approved 56,000 new cards for its first-of-its-kind digital solution, the Visa Virtual Credit Card with the Dynamic Card Number feature since its introduction in April 2023.

The Bank has also made substantial strides in expanding its market presence in economic growth corridors such as Penang and Sarawak, driving an impressive 48% YOY surge in deposits and an 18% growth in loans in FY2024. As the Bank continues to strengthen its core business segments to reinforce its market position in FY2025, Johor will become a key focus alongside strengthening presence in Sabah.

Alliance Bank also aims to sustain its double-digit growth in the SME segment. To deliver on this target, the Bank will prioritise accelerating its SME growth initiatives, increasing customer acquisition through multiple channels, and boosting sales effectiveness and efficiency. The Bank will also focus on high-growth sectors such as education, healthcare, green solutions, digital economy and high technology. In addition, the Bank will further improve its digital infrastructure to maximise revenue and enhance cost-efficiency, as well as productivity to better serve the dynamic needs of business owners as they grow.

The Bank’s Islamic banking business achieved an 11% YOY growth in FY2024 by advancing its key propositions including the flagship Halal in One programme, new bancatakaful propositions and Malaysia’s first Islamic social funding programme, Alliance Islamic Bank Zakat Microfinancing known as AZAM. Moving forward, the Bank has sets its sights on exploring new opportunities to enhance customer service and onboard more partners to further strengthen its Islamic banking offerings.

In FY2024, Alliance Bank have also made significant efforts to help businesses transition to more sustainable practices by developing new tools and solutions, including the roll out of a Climate Assessment Tool called PROGRESS to more than 440 companies in partnership with UN Global Compact Malaysia & Brunei. In addition to this, the Bank has established a strong ESG ecosystem through alliances with government bodies, top academic institutions, and green solution providers to support its customers’ sustainability journey, solidifying its position as a key ESG leader in Malaysia.

The Bank’s sustainable banking portfolio has grown to RM12.6 billion since FY2022, moving closer to its RM15 billion goal by FY2027, while its Sustainability Impact Programme has provided RM420 million in sustainable financing to SMEs and companies across the country in FY2024.

For more information on Alliance Bank, its products and services, please visit www.alliancebank.com.my.
 
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