RHB ISLAMIC opens Marketing Centre to tap on potential for growth in trade finance

Kuala Lumpur, 28 November 2006: RHB ISLAMIC Bank Bhd (‘RHB ISLAMIC”) sees vast potential for growth in trade finance particularly for the wholesale and retail sectors in Malaysia.

To tap into this opportunity for expansion, the bank is taking the bold step of setting up a Marketing Centre in the heart of one of the busiest business districts in Kuala Lumpur – Jalan Masjid India.

“The Marketing Centre in Jalan Masjid India is an ideal place from which we can offer trade financing to the many wholesale and retail businesses in the area,” Chief Executive Officer of RHB ISLAMIC, Mr Khalid Mahmood Bhaimia, said.

Minister of Federal Territories Dato’ Zulhasnan Rafique officially declared open the Marketing Centre, the Islamic bank’s third such outlet in Malaysia, today. He was accompanied by Dato’ Othman Jusoh, a director of RHB ISLAMIC, as well as senior government officials and senior management personnel of the bank.

The centre, located on the ground floor of a shoplot on Jalan Bunus, will offer the entire range of Islamic financing solutions to the many wholesale and retail traders in and around Jalan Masjid India.

The Marketing Centre is also part of RHB ISLAMIC’s effort to provide additional support to its existing clients in the Klang Valley as it will also serve as a centre for financing origination for Jalan Masjid India and its surrounding areas.

Mr Bhaimia said the decision by RHB ISLAMIC to set up a Marketing Centre in Jalan Masjid India also underlined its commitment to better serve its current client base as well as potential customers within the Klang Valley.

He said Jalan Masjid India had been picked over other similarly robust business and shopping districts in the Klang Valley because of the vast potential it offered as one of the busiest business centres here.

Mr Bhaimia said RHB ISLAMIC looked forward to the opportunity to start serving not just its existing customers, but new customers as well, from its new Marketing Centre in Jalan Masjid India.

“We bring to you personalised Islamic banking products and services to meet your individual requirements. For businesses, our products and services can be tailored to meet specific needs of each and every type of business,” he added.

Mr Bhaimia said the opening of the new Marketing Centre in Jalan Masjid India would also position RHB ISLAMIC as a financial institution that was always prepared to meet all its clients’ demands.

The Head of Kuala Lumpur Marketing Centre at RHB ISLAMIC, Encik Mahmond Saidek, will oversee operations in Jalan Masjid India and he will be assisted by a team of marketing executives.

RHB ISLAMIC first opened its doors to customers on 16 March 2005, making it the first full-fledge Islamic bank to mature from an Islamic banking window operation. Customers can gain access to its many products and services at any one of the more than 180 RHB Bank Bhd branches across the country, as well as over 500 ATMs and on its website www.rhbislamicbank.com.my.

RHB ISLAMIC is part of the RHB Banking Group, one of the largest financial services groups in Malaysia.