Latest news with #HarmanderMahal
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Country's interest in transition investing growing
Standard Chartered Malaysia head of wealth and retail banking Harmander Mahal. PETALING JAYA: Investors in Malaysia rank second highest when it comes to interest in transition investing, according to Standard Chartered Bank. In a survey, it said 91% of investors in Malaysia indicated very strong interest in transition investing, versus 88% recorded for sustainable investing, Standard Chartered said in its latest Sustainable Banking Report. The report was based on a survey of 1,600 high-net-worth individuals across eight markets. Across the markets, the survey results revealed that 83% are interested in sustainable investing, while 87% are keen on transition investing. 'As Malaysia pushes ahead on the path to net-zero by 2050, sustainable finance has emerged as a catalyst for the shift to decarbonisation. Our affluent clients have also shown increasing enthusiasm in the concept of transition investing with climate transition funds growing in prominence,' said Standard Chartered Malaysia head of wealth and retail banking, Harmander Mahal. He added that this presents an opportunity to convert that interest into action by equipping investors with the knowledge to integrate transition investing into their portfolio, as the economy moves towards the decarbonisation agenda in the long term. Transition investing involves funding companies in high-emitting sectors, helping them to reduce their emissions and align their business with a net-zero trajectory. This also reflects the growing prominence of climate transition funds, with assets under management growing steadily over the years, said the report. While investor appetite is strong, the findings show a gap in understanding, with only 15% of investors able to fully define the concept of transition investing. The report said despite the interest, investors also face several barriers when it comes to transition investing, with perception of higher risks (50%) – a top consideration among investors. The others are lack of benchmarking to compare investment products (46%) and the perception that such investments could bring about low returns (44%). The results for Malaysia painted a slightly different picture, with low returns (59%) and lack of benchmarks (56%) being the top two points of concerns.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
StanChart: 87pct of wealthy investors eye transition investing
KUALA LUMPUR: Standard Chartered's new research shows rising momentum for transition investing, with 87 per cent of high-net-worth investors surveyed showing strong interest in the growing asset class. In a statement today, the bank also highlighted continued enthusiasm for sustainable investing, with 83 per cent of respondents keen on opportunities in that space. In Malaysia, it said 91 per cent of investors surveyed indicated very strong interest in transition investing, slightly higher than the 88 per cent recorded for sustainable investing. Both showed the second highest interest among the markets surveyed. These findings were revealed in the Bank's latest Sustainable Banking Report, which this year looks at transition investing and its potential to become the next wealth frontier. The report, titled "Transition investing: the next wealth frontier?", is based on a survey of 1,600 high-net-worth individuals across eight markets – Hong Kong, India, Mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates. The report revealed investor interest in a range of transition themes with the potential to support the shift towards a low-carbon economy, with green hydrogen (49 per cent), low-emission fuels (47 per cent), and carbon capture and storage (45 per cent) emerging as the top three themes of interest. Investors in Malaysia indicated similar themes of interest, led by green hydrogen (51 per cent), followed by electric vehicles (44 per cent) and low-emission fuels (43 per cent). Despite growing interest, the report highlighted that investors face several barriers when it comes to transition investing. The perception of higher risks (50 per cent) was a key consideration among investors, with the report also highlighting concerns around the lack of benchmarking to compare investment products (46 per cent) and the view that such investments could yield low returns (44 per cent). In Malaysia, however, the results painted a slightly different picture, with low returns (59 per cent) and lack of benchmarks (56 per cent) emerging as the top two concerns. While investor appetite is strong, the findings indicated a gap in understanding, with only 15 per cent of investors able to fully define the concept of transition investing. To address this challenge and support clients, Standard Chartered has launched a Transition Investing Guide to provide clear and practical investor guidance for evaluating transition-related funds. Standard Chartered Malaysia head of wealth and retail banking Harmander Mahal said as Malaysia pushes ahead on the path to net zero by 2050, sustainable finance has emerged as a catalyst for the shift to decarbonisation. "Our affluent clients have also shown increasing enthusiasm in the concept of transition investing with climate transition funds growing in prominence. "For us, this presents an opportunity to convert that interest into action by equipping investors with the knowledge to integrate transition investing into their portfolio as the economy move towards the decarbonisation agenda in the long term," he added.
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
AFFLUENT SEGMENT FUELS STANDARD CHARTERED'S GROWTH
KUALA LUMPUR: In an era of shifting markets and rising complexity in wealth planning, Malaysia's affluent and emerging affluent are turning to partners with global insights and wealth expertise to future-proof their financial ambitions. Standard Chartered is doubling down on its affluent business and is strengthening its wealth proposition to help clients grow and protect their wealth. For the bank's Wealth and Retail Banking (WRB) business, the focus is on growing its three main segments – affluent, emerging affluent and small and medium enterprises (SME). Doubling down on affluent According to Harmander Mahal, Standard Chartered's head of WRB for Malaysia, the bank's business is fairly robust in all three segments. 'Within WRB Malaysia, our affluent business contributes the most, making up almost 45% of our total income. This is followed by the SME and emerging affluent segments. 'We aim to continue building on our strengths in affluent as we expect our overall WRB top line to nearly double in the next five to six years. We target to have almost 60% of that income come from affluent,' he told StarBiz recently. In Malaysia, Standard Chartered categorises its affluent clients under Priority Banking. These are clients who have an Asset Under Management (AUM) of above RM350,000. 'For us, SMEs range from businesses with a turnover of a couple of million ringgit up to RM400 million, maybe even more, depending on their profile. Within this segment, we provide support with their potential growth overseas, working capital and other banking needs.' Harmander: Malaysia continues to distinguish itself as a compelling destination for business and investment, underpinned by its stable fundamentals and conducive business environment.—GLENN GUAN/The Star Within the mass retail space, the bank is focused on supporting its emerging affluent clients progress in their wealth journey, essentially forming a pipeline of future affluent clients. This client segment typically consist of young professionals. 'We offer products and solutions designed to cater to clients across segments along our client continuum, growing with clients as they grow their wealth through different life stages. 'How this could look like, is that the client could start banking with us as a young professional with a very modest income, but through our support, they are able to progress through each of their life stage, as they get married, buy a house and more,' he explained. Positioned for greater growth Having worked extensively in the bank's WRB business in all 11 Asean and South Asia (ASA) markets, Harmander believes Malaysia is well-positioned to capitalise on shifting global investment flows, supported by its robust infrastructure, strategic location, and pro-business policies that continue to attract sustained foreign direct investments. 'I think Malaysia is at a crucial point and it's going to do really well as it progresses. While short-term fluctuations are inevitable, the broader trajectory remains highly encouraging. Malaysia continues to distinguish itself as a compelling destination for business and investment, underpinned by its stable fundamentals and conducive business environment,' Harmander said. He added the government has been very agile to capitalise on the opportunities arising from the global trade tensions and measures, such as the Johor Special Economic Zone, which is making good progress. 'All the policies and measures taken are going to present a plethora of opportunities for Malaysians and investors.' According to a Knight Frank report in 2024, the population of ultra-high net worth clients in Malaysia is expected to grow by 30-35% in the next five to six years. 'As wealth creation accelerates, we believe that it needs to be well managed, and we are in a strong position to help with that. 'Our long-standing presence in Malaysia for 150 years is a testament to our enduring commitment, trusted relationships, and deep understanding of the local market,' said Harmander. He said Malaysia is a key market for the bank, therefore the investment, in terms of products and platforms, has been quite significant. 'We run some of our best platforms in Malaysia,' Harmander told StarBiz. A leading international wealth manager Standard Chartered's advantage lies in both the trust that is built with clients across their wealth journey and its expertise in wealth solutions. This combination enables the bank to curate and offer innovative product propositions tailored to clients' unique needs. 'The advice provided by our advisory team has a high degree of governance and an international flavour to it. 'We don't take those things lightly. The other advantage we have, which is quite significant and unique vis-a-vis other banks, is that we have a distinctive international network. Our wealth operations and expertise extend across 25 markets with four wealth hubs in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and Jersey.' The four key wealth hubs are strategically located to capitalise on cross-border wealth flows and offer international wealth management solutions for affluent clients. 'This presence in the multiple markets gives us a great advantage as we see Malaysia becoming an attractive business and investment destination for expats,' said Harmander. Against the backdrop of international diaspora, coupled with Malaysia's investment story and its Malaysia My Second Home programme, he noted that Standard Chartered remains attuned to the diverse needs of global entrepreneurs, professionals and their families as they expand into Malaysia. 'As these clients grow their wealth across borders, our affluent continuum and vast international network work in tandem to guide them in navigating the path forward in an ever-changing world,' he said.
The Sun
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
StanChart expects US dollar to weaken in H2
KUALA LUMPUR: The US dollar is expected to weaken in the next six to 12 months, and Standard Chartered Wealth Solutions Chief Investment Office (CIO) outlines a constructive, albeit volatile second half of 2025 in its recently published Global Market Outlook report. The bank views the weakening greenback outlook as a key market driver alongside an anticipated policy easing and supportive global conditions. Against this backdrop, the bank has identified three key themes for investors to consider during the second half of the year, namely an overweight position in global equities, with a tilt towards Asia ex-Japan. The bank also highlighted a preference for US dollar bonds with maturities of 5 to 7 years, as well as emerging market (EM) local currency bonds, citing the recent weakness of the US dollar as a key factor driving this strategy. Gold and alternative investment strategies are seen as attractive options for enhancing portfolio diversification. Taking into consideration the end of US' 90-day tariff pause in July, as well as global geopolitical conflicts, the bank also identified several risks that merit close attention and will most likely result in temporary volatility. Standard Chartered noted that key risks to the global economic outlook include a sustained rise in trade tariffs, a sharp increase in oil prices driven by geopolitical events, and a sudden decline in US economic data that could point toward a potential recession. Standard Chartered Malaysia head of wealth and retail banking Harmander Mahal said the second quarter marked a pivotal moment for investors. 'Despite ongoing global trade shifts and geopolitical tensions, global equities remained robust, rising approximately 8 -10% quarter-to-date. 'This reflects sustained investor confidence and a re-acceleration in risk appetite, particularly across Asia, where emerging markets benefited from stronger capital inflows and currency tailwinds. 'Malaysia continues to demonstrate resilience amid global uncertainty, with our 2025 growth forecast maintained at 4.2% and the ringgit emerging as the region's better-performing currencies against the US dollar – signalling strong investment sentiment,' he said. In addition to its leadership role as Asean Chair 2025, Harmander said Malaysia is well-positioned to unlock further growth opportunities based on the bank's outlook for the year, as structural reforms take shape and strategic initiatives, such as the Special Economic Zones gain momentum.
