BIMB Integrated Annual Report 2019

Continuously promoting the growth of the SME sector and improving its service delivery, Bank Islam has opened 12 SME banking hubs in Alor Setar, Butterworth, Ipoh, Shah Alam, Bangi, Sri Gombak, Ayer Keroh, Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu. Promoting Enterprising Entrepreneurs Bank Islam is committed towards supporting local entrepreneurs, and developing them to become important contributors to the nation’s economy and the betterment of the community. Bank Islam continued to provide development programmes for SME business owners, by collaborating with Universiti Utara Malaysia (“UUM”) and SME Corp to create a structured training course for SME entreprenuers. With eight modules throughout the course, which include sales & marketing, operation & governance, financial management, business plan preparation and governance, the programme was intended to develop aspiring participants and inspire them to take their enterprise to greater heights. RM300 million was allocated to improve access to financing and liquidity for vendors with secured contracts from Sarawak Energy. The programme was implemented in collaboration with Sarawak Energy and Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan Berhad (“SJPP”). The programme is a reflection of Bank Islam’s commitment towards sustainable business practices, which include providing financing solutions to small-contract vendors for their economic betterment. SME Entrepreneur Development Programme 2.0 Sarawak Energy’s Vendor Financing Programme Responsible Investing BIMB Investment Management Berhad (“BIMB Invest”), a wholly- owned subsidiary of Bank Islam, continues to be at the forefront of Socially Responsible Investments (“SRI”) with the widest range of Shariah-ESG investment solutions in Malaysia. By collaborating with Arabesque Asset Management firm and pioneering the implementation of the firm’s S-Ray and Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) technology into its range of investment solutions, BIMB Invest is ensuring that any investment is made in accordance to the rules and principles of Shariah, as well as the Company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) mandate. The utilisation of Big Data and AI technology is also significant in promoting sustainable investment practices, as society is evolving towards a more efficient, cleaner and healthier marketplace. In an effort to further encourage the uptake of responsible investment solutions, BIMB Invest has brought to the market BIMB-ARASBESQUE i Global Dividen Fund 1 (“BiGDF1”) fund for retail investors during the year under review. BiGDF1, Malaysia’s first AI fund, was previously introduced in 2015 to cater to sophisticated investors with an initial investment of RM30,000. In comparison, the retail version of BiGDF1 requires an initial investment of only RM500, making it more attractive to a wider set of audience. Integrated Annual Report 2019 Group Overview Sustaining The Group Management Discussion & Analysis Group Governance 78 Our PILLARS