
OCBC Malaysia launches Serial Entrepreneur programme
KUALA LUMPUR: OCBC Malaysia has launched its first-of-its-kind Serial Entrepreneur programme, offering support for individuals running multiple businesses, following a year-long pilot phase.
In a statement, OCBC Malaysia managing director and head of wholesale banking Jeffrey Teoh said the programme has immense potential, given the sizable base of serial entrepreneurs.
Teoh said the bank's research revealed a gap in the market, where no Serial Entrepreneur programme combined with a structured engagement approach was available.
He added that traditional banking models often treat each venture as a separate entity, leading to fragmented support and financial solutions that fail to consider the bigger picture.
'So, we decided to develop the Serial Entrepreneur programme to help entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of managing multiple businesses with ease, flexibility and speed.'
'About 1 in 3 entrepreneurs who were offered our principal loans during the pilot phase signed up for the programme. This involved about 300 companies taking up more than RM850mil worth of loans, which tells us that the market is certainly ready for what we are offering,' Teoh said.
The OCBC Serial Entrepreneur programme builds on the success of a 2019 initiative by OCBC Group in Singapore and redefines how banks engage with business leaders. Leveraging data analytics and customer feedback, the bank gained key insights into the behaviour, funding needs, and growth paths of entrepreneurs managing multiple ventures.
The bank supports serial entrepreneurs with dedicated group relationship managers who help plan their finances based on the full business portfolio, not just individual companies. This approach lets the bank see the entrepreneur's ventures as one strong unit and make better use of their existing business strengths.
The programme is also centred on assisting the serial entrepreneur from the get-go, without imposing the usual condition for a new venture to operate for up to two years before being eligible for financing.
Besides providing capital financing, the OCBC Serial Entrepreneur programme equips entrepreneurs with the tools and support they need for their next business venture and to help them grow confidently.
OCBC Malaysia comprises OCBC Bank (M) Bhd and its Islamic banking subsidiary OCBC Al-Amin Bank Bhd.
For more information on the OCBC Serial Entrepreneur programme, please visit www.ocbc.com.my/serial
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
MAIPs drought recovery project in Kenya wins IFRC recognition
KANGAR: The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) has officially commended the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) for its 'MAIPs Ndengu Revolution' project in Kitui, Kenya. The initiative, focused on post-drought recovery, was lauded for its long-term impact on vulnerable communities. IFRC Regional Director for Africa, Charles Mbeeta Businge, presented the recognition during a roundtable discussion with the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, in Nairobi last week. The event coincided with MAIPs' 'Safar Ilmi 2025' programme. 'Through the Ndengu Revolution project, MAIPs has developed a medium- and long-term recovery approach for communities affected by drought in Kenya,' stated MAIPs. The project supplies ndengu (green gram) seeds, agricultural resources, and livelihood training, ensuring recipients achieve self-reliance beyond immediate relief. The initiative has been featured in global reports, including IFRC publications highlighting zakat's role in international humanitarian efforts. Charles Businge noted that MAIPs demonstrated how zakat can drive disaster recovery and poverty alleviation. 'The project is an exemplary model of Islamic philanthropy integrated into the global humanitarian agenda,' he said. Launched in 2018, the project underscores Malaysia's growing influence in cross-border Islamic aid, merging faith-based giving with sustainable development. - Bernama

Barnama
a day ago
- Barnama
IFRC Lauds MAIPs For Transformative Community Initiative In Kenya
KANGAR, July 26 (Bernama) -- The 'MAIPs Ndengu Revolution' project, a community recovery initiative by the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) in Kitui, Kenya, has received official recognition from the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC). In a statement today, MAIPs said the recognition was for its transformative contribution to the lives of vulnerable communities in the aftermath of drought. The statement said the recognition was conveyed by IFRC Regional Director for Africa, Charles Mbeeta Businge, during a roundtable discussion with the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, held in Nairobi last Thursday in conjunction with the 'Safar Ilmi MAIPs 2025' programme. "Through the Ndengu Revolution project, MAIPs has developed a medium- and long-term recovery approach for communities affected by drought in Kenya. "This includes providing ndengu pulse crop seeds, agricultural inputs, livelihood support, and community capacity building. The project does not only address short-term needs, but also builds resilience and self-reliance among the recipients," the statement read. The initiative by MAIPs has also been documented in several international reports and journals, including 'The Transformative Power of International Zakat: How zakat support from Malaysia helped communities in Kenya recover from drought' and 'Your duty for their dignity: the transformative power of international zakat financing', published by IFRC and cited in global Islamic philanthropy discourse. Meanwhile, in the same statement, Charles Businge said Malaysia, through MAIPs, had proven that zakat instruments could expand internationally and serve as a catalyst for recovery and community resilience in the context of disasters and prolonged poverty. He described the project, which began in 2018, as an exemplary model of how Islamic philanthropy can be integrated into the global humanitarian agenda with professionalism and integrity. -- BERNAMA


New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
IFRC recognises MAIPs for Kenya-based agricultural aid initiative
KUALA LUMPUR: The "Ndengu Revolution" project, spearheaded by the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs), has received formal recognition from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The recognition honours its transformative contribution to improving the lives of vulnerable communities in the post-drought region of Kitui, Kenya, through sustainable agricultural and community-based recovery programmes. The initiative, which began in 2018, represents a medium- to long-term recovery effort, involving the distribution of ndengu (mung bean) seeds, agricultural inputs, livelihood support and capacity-building for the local population. IFRC regional director for Africa, Charles Mbeeta Businge, said Malaysia's efforts through MAIPs demonstrate that zakat, as an Islamic instrument, can function effectively across borders, particularly in strengthening community resilience against disasters and prolonged poverty. "This project is an excellent example of how Islamic philanthropy can be integrated into the global humanitarian agenda with professionalism and integrity," he said. He made the remarks during a roundtable session with the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, held recently in Nairobi as part of the Safar Ilmi MAIPs 2025 programme. Accompanying His Royal Highness were Malaysia's High Commissioner to Kenya Ruzaimi Mohamad; Perlis muftiDatuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin; and MAIPs chief executive officer Mohd Nazim Mohd Noor. MAIPs' work has been highlighted in several international IFRC publications, including The Transformative Power of International Zakat and Your Duty for Their Dignity, both now widely referenced in the field of global Islamic philanthropy. IFRC's senior officer for innovative finance, Islamic philanthropy and the private sector, Ramya Gopalan, praised MAIPs for playing a pivotal role in expanding global understanding of zakat as a responsive development instrument. She said that MAIPs is also part of the IFRC Islamic Philanthropy Advisory Group, which provides strategic policy guidance and frameworks for implementing humanitarian aid rooted in Islamic principles. During the same session, the IFRC expressed appreciation for MAIPs' involvement in the 2018 Kenya Drought Project, which served as the foundation for the long-term Ndengu Revolution initiative.