CIMB awarded for investor education

CIMB-Principal Asset Management Berhad recently won the Most Innovative Award for Investor Education by Asia Asset Management. The "Best of The Best Regional Award” recognises the Company’s exceptional education initiatives in 2008 to create awareness amongst investors on unit trust investments.

Among the initiatives that enabled CIMB-Principal to win this award was the commissioning of an in-depth market audit of the Malaysian unit trust industry and the public perception of the industry. The survey had two key variables – the sales approach by the investment agent and the investor’s lack of understanding of the perspective and benefits of long-term investing. The survey resulted in a greater understanding of the investing behaviour of Malaysians nationwide, which benefited industry players in meeting the needs of their investors.

In its educational efforts, CIMB-Principal also used other channels. Five-series investment educational articles were published in the media fortnightly in two of the country’s leading newspapers and investment magazines in order to reach out to a wider group of investors. CIMB Wealth Advisors also proactively reached out to the public by having free quarterly retail investment workshops to further help Malaysians understand the benefits of long-term investing. There was tremendous response to these workshops.

J. Campbell Tupling, CEO of CIMB-Principal said, "It is a great honour to be recognised by Asia Asset Management in this category. We have always made it our duty to continuously educate our investors regardless of the economic condition, helping them to better understand investment concepts thus making the best decisions for their portfolios."

"Going forward, we will continue to educate the public and at the same time offer them a comprehensive series of products that range from domestic and international funds, Islamic and conventional funds, money market funds and bond funds. These factors have enabled us to stand out in the market and we have been duly recognised," Tupling concluded.