Kuala Lumpur, November 2020 – BIMB Investment Management Berhad (BIMB Investment), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, was awarded ESG Asset Manager of the Year 2020 by The Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards 2020 for the second consecutive year., This award is in recognition of its significant contributions and achievements in environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), sustainability and asset management in Asia. BIMB Investment also won the Best ESG Equity Fund (BIMB-ARABESQUE i Global Dividend Fund 1) and the Best ESG Sukuk Fund (BIMB ESG Sukuk Fund).
Mohamed Ridza Mohamed Abdulla, BIMB Investment Chairman, said, “We are honoured to receive these three awards which were made possible with the continuous support and trust from our investors and business partners. Our journey in ESG and sustainable investing started in 2015, and we look forward to contributing more in developing a robust and dynamic ESG investing ecosystem in Malaysia and the region.”
The Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards are the industry’s most prestigious awards, in what has become one of the fastest-growing and most promising niches in global finance. The Asset picks the best Islamic financial institutions, as well as deals that best defines the industry in2020.
BIMB Investment manages more than RM1 billion of Shariah-ESG assets. It is the largest Shariah-ESG asset manager in Malaysia with the broadest range of Shariah-ESG funds for comprehensive Shariah-ESG Investing solutions to retail and institutional investors in Malaysia and Singapore. Investors would be able to build their investment portfolio by investing in varieties of ESG fund selections which include global Shariah-ESG equities, Asia Pacific Shariah-ESG equities, Malaysia Shariah-ESG equities and global ESG Sukuk.
BIMB Investment launched the Global ESG Sukuk Fund in 2018 and has raised more than RM210 million in fund size. Its Global Shariah-ESG equity fund is now one of the largest global equity funds in Malaysia, with a fund size of more than RM850 million.
BIMB Investment’s Chief Executive Officer Najmuddin Mohd Lutfi said, “We are humbled to receive these awards which reflect the continuous support and trust from our investors, business partners, the Board of Directors, regulators and the hardworking men and women at BIMB Investment. Since 2015, we have integrated our shariah investments with sustainability and ESG values and now offering the widest range of Shariah-ESG investment solutions globally and domestically across various asset classes. We leverage on technology by combining data, machine learning and AI to deliver transparent financial solutions for a changing world. We also integrate ESG criteria in our rules-based investment strategies to deliver performance. With more than five years of track record in offering ESG and sustainable investments, we are committed to making ESG and sustainable investing available for all and making Malaysia as the World’s Islamic Finance marketplace.”
He continues, “The COVID-19 pandemic has been extraordinary in countless ways. Beyond the deeply felt strains on health and humanity, it is an economic and social issue with generational consequences. We believe it could also be a defining moment for ESG issues and the greater role Shariah-compliant investing could play in these challenging times, not just in providing sustainable returns but making a positive impact for the planet.”
BIMB Investment launched Malaysia’s first Global Shariah ESG Equity fund in 2015, BIMB ARABESQUE i Global Dividend Fund 1 (BiGDF1). The fund integrates Shariah principles and ESG value with a systematic and rules-based quantitative investment approach that rebalance the fund’s portfolio daily between equity and cash for sustainable risk-adjusted investment returns. BiGDF1 is one of the largest global Shariah ESG equity funds in Malaysia, with a total fund size of more than RM850 million.
BIMB Investment also launched the World’s First ESG Sukuk Fund in 2018 and is now one of the largest Global ESG Sukuk funds in Malaysia with a total fund size of almost RM220 million. In addition, BIMB Investment offers Asia Pacific Shariah ESG Equity Fund and Malaysia Shariah ESG Equity Fund, offering a comprehensive Shariah ESG investment solutions to retail and institutional investors.
Earlier this year BIMB Investment also launched BEST Invest, an online investment mobile application, its first Robo-Intelligence Sustainable Shariah-ESG investing online platform.
The BEST Invest app provides convenience and efficiency for individuals, offering a systematic, transparent and structured construction and building of wealth for individuals through investing in robo-intelligence and big data technology platforms. BEST Invest provides a suite of BIMB Investment’s Shariah-ESG unit trust funds across asset classes that includes global equities, Asia Pacific equities, Malaysia equities, Sukuk and money market.
BIMB Investment is the only bank-backed Islamic Asset Manager in Southeast Asia to be the signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI).
