KB Financial aims to expand global CIB business

KB Financial Group leveraged its global presence, strategic partnerships, and soundness-oriented asset management to strengthen its corporate and investment banking (CIB) business. This has achieved growth in customer loans and investment assets in overseas markets.

The bank continues to expand its presence abroad. Its branches in Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, and London serve as outposts to support its CIB business expansion.

Its subsidiaries, KB Kookmin Bank and KB Securities, focused on project finance investments in Asian markets, and alternative investments and foreign exchange bonds in developed countries. The subsidiaries also collaborated to monitor emerging markets and identify investment opportunities.

KB Securities’ acquisition of Maritime Securities in Vietnam in October 2017 and the subsequent launch of KB Securities Vietnam (KBSV) in January 2018 helped the bank expand its research areas and explore alternative investments.

KB Kookmin Bank increased its global project footprint, sharpening its competitiveness in strategic business areas such as CIB, consumer finance and digital banking.

The reorganisation efforts have paid off—the CIB business has achieved average annual growth of 65.7% in overseas markets over the past two years. The bank’s Global 2 by 2 strategy advances growth in developed countries and emerging markets.

Sunbae Kang, head of the CIB business said that the division’s top three priorities for sustainable growth are investment, and global and new business. The division aims to achieve soundness-oriented asset management, align business activities with bank-wide management issues, and realise qualitative growth to drive the performance and growth of CIB operations.

He emphasised the group’s strategic goal to become the leading CIB player in the global market by reinforcing fundamental business competitiveness, strengthening its risk management system, fostering a customer-centric culture, and promoting innovation and sustainability.