Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB), which has set its sights on expanding into the Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong markets, expects to see 50 per cent revenue contribution coming from overseas in the next five years.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Tengku Datuk Zafrul Tengku Aziz, said the bank planned to start operations in Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong by June next year to support its clients in going regional.

For Indonesia, it may acquire a stockbroking firm, while applying a license to operate in Singapore, Zafrul said.

'After successfully penetrating these markets, we will expand to other countries where Maybank is currently operating,' he said during a media briefing on an agreement with Standard and Poor's to offer SandP Global Research Reports to its clients.

The collaboration would enable Maybank IB clients to receive SandP's research reports as part of the group's value added services. Covering more than 180 top listed corporations globally, the research would help local investors when expanding their portfolio abroad.

'Presently, such investors have limited access to reliable and internationally branded equities research reports for investment in overseas equities.

'For the first time now, our investors will have access to comprehensive quality information of top value overseas equities,' he added.

Zafrul said for the financial year ended June 2010, the value of overseas equities traded via Maybank IB, grew by 50 per cent compared with the previous year.

'With the recent realignment of the group's operations that encourages greater cross-border co-operation within Maybank, we are targeting to increase overseas equities value by another 30 per cent for this financial year.'

Maybank IB is also increasing the range of value added services that leverages on online technology to its regional retail clients.

It currently offers dealer-assisted access to foreign equities and is expanding its equity services by offering online access to six new markets beginning the later part of this month. - Bernama