Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank), a subsidiary of Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB) Group, has appointed Zulkiflee Hashim as its new Chairman, effective 6 March 2026.
In a statement, SME Bank said the appointment is aimed at providing strategic leadership and guidance as the bank continues to focus on supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and fostering sustainable economic growth.
Hashim has been with SME Bank since March 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director, where he contributed to the bank’s governance and strategic oversight.
He brings over 35 years of banking experience, having held senior roles at Citibank Malaysia, Deutsche Bank Malaysia, and Hong Leong Bank Berhad. At Hong Leong Bank, he served as Executive Director from 1998 to 2011 and later as COO of Group Strategic Support until his retirement in 2015.
Currently, Hashim is an Independent Non-Executive Director at Hong Leong MSIG Takaful Berhad and Al Rajhi Banking & Investment Corporation (Malaysia) Bhd. He has also previously served on the boards of GuocoLand (Malaysia) Berhad and Hong Leong Bank Berhad.
