Kiatnakin banking on financial solution strategy for commercial lending growth
Kiatnakin Bank, a member of the Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group, on Monday disclosed its plan for commercial lending this year, hailing its “Financial Solution Expert” strategy in support of business owners’ clientele, especially those involved in sectors in which the listed bank has expertise.
Newly issued loans within the commercial segment are expected to amount to Bt33.5 billion during the course of the year.
The tendency for commercial banks’ operations to expand in line with the Thai economy’s recovery, and for interest rates to remain low, is expected to support growth in commercial lending, said Sammit Sakulwira, Kiatnakin Bank’s head of commercial lending.
“For 2018, the economic direction and customer demand have prompted the bank to make adjustments to accommodate client needs and contribute to their business success. Four directives are being pursued.
“Namely: 1) Penetrate all segments of property businesses, while maintaining focus on the same clientele within the SME [small and medium-sized enterprise] business group. 2) Establish the bank as one that has expertise in the real-estate industry, due to its experienced staff.
“3) Expand the clientele toward high-net-worth customers of the Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group, by providing financial services to said customers, most of whom are businesspersons and business owners, and sustainably contributing to their business success.
“4) Establish the bank as a financial-solution expert, by developing personnel, products and services that are able to encompass clients’ business needs while offering appropriate financial tools that are able to add value to a business operation,” he said.
If the commercial lending group achieves its goal of issuing Bt33.5 billion-worth of new loans this year, total lending will expand to about Bt46 billion, representing an increase of about 5 per cent from the 2017 level.
“We think servicing clients based on our areas of specialty, and with emphasis on the clients meeting success, will allow us to achieve work results that are in line with the set target,” Sammit explained.
