Phnom Penh, Cambodia – June 10, 2023 – Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia (CGCC) and Maybank Cambodia have entered into a strategic partnership with Business Network International (BNI-Super) , and Cambodia Women Enterprise Association (CWEA) with an intent to support the local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Kingdom through SME Building Capacity & Capability Programme (BCC).

Under the MOU, CGCC, Maybank Cambodia, BNI-Super, and CWEA will collaborate to provide trainings and workshops to the members of BNI and CWEA, and other SME communities to help them expand their businesses. The trainings will cover a range of topics relating to financial literacy and business operation.

The MOU will also pave the way for the participating SMEs’ long-term social and business growth through networking sessions, technical and knowledge sharing and incentivised rates offered by Maybank Cambodia.

The MOU was inked at Maybank Tower, highly witnessed by H.E. Dr. Sok Siphana, Founding Partner of SokSiphana & associates and Chairman of Asian Vision Institute, inked by Mr. Wong Keet Loong, Chief Executive Officer of CGCC, Mr. Rath Sophoan, Chief Executive Officer & Country Head of Maybank Cambodia, H.E. Chea Ratha, Vice President of CWEA, and Mr. Kruy Rithy, President of BNI-Super.

Mr. Rath Sophoan, CEO of Maybank Cambodia said, “This MOU and BCC Programme signify Maybank’s continuous commitment to supporting the growth of SMEs in Cambodia. We believe that by providing training in capacity and capability building as part of the financial literacy programme, we are equipping SMEs with the right tools to sustain their business, thus contributing to the Kingdom’s overall economic development.”

“Following the success of the BCC Programme in 2022 with CGCC, this year, we want to continuously fulfil our promise to humanise financial services by taking it to the next level through renewing and expanding our collaboration with two more partners namely CWEA, and BNI,” he added.

Mr. Wong Keet Loong, Chief Executive Officer of CGCC said “We are excited to partner with Maybank again this year for the BCC Programme, and the expanded outreach with BNI and CWEAto launch this important programme. We believe that the BCC Programme will be a valuable resource for SMEs in Cambodia and will help our entrepreneurs to grow and succeed with the broader opportunities to access to financing and improve financial literacy, which is aligned with our goals at CGCC”

H.E. Chea Ratha, Vice President of CWEA endorsed “we are delighted to participate in this initiative, as it aligns with our mission of empowering women entrepreneurs through upskilling and networking. We encourage all CWEA members and women entrepreneurs alike to take advantage of this opportunity to grow and learn.”

Mr. Kruy Rithy, President of BNI-Super also expressed his/her optimism on the training. He/she said “We are confident that this partnership will be mutually beneficially, as it will allow our members to expand their networks, develop new skills, and grow their businesses.”

In this signing ceremony, there was also a panel discussion on “Cambodia Economic Outlook, Challenges and Opportunities of SMEs”, participated by 4 panelists: H.E. Dr. Sok Siphana, H.E. Chea Ratha, Mr. Rath Sophoan, and Mr. No Lida, Deputy CEO of CGCC.

In 2022, the BCC Programme trained nearly 100 SMEs and financial advisors on various topics including business registration in Cambodia, importance of financial discipline, branding and digital marketing, as well as the aspects of managing human resources. The trainings were presented by subject-matter experts and professionals from locally renowned law firms, business consulting, advertising agencies and financial institutions.