Head, Strategic Lending (Group Corporate Banking)

Affin Bank Berhad; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 300,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

AFFIN BANK BERHAD is seeking a Head of Strategic Lending in Kuala Lumpur to lead strategic lending initiatives, originate and structure complex financing, and strengthen corporate client relationships while ensuring governance and credit compliance.

The role requires extensive experience in corporate banking, strong leadership, and deep credit analysis capabilities to optimize risk-adjusted returns.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Banking, or related discipline.
• CFA/ACCA/CPA/ICAEW/MBA qualifications are advantageous.
• Minimum 12–15 years of banking experience in corporate banking or strategic lending.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic lending initiatives to support Corporate Banking growth.
• Originate, structure, and evaluate complex lending transactions (corporate, commercial, syndicated, project).
• Drive business development and deepen relationships with corporate clients and financial institutions.
• Provide guidance on credit structuring, pricing, and portfolio optimization.
• Oversee credit proposals and presentations to authorities ensuring risk mitigation.

Skills

Strategic Lending

Credit Analysis

Financial Analysis

Deal Structuring

Relationship Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Finance/Accounting/Banking

CFA/ACCA/MBA (advantage)

Job description

Create your future with Affin! You too can make a difference. Join us at AFFIN, where the open minds meet and be inspired by a shared commitment to great work. Here, you don't just stay at the forefront of the industry - you can make a difference too.

JOB SUMMARY

The Head, Strategic Lending, Corporate Banking is responsible for driving the Bank's strategic lending agenda by originating, structuring, evaluating, and managing complex financing opportunities within the corporate and commercial segments. The role provides leadership in developing lending strategies, maintaining portfolio quality, enhancing risk-adjusted returns, and strengthening relationships with key corporate clients while ensuring compliance with the Bank's credit, regulatory, and governance requirements.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the development and execution of strategic lending initiatives to support the Bank's Corporate Banking growth objectives.
• Originate, structure, and evaluate complex lending transactions across corporate, commercial, syndicated, project, acquisition, and structured financing segments.
• Drive business acquisition and deepen relationships with key corporate customers, industry players, financial institutions, and strategic stakeholders.
• Provide strategic guidance on credit structuring, financing solutions, pricing strategies, and portfolio optimization.
• Oversee credit proposal preparation and presentation to relevant approving authorities, ensuring sound credit assessment and risk mitigation.
• Monitor and manage the overall strategic lending portfolio to achieve targeted growth, profitability, asset quality, and risk-adjusted returns.
• Collaborate closely with Relationship Managers, Credit Risk, Legal, Compliance, Treasury, and Operations teams to ensure seamless execution of financing transactions.
• Identify emerging industry trends, market opportunities, and sector developments to support business growth and portfolio diversification.
• Ensure compliance with internal credit policies, regulatory requirements, and governance frameworks.
• Lead negotiations with clients, advisors, legal counsel, and financial institutions on financing structures and transaction documentation.
• Drive portfolio reviews, early warning monitoring, remedial actions, and risk management initiatives to maintain portfolio quality.
• Manage, coach, and develop team members while fostering a high-performance and customer-centric culture.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Banking, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Professional qualifications such as CFA, ACCA, CPA, ICAEW, or MBA will be an added advantage.
• Minimum 12-15 years of banking experience, with significant exposure to Corporate Banking, Strategic Lending, Structured Finance, Credit Analysis, or Corporate Finance.
• Proven track record in originating and managing large-ticket corporate lending transactions and complex financing structures.
• Strong understanding of credit risk assessment, financial analysis, loan structuring, syndicated lending, project financing, and regulatory requirements.
• Extensive experience engaging senior corporate clients, C-suite executives, and key market stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance business growth and risk management objectives.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Effective communication and presentation skills with experience presenting to senior management and credit committees.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results in a dynamic banking environment.

People are the heart of AFFIN BANK. We have a positive and supportive environment where we celebrate people's personal growth and encourage them to be the best versions of themselves, both in the workplace and in their community.

Join AFFIN as we evolve to become a financial institution of the future, embracing innovation and technology to deliver unrivaled customer service. We're looking for colleagues who share our values and are ready to live them every day. Explore the exciting opportunities and make a real impact on the future of finance. Come be a part of our journey today!

Always About You

At AFFIN, we strive to always connect and engage with our customers, to understand their changing needs and aspirations better. It represents our passion and commitment to the community we operate in, enabling us to quickly respond to changes and provide a personalised experience.

At AFFIN, our people are aligned to our values of customer centricity, creativity and value creation. Our tagline "Always about you", was crafted to drive loyalty and build our reputation as a creative and innovative financial organisation. Our people are at the heart of what we do and remain the focus of our customer centric culture. Its about the initiatives we take in understanding and prioritising our stakeholders; our customers, employees and shareholders.

As we venture through this metamorphosis journey, we are aware of their ever-changing needs and are embracing the new ways of this digital dimension. We put our hearts and minds into everything we do, to ensure that everyone we touch, receives unrivalled customer service.