Bursa Malaysia Berhad and RAM Holdings Berhad, have through a joint venture entity, Bursa Malaysia RAM Capital Sdn Bhd (formerly known as BM RAM Capital Sdn Bhd), on Friday launched a debt fundraising platform.
Bursa Malaysia said in a statement that the platform is an alternative fund-raising avenue strategically designed to facilitate listed and unlisted small to mid-sized companies with fundraising needs of at least MYR 5 million ($1.08 milion) and a minimum tenure of one year, to raise funds via the issuance of credit-rated investment notes.
This platform enables companies to access a new pool of capital beyond traditional wholesale markets, while also providing investors with the opportunity to diversify their portfolios.
“The launch of BR Capital marks another milestone in our efforts to provide a comprehensive and diverse range of products and services to meet the evolving needs of our market,” said Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift, Chief Executive Officer of Busa Malaysia Berhad.
According to him, the BR Capital debt fundraising platform is very much in line with the Exchange’s overarching strategy to truly be a multi-asset exchange.
“Bursa Malaysia and RAM Holdings are excited to be collaborating to shape Malaysia’s debt fundraising future. The new platform is poised to redefine the fundraising landscape and is well-positioned for expansion, to include a diverse investor ecosystem,
“This will enhance financial inclusivity among Malaysians and contribute to the growth of Malaysia’s capital market and the overall economy,” he added.
Chris Lee, Group CEO and Executive Director of RAM, said that the firm is excited about what BR Capital can bring to the growth of sustainable and responsible investments in the Malaysian alternative capital market.
“RAM will contribute to this growth with our expertise in credit ratings, environmental, social, and governance reporting (ESG) ratings and fixed income pricing on investment notes issued through the new platform,” he added.
The platform is currently in its initial roll-out phase, with onboarding now open to a select group of prospective issuers and investors.
Bursa Malaysia is an exchange holding company incorporated in 1976 and listed in 2005, and has grown to be one of the largest bourses in ASEAN today.
RAM is a leading provider of independent credit ratings, research, training, risk analysis, ESG analytics and bond pricing.
Formerly known as Rating Agency Malaysia Berhad, RAM was established in November 1990 as a catalyst for the domestic debt capital market and as the nation’s first credit rating agency.
In 2007, its rating operations were novated to a newly formed subsidiary, RAM Rating Services Berhad.
Apart from credit ratings, the RAM Group also offers myriad solutions ranging from economic and debt market research, data and analytics and sustainability services.
In 2016, RAM Sustainability commenced offering Sustainability Ratings, a tool and framework that measure companies’ ESG performance.
Bond Pricing Agency Malaysia Sdn Bhd (BPAM) also became a wholly owned subsidiary of RAM on June 30, 2021. The company is the sole provider of bond-pricing and valuation data on the Malaysian bond market and is regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia.