Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Maybank has announced a collaboration with TikTok Shop to launch a multi-market upskilling and digitalisation programme for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the ASEAN region.
Said initiative marks the first partnership of its kind between a financial institution and TikTok Shop, aiming to empower SMEs with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to transition beyond traditional brick-and-mortar models and drive business growth in the digital landscape.
The ASEAN SME Upskilling & Digitalisation Programme will begin with a pilot phase in Malaysia, featuring three key components: a webinar, a workshop, and an accelerator programme. Entrepreneurs participating in the accelerator phase will receive six months of tailored mentoring and coaching from both TikTok Shop and Maybank, with personalised business targets to support their expansion.
The initial cohort will place a special focus on women entrepreneurs, in line with Maybank’s ongoing HERpower initiative. Over the next year, the programme is expected to expand to select ASEAN markets, with customised approaches tailored to local business environments.
Syed Ahmad Taufik Albar, group CEO of community financial services at Maybank, said that this collaboration is a reflection of Maybank’s commitment to champion SMEs in line with its M25+ strategy of purpose driven banking and beyond banking social impact programmes. Participants in this programme will gain valuable first-hand experience in leveraging content-driven e-commerce, digitalisation solutions, and optimised account management techniques.
“We believe entrepreneurs have the potential to create sustainable and lasting ripple effects to the communities they serve. By providing a holistic, values-driven ecosystem of solutions beyond traditional banking services, we hope to support and future-proof businesses at every stage of growth to be their own agents of change. We also aspire to collaborate with industry leaders who share a similar vision, and together create a multiplier effect in uplifting entrepreneurs in the region,” Taufik Albar said.
Meanwhile, Steven Li, senior director of global e-commerce strategy at TikTok Shop, shared his enthusiasm about the collaboration, commenting, “We are delighted to collaborate with Maybank to accelerate the growth of SMEs in Southeast Asia. It is a meaningful programme that showcases how collaborative industry efforts can drive real-life impact for small businesses in the region’s rapidly growing digital economy,” he said.
Lastly, Nur Azre Abdul Aziz, director of strategic partnerships at TikTok Shop Malaysia, stated, “We are thrilled to pilot this programme in Malaysia, which aims to empower women entrepreneurs with the resources and knowledge to thrive on TikTok Shop, in line with the nation’s effort to promote inclusive economic growth.”
