DBS Branches

DBS Bank has launched a $30 million regional branding campaign to boost its presence in its key Asian markets.

Beginning this month with television and newspaper advertisements, the campaign will also utilise airport ads and social media.

It builds on the $10 million Living, Breathing Asia campaign launched in 2006. But where that campaign was focused on two markets, this one - "This is Asia's time, this is our time" - is more widely spread.

Ms Karen Ngui, the bank's MD and head of Group Strategic Marketing and Communications, said: "We've been growing very well across our six markets in the region (Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan). So we feel that we've got good momentum going for us and it is quite timely for us to launch a campaign to underscore how this is Asia's time, this is our time."

Currently 60 per cent of the bank's revenue comes from Singapore, 21 per cent from Hong Kong, and just under 7 per cent from China and Taiwan.

The bank said it would be allocating 40 per cent of the budget to Greater China, where it aims to grow its reach in coming years.

DBS has 16 branches and sub-branches in China and wants to grow the network to 50 in the next two to three years.

In a separate statement on Friday, DBS said its 4.7 per cent non-cumulative, non-convertible and non-voting preference shares issued on Nov 22 have been accepted for inclusion in the Central Provident Fund Investment Scheme and the Supplementary Retirement Scheme.

Investors may therefore use their CPF Ordinary Account funds or their SRS funds to purchase the preference shares.