Maybank, Sime Darby Head List Of Top 6 Malaysian Firms In Poll

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- Maybank and Sime Darby headed the list of the top six companies in Malaysia in the fifth annual poll among investors by Hong Kong-based magazine Alpha Southeast Asia. The poll, conducted between February to June 2015, was to find Southeast Asia's top companies. The others listed were Westports Holdings, Sona Petroleum, Seven Convenience and Boustead Plantations. The magazine in a statement Tuesday also revealed that Sime Darby chief financial officer (CFO) Tong Poh Keow was named Best CFO in Malaysia for the third consecutive year. This was alongside the company being ranked tops for having the Best Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Strongest Adherence to Corporate Governance. Meanwhile, Maybank won the Best Annual Report in Malaysia and also had the highest votes for Most Organised Investor Relations (IR), Best Senior Management IR Support and Most Consistent Dividend Policy. Westports Holdings was named as the Most Improved Investor Relations. The awards were based on tallied votes among 520 investors, pension funds, hedge funds, equity and fixed income brokers and analysts with investment interests in the Southeast Asia region. Companies in each country were ranked on their financial management, corporate governance, integrated reporting/CSR and investor relations. Alpha Southeast Asia magazine is the first and only Hong Kong-based institutional investment publication focused on the region's banking and capital markets. --BERNAMA