The Edge Malaysia Centurion Club Awards returns to celebrate the best under RM1 bil and debuts sustainability category - The Edge Malaysia

MALAYSIA, 29 JULY 2026 —

THE Edge Media Group, with the support of its partners — CIMB Group Holdings Bhd and ARTELIA — is excited to announce the return of The Edge Malaysia Centurion Club Corporate Awards, which honours dynamic, high-growth and high-potential companies on Bursa Malaysia with a market capitalisation of under RM1 billion.

A major highlight this year is the introduction of the inaugural sustainability award, which recognises the Centurion company that has demonstrated the most profound, measurable commitment to sustainable business practices over the past year, based on the highest FTSE Russell ESG Rating. The Edge Media Group publisher and group CEO Datuk Ho Kay Tat says: “The introduction of the inaugural sustainability award marks an important milestone for the Centurion Club.

We want to make it clear that sustainability is no longer an optional accolade for mid-market companies; it is a fundamental pillar of future competitiveness. By recognising those who excel in their FTSE Russell ESG Ratings, we hope to inspire the entire segment to integrate ESG practices into their core operations, ensuring they remain resilient in both.

“As we gear up for the awards night, we extend our deepest appreciation to the partners who made this initiative possible. We are very grateful to CIMB, whose steadfast support since day one has been the cornerstone of the Centurion Club Awards, reinforcing our shared mission to empower high-potential businesses. We are also delighted to welcome ARTELIA on board this year.

Their exceptional craftsmanship brings a new layer of prestige to the awards, and we are proud to have them join us in commemorating the remarkable journeys of our winners.” For presenting sponsor CIMB, its partnership with The Edge ­Malaysia Centurion Club Corporate Awards has remained strong over the years because of a shared objective — championing the companies that are shaping Malaysia’s economic future.

Ahmad Shazli Kamarulzaman, co-CEO of group commercial banking at CIMB, says: “Over the years, what has been particularly encouraging is not just the increasing scale or profitability of participating companies, but the significant shift in what defines corporate excellence. In the early years, recognition was driven largely by financial performance and growth momentum.

“Today, the leading companies stand out for much more — they are digitally enabled, increasingly regional in outlook, strengthening governance, embedding sustainability into their operations and building more resilient supply chains.

In many ways, the awards provide a useful lens into how Malaysian businesses are maturing and evolving.” The bank has also seen some of its clients emerging as winners of the awards over the years, which Ahmad Shazli says is one of the most rewarding aspects of what he and his colleagues are doing. “Seeing long-standing CIMB clients evolve from early-stage or mid-growth companies into nationally recognised champions is deeply meaningful.

It reflects not just their ambition and execution, but also the strength of a partnership that goes beyond financing,” he adds. “We aim to be more than just a bank. We support our clients through different phases of growth, whether that is strategic advice, regional connectivity or helping them navigate complexity as they scale. To see that journey culminate in national recognition is something we take great pride in.

“Beyond celebrating success, this platform also helps us build relationships with some of Malaysia’s most dynamic and high-potential companies.

In that sense, the awards play an important role in strengthening our client pipeline and deepening our engagement with future regional champions, aligned with our Forward30 strategy of being a purpose-driven, leading Asean bank.” According to Ahmad Shazli, the bank, which sees itself as “a partner and enabler of business transformation”, has gained valuable insights into the aspirations and needs of high-performing Malaysian companies through this partnership, allowing it to better support them at every stage of their journey.

“The businesses recognised here are often key contributors to employment, innovation and community development. When they succeed, the broader economy benefits. By helping them scale sustainably and responsibly, we are contributing to a more resilient and competitive Malaysia,” he says. The addition of the new sustainability category this year also aligns perfectly with CIMB’s ambitious sustainable finance target of RM300 billion by 2030.

According to Ahmad Shazli, this new award reinforces an important mindset shift for businesses — from viewing sustainability as a compliance requirement to a driver of competitiveness and long-term value creation. “Centurion Club companies play a critical role in the economy. Many of these businesses are scaling quickly and are increasingly integrated into regional and global supply chains, which exposes them to evolving ESG expectations from customers, regulators and investors,” he explains.

“Encouraging and recognising their sustainability journey is important, not only to meet these expectations but also to strengthen business resilience, improve operational efficiency and support long-term growth and profitability.” To help mid-market enterprises navigate this transition, Shazli says the banking group is focusing on making ESG both practical and commercially relevant. Through its award-winning GreenBizReady™ proposition, CIMB provides businesses with extensive training, capability building and access to greenhouse gas advisory services.

And through its Sustainability-Linked Financing, the bank embeds sustainability directly into financing structures by rewarding companies for achieving measurable sustainability targets, such as emissions reductions through the adoption of renewable energy solutions.

“This ensures that ESG is not only measurable and accountable, but also financially rewarding, making it accessible and impactful even for mid-sized companies and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) transitioning into more sophisticated sustainability practices.” The celebration of the Centurion Club winners’ milestones will be marked by physical tokens of recognition presented on the awards night. This year, the trophies will be crafted by China Pottery (M) Sdn Bhd’s ARTELIA.

ARTELIA’s partnership with The Edge started last year with The Edge Billion Ringgit… (AI-assisted rewrite, based on the original source)

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