Public Bank: end of an era

From The Star: Public Bank Bhd chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow to retire

Some snippets:


Public Bank Bhd chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow will leave his post on Jan 1, 2019 but will remain as the bank’s adviser.

“The details relating to the appointment of the new chairman of Public Bank will be announced at an appropriate time,” the bank said in a statement.

Teh will assume the title “chairman emeritus” after he relinquishes his position as chairman of Public Bank.

This, according to the bank, is in recognition of his “par excellence contributions” over the past 51 years since he founded Public Bank on Dec 30, 1965.

He would also remain as an adviser.

Teh is also retiring from his role as chairman of Public Islamic Bank Bhd and Public Investment Bank Bhd with effect from Jan 1, 2018, but would stay on as non-executive director in both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Public Bank with effect from the same day.

“The smooth transitions of the succession of the chairmanships of Public Bank, Public Islamic Bank and Public Investment Bank are in place,” the group said.


Public Bank under Teh's leadership has been one of the biggest success stories on Bursa, may be the best, but definetely in the top one percent group.

I only have data going back to 1987, over that 30-year timespan Public Bank compounded 16.4% (vs. 8.4% of the KLCI (both total return, taking dividends into account).

That means that RM 10,000 invested in Public Bank in 1987 is worth RM 1,014,000 now, while RM 10,000 invested in the KLCI is worth now RM 118,600, an outperformance of about 8.5 times.

Public Bank itself is a component of the KLCI, so relative to the other 29 counters it would have done even slightly better.

All very impressive, and one good example how much a succesful buy-and-hold strategy through an investment in a good quality company can yield. No wonder there are a lot of happy faces at the yearly AGM meetings.

Public bank has never reported a loss, not even in the horrific Asian crisis of 1997/98.