MANILA, Philippines - OCBC Bank has been named as winner of the Best SME Banking Business Award for the year 2011 during the 11th International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards Program. The bank received the awards at The International Excellence in Retail Financial Services 2012 Awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the region’s most prestigious retail banking event, the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Convention. The ceremony was held at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on March 23rd 2012. OCBC Bank has been growing market presence for its SME businesses in Singapore and Malaysia, Indonesia and greater China, giving the bank one of the biggest SME footprints. In Singapore alone, it holds over 40-percent market share, while acquiring over 56 percent of startup businesses. Its extensive network in the region ensured that 2011 was a great year, with assets growing 50 percent year-on-year. OCBC is the second largest financial services group in Southeast Asia by assets and one of the world’s most highly-rated banks, with an Aa1 rating from Moody’s. It is also ranked by Bloomberg Markets as the world’s strongest bank.