Building on the strong momentum in Singapore and Indonesia, the Bank has expanded its SME programme dedicated to women entrepreneurs to Hong Kong and Malaysia.

From left) Ms Jlynn Chen, Founder of The Powder Shampoo; Ms Yasmin Sim, Co-founder of The Plattering Co.; and Ms Iris Ng, Head of Emerging Business, Global Commercial Banking, OCBC.

Singapore, 17 September 2025 – OCBC aims to provide social loans to 10,000 women entrepreneurs across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia by 2030 through dedicated SME programmes.

The Bank launched the OCBC Women Unlimited Programme in Malaysia in August 2025 after first doing so in Singapore in April last year, and in Hong Kong in April 2025. In Indonesia, the programme is known as the Women Warriors Programme and was rolled out in 2020. Currently, one in three of OCBC's SME customers in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong are owned by women entrepreneurs.

As of June 2025, the Bank has supported over 2,000 women-owned SMEs across the region with total social loan commitments of close to $600 million.

These loans, aligned with the Social Loan Principles issued by the Loan Market Association, aim to enhance the socioeconomic advancement of women, and strengthen the growth and resilience of women-owned businesses.

According to OCBC’s data, women-owned SMEs in Singapore typically experience about 30% lower sales turnover growth in their first three years of operation compared to male-owned SMEs. However, those that secured financing to support their growth were able to bridge this gap.

Under the programme in Singapore, women-owned SMEs can secure financing of up to $100,000 within their first two years of incorporation, with processing fees for these loans waived.

Loans commitments to women-owned SMEs in Singapore grew by more than 20%

Loan commitments extended to women-owned SMEs in Singapore grew by more than 20% in the 12 months following the launch of the programme in April 2024, compared to the 12 months prior.

Women-owned SMEs in the Food & Beverage, Building & Construction and Transport & Logistics sectors received the highest number of loans, in that order.

Besides having access to financing support, close to 600 women entrepreneurs participated in the educational workshops and networking events organised under the umbrella of the OCBC Women Unlimited Programme and partners such as the Action Community for Entrepreneurship.

Ms Jlynn Chen, founder of The Powder Shampoo, and Ms Yasmin Sim, co-founder of The Plattering Co., are two entrepreneurs who have benefited from the OCBC Women Unlimited Programme in Singapore.

Since securing a social loan from OCBC, The Powder Shampoo is on track to double its customer base by the end of 2025 and achieve 150% revenue growth by the following year, driven by the successful expansion of its product line and market presence. Similarly, The Plattering Co. expects to increase its customer base by 1.5 times and triple its revenue by 2027, supported by the establishment of a second central kitchen that is halal-certified.

Refer to Annex A for more details on how these entrepreneurs are growing their businesses through the OCBC Women Unlimited Programme.

To support the cross-border growth of women-owned SMEs, OCBC has plans to facilitate regional events, learning exchanges, and business-matching trips across the four markets. Based on the Bank’s data from 2018 to 2023, the number of women-owned businesses under 10 years old that have expanded beyond Singapore has grown by 51%.

Ms Iris Ng, Head of Emerging Business, Global Commercial Banking, OCBC, said: “We continue to see growth potential in the women entrepreneur segment and remain committed to supporting them through our SME programmes dedicated to them. It’s been incredibly rewarding to partner with and journey alongside our women entrepreneurs. Many of such founders started with just an idea. Today, they’re running thriving businesses, expanding into new products and new markets, and creating jobs in their communities. That’s the kind of impact we strive for. Following the success in Singapore and Indonesia, we are confident that the programme will also resonate strongly across Hong Kong and Malaysia.”

ANNEX A

The Powder Shampoo

Ms Jlynn Chen, founder of The Powder Shampoo, is a woman entrepreneur who has benefited from the OCBC Women Unlimited Programme.

The Powder Shampoo is a Singapore-based sustainable beauty brand that offers waterless, eco-friendly haircare products designed to reduce plastic waste and promote conscious consumption.

With OCBC’s financing support, Ms Chen successfully expanded The Powder Shampoo’s product line beyond its original shampoo and body wash offerings to include hair conditioners. She also scaled the business globally, expanding The Powder Shampoo’s initial presence in Singapore to 16 markets – including New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Korea, Hong Kong, the UK, the USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Norway, the Netherlands and Ireland – through both her own channels and major retailers like Guardian Pharmacy, Healthy Options and Sephora.

With this dual expansion, the company is on track to double its customer base by the end of 2025 and achieve 150% revenue growth by the following year.

In just two years since its launch in 2022, The Powder Shampoo has surpassed the million-dollar revenue milestone. Building on this momentum, the company is now preparing to enter the pet care segment with a new line of sustainable shampoos for dogs and cats.

Ms Chen said: “From the beginning, our customers were asking for a conditioner, but developing a powder-based version was far more complex than shampoo. We were determined not to launch anything that didn’t meet our standards. Thanks to OCBC’s financing, we could invest in the extensive R&D needed to perfect the formula. That support also gave us the confidence to expand into pet care, furthering our mission to deliver sustainable haircare solutions globally. Today, The Powder Shampoo is on track to meet our growth targets, and I credit OCBC for helping us unlock that potential.”

The Plattering Co.

The Plattering Co., a Singapore-based catering company known for its artisanal grazing platters and curated food experiences, is another women-owned business supported by the OCBC Women Unlimited Programme.

Started as a cold-pressed juice venture originally, the company evolved into bespoke catering in response to client-driven requests. Today, it serves both corporate clients and individual consumers.

With OCBC’s financing support, The Plattering Co. is currently establishing a second kitchen that is halal-certified – a strategic move that will enable it to directly serve a growing customer base with halal requirements, instead of relying on external partners. Ms Yasmin Sim, one of the company’s three co-founders, expects this to increase its customer base by 1.5 times and triple its revenue by 2027. The company also plans to expand beyond Singapore into other ASEAN markets within the next 12 months.

Ms Sim said: “As our grazing platters and catering offerings gained popularity, we saw increasing demand for halal-certified options. OCBC’s support gave us the confidence to invest in a second central kitchen that is halal-certified kitchen, a critical step in scaling our business. Beyond financing, we were also connected with a network of other women entrepreneurs, potential collaborators and investors through networking events. These connections are just as important, and I’m confident they will open doors to new partnerships and future growth opportunities. More than just a bank, OCBC has been a trusted partner and will continue to be a catalyst for our growth today and in the years to come.”