SCB Commits to Positive Loan Growth and Double-Digit ROE for 2026
Mr. Kris Chantanotoke, the Chief Executive Officer of the Siam Commercial Bank PCL (SCB), has confirmed that the bank has finalized its comprehensive business plan for the upcoming year and is now preparing for an official announcement at the beginning of 2026.
The CEO confidently affirmed that the bank’s total loan growth target for the following year will decidedly not be negative, a forward-looking statement made even though this current year’s loan growth has remained merely stable.
This ambitious forecast suggests a strategic shift toward more aggressive expansion across targeted segments.
Simultaneously, the bank has set a rigorous goal of maintaining a double-digit return on equity (ROE) growth rate, despite the executive acknowledging that the institution faces numerous ongoing negative challenges and volatility within the broader economy.
To achieve this aim, SCB is committing itself to a focused strategy aimed at driving sustainable revenue growth through concentration on four primary business areas.
These areas include: strengthening loans to large corporate clients, pursuing an aggressive expansion in the housing loans segment through strategic partnerships with at least four to five leading real estate developers, while also maintaining its dominant number one position in the mortgage market, significantly growing the wealth management business, and ensuring rigorous and effective debt management across all portfolios.
Targeting High-Potential Sectors and Wealth Management Growth
The bank’s strategic focus on specific, high-growth sectors is a key component of its plan to achieve sustainable revenue and maintain its targeted double-digit ROE.
Mr. Kris pointed out that while the overall economy continues to grapple with volatility stemming from various negative factors, SCB believes there are still many industry sectors that possess excellent growth potential and these will become the bank’s core focus going forward.
These strategically chosen sectors include the power and electronics industries, the rapidly expanding data centers segment, and large-scale infrastructure projects.
These are all industries that are expected to expand significantly in direct alignment with global technology trends and the massive wave of new energy investments, offering fertile ground for corporate lending growth.
Beyond corporate loans, the wealth management business is a central pillar of the bank’s strategy, having already achieved an impressive 20% growth rate to date and setting an equally ambitious target of no less than 20% growth in 2026.
As for the housing loan business, the CEO noted that while downward trending interest rates are a supporting factor, the more critical element for future expansion remains “consumer confidence,” which is currently still in the recovery phase.
A clear and significant rebound in consumer confidence, according to SCB’s assessment, would immediately translate into a substantial positive effect on the demand for housing loans, further bolstering the bank’s market leadership.
Adjusting Strategy to Core Expertise for Sustainable Growth
Mr. Kris elaborated on the strategic necessity of constantly adjusting the business plan to remain closely aligned with the fast-paced and ongoing economic developments both domestically and globally.
He stressed that this adaptation is crucial to guaranteeing sustainable revenue and maintaining the targeted high ROE growth rate.
This operational philosophy has led SCB to turn its focus specifically to areas where the bank possesses proven expertise and inherent competitive advantages.
The CEO believes that other major commercial banks are making similar strategic moves, concentrating intensely on sectors where they excel, recognizing that each bank has a different set of core strengths and specializations.
For SCB, this core expertise clearly lies in the home loans segment, making it a continuing primary focus, alongside the major growth segments of large corporate loans and the highly profitable wealth management business.
The bank’s proactive approach, including its collaboration with four to five key property development partners, is a testament to its commitment to supporting future market expansion and retaining its dominant position in the mortgage market.
By sharply focusing its resources and expertise on these strong areas, SCB aims to not only overcome current economic challenges but also to secure a trajectory of resilient, high-quality, and sustainable financial growth into 2026 and beyond.
