CDH Investment Bank

What CDH Investment Bank does

CDH Investment Bank Ltd. is a privately held, Blantyre-headquartered commercial and investment bank licensed and regulated by the Reserve Bank of Malawi under the Banking Act and Financial Services Act, and is a member of the Deposit Insurance Corporation. The bank traces its origins to Continental Discount House Limited (established August 1998) and was transformed into Malawi's only full-service investment bank on 2 April 2012. It operates four banking centres across Blantyre and Lilongwe with 102 employees and reports K764.0 billion in total assets and K54 billion in shareholders' equity as of June 2025.

The bank runs six core business lines: investment banking (capital raising in equity and debt, strategic advisory for M&A and restructuring, valuations, market making, and securities trading); corporate banking (foreign currency accounts, working capital financing, asset financing); personal banking (savings, current, fixed deposits, forex); treasury (treasury bills, corporate bonds, investment contracts, FX trading); international trade (cross-border settlement and FX); and digital banking via the CDHIB Connect internet banking platform, iOS/Android mobile app, electronic payment systems, and National Switch card/ATM services. It monetizes through interest rate spreads on deposits and loans (Prime Investors Account at 9.50%, Smart Savers at 8.00%, fixed deposits up to 9.00%, current account 0.25% ledger fee), transaction and FX fees, advisory mandates on capital markets transactions, and securities trading income. Notable disclosed mandates include lead advisor on Malawi's largest rights issue for NBS Bank Plc, and IPO advisory for Airtel Malawi (K28 billion, 2020), FDH Bank Plc (2020), and ICON Properties Plc (2019), plus a K14 billion note placement for MyBucks Banking Corporation.

Distribution is relationship-led via dedicated account relationship managers serving corporate and institutional clients, complemented by self-serve digital channels and three physical banking centres (Blantyre HQ, Capital City Centre Lilongwe, Lilongwe Banking Centre at City Mall). Go-to-market is sales-led across Malawi only, with no disclosed geographic expansion beyond a single-country/domestic footprint. The bank's competitive positioning rests on its status as Malawi's only full-service investment bank, its twelve-time Investment Bank of the Year recognition from Global Banking Magazine (London), and a strong capital position (24% Capital Adequacy Ratio, 205% Liquidity Coverage Ratio) supporting H1 2025 profit after tax of K18.3 billion (+120% YoY).

Name

CDH Investment Bank

Legal name

CDH Investment Bank Ltd.

Website

https://cdh-malawi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CDH Investment Bank is Malawi's only full-service investment bank, combining investment banking, corporate and personal banking, treasury, and international trade services across Blantyre and Lilongwe, serving corporates, institutions, and individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Treasury & Risk Management Solutions (FX/MM, hedging, TMS integration) (FSABAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC), Money Markets & Short-Term Funding (T-Bills, CP, CDs) (FSACAEAG)

Keywords

• Investment banking services
• Corporate banking solutions
• Treasury services
• Personal banking accounts
• International trade finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Blantyre

HQ country

Malawi

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Investment Banking Services: Capital raising through equity and debt offerings, strategic advisory on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, valuations, and fair opinions. Registered advisor by Malawi Stock Exchange and licensed valuer by Registrar of Companies.
2. Corporate Banking: Corporate banking solutions including foreign currency accounts, working capital financing, and asset financing for businesses
3. Personal Banking: Personal banking solutions including savings accounts, current accounts, fixed deposits, and forex services for individuals
4. Treasury Services: Treasury bills, corporate bonds, investment contracts, and foreign exchange trading for individuals and businesses
5. International Trade: Trading services for international trade financing and settlement

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CDH Investment Bank operates as Malawi's only full-service investment bank, providing capital raising (equity and debt), strategic advisory on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, valuations, market making, and trading of financial securities. The bank also delivers traditional commercial banking services including corporate banking, personal banking, treasury services (treasury bills, corporate bonds, foreign exchange), and international trade financing, supported by digital platforms for internet and mobile banking.

Product overview

CDH Investment Bank operates as Malawi's only full-service investment bank, combining investment banking services with traditional commercial banking activities. The product portfolio includes six core business lines: Investment Banking (capital restructuring, project finance, advisory, market making, and trading), Treasury (treasury bills, corporate bonds, investment contracts), International Trade (trading and forex), Corporate Banking (foreign currency accounts, working capital, asset financing), and Personal Banking (savings, current accounts, fixed deposits, forex). Supporting these are digital banking platforms including CDHIB Connect (internet banking), CDH Investment Bank Mobile App (iOS/Android), Electronic Payments (EFT), and Card & ATM services. The bank also offers specialized savings products (Prime Investors Account at 9.50%, Smart Savers Account at 8.00%, Call Accounts, Fixed Deposits) and foreign exchange services for major global currencies. This integrated model allows the bank to serve both corporate and retail customers with comprehensive financial solutions while maintaining digital-first service delivery channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CDHIB Connect: Internet banking platform for online banking services
• CDHIB Online

Products and services

• Investment Banking Full-service investment banking providing expert support on complex financial transactions including capital restructuring, project finance, capital raising (equity and debt), strategic advisory on M&A, market making, and trading of financial securities. Registered advisor by Malawi Stock Exchange and licensed valuer by Registrar of Companies.
• Treasury Services Access to treasury bills, corporate bonds, and investment contracts designed for individuals and businesses seeking liquidity and returns, backed by trusted issuers. Includes foreign exchange trading.
• International Trade Trading and foreign exchange services enabling cross-border transactions, currency exchange, and international payment solutions for businesses engaged in import/export activities.
• Corporate Banking Tailored corporate banking solutions including foreign currency accounts, working capital financing, and asset financing to support business growth at every stage for small to large businesses.
• Personal Banking Personal banking solutions including savings accounts (Prime Investors at 9.50%, Smart Savers at 8.00%), current accounts, call accounts, fixed deposits, and forex services to help individual customers grow and protect their wealth.
• CDHIB Connect Internet Banking Online banking platform enabling customers to view and transact on their accounts from a computer screen, offering a wide range of banking services at the convenience of home or office.
• CDH Investment Bank Mobile App Mobile banking application available on iOS and Android enabling account access, deposits, withdrawals, and transactions on-the-go for personal and corporate customers.
• Foreign Exchange Services Real-time foreign exchange rates and trading services for major global currencies including USD, GBP, EUR, ZAR, AUD for trading, traveling, and money transfers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120% increase in profit after tax from K8.3 billion to K18.3 billion in H1 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Malawi Aquatic Union (Southern Region)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026Donated K3 million to support the 2026 Regional Swimming Qualifying event at Saint Andrews International High School, including Special Olympics swimmers for inclusive sports.
• Basketball Association of Malawi (BASMAL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2025Landmark K44 million sponsorship for the 2024/2025 basketball club national championship at KUHeS Sports Complex. Second consecutive year supporting the tournament, exceeding initial K10 million annual commitment under MoU.
• Institute of People Management Malawi (IPMM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2024Donated K1 million towards the 2024 IPMM Lakeshore Conference themed 'Navigating the new world of work: empowering people, embracing change, and fostering resilience'.
• Malawi Environmental Health Association (MEHA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2024Donated K1 million towards the 2024 Environmental Health Association conference themed 'Protecting everyone's health in the new era'.
• Bankers Association of MalawicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2024Donated K1 million towards the 2024 Lakeshore Conference under theme 'Bridging the gap: Inclusive banking and sustainable development for all'.
• Bankers Association of MalawiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2024Donated K1.68 million to support the Malawi Agri-Finance Conference organized in partnership with Farmers Union of Malawi on 'Fostering Collective Impact: Collaborative Efforts to Propel Agricultural Sustainability Forward'.
• David Hastings AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 April 2024Donated K1 million to support training for NGOs on financial management, governance, compliance and audit. Partnership to provide free 1 year QuickBooks consultancy to NGOs banking with CDH Investment Bank.
• Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MOU worth USD$57,901.65 (K60 million) supporting three strategic initiatives: annual tree-planting, inaugural agri-innovation challenge, and provision of scholarships to talented needy students. Also supports establishment of Technology Transfer Office.
• National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration with NCST to ensure innovations from LUANAR are compliant with NCST standards. CDH Investment Bank supports technology transfer office establishment.
• Blantyre Police StationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Donated K2 million for procurement and installation of CCTV equipment to improve security services and combat crime in Blantyre.
• Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 November 2023Donated K5 million to KUHeS for the 2nd research dissemination conference on 'tackling the MW2063 health research priorities through a multidisciplinary approach'.
• Malawi Orthopaedics AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2023Donated K2 million to support the 2023 scientific conference themed 'Orthopaedics and disaster management: lessons from cyclone Freddy'.
• Mary's MealsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2023Partnership to construct school kitchens and support feeding programs. CDH Investment Bank invested K13.8 million for school kitchen and K3.1 million sponsorship towards feeding program at Mbinda Junior Primary School in Blantyre.
• Darts Association of Malawi (DAM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Donated K5 million for the 2023 DAM national finals tournament. Has provided annual sponsorship to host national tournaments since hosting the CDH Investment Bank Cup in 2021.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Standard Bank Malawi: Largest commercial bank in Malawi by assets, part of Standard Bank Group. Directly comparable as a full-service commercial bank operating in the same Malawian market with overlapping corporate, treasury, and FX capabilities.
• National Bank of Malawi: One of Malawi's oldest and largest commercial banks, listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange. Comparable as a competing full-service commercial bank operating in the same regulatory and economic environment.
• FDH Bank Plc: Listed Malawian commercial bank and former CDH IPO advisory client. Directly comparable as a domestic commercial banking competitor with similar deposit, lending, and treasury operations in Malawi.
• NBS Bank Plc: Listed Malawian bank and recent CDH advisory client (largest rights issue in Malawi's history). Comparable as a competing commercial bank with whom CDH both competes and collaborates on capital markets transactions.
• Ecobank Malawi: Subsidiary of pan-African Ecobank Group with Malawi presence. Comparable as a foreign-affiliated commercial bank offering corporate banking, treasury, and trade services in direct competition with CDH.
• MyBucks Banking Corporation: Listed Malawian banking and fintech entity that issued debt capital through CDH's advisory. Comparable as a domestic banking competitor operating in similar retail and SME segments in Malawi.

Broad incumbents

• Standard Bank Corporate & Investment Banking: Pan-African CIB franchise of Standard Bank Group providing investment banking and corporate banking across Africa. Comparable as a regional incumbent whose Malawi operations could compete on large cross-border mandates.
• Absa Corporate and Investment Bank: Pan-African CIB arm of Absa Group providing advisory, capital markets, and treasury services across multiple African markets. Comparable as a regional incumbent whose broader portfolio could expand into Malawi.
• FirstRand (Rand Merchant Bank): South African financial services group with RMB providing CIB services across the African continent. Comparable as a regional incumbent with investment banking capabilities that could target Malawian corporates.

Regional players

• Investec: South African-headquartered specialist banking and wealth group with corporate and investment banking operations across select African markets. Comparable as a regional competitor in advisory and principal investing in southern Africa.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CdhInvestmentBank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdh-investment-bank-ltd/?originalSubdomain=mw
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdhibmw
• Xx.com/cdhbank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CDH Investment Bank