Asialink Finance Corp. is expected to grow exponentially as it has more resources to address the substantial unmet demands for loans from the largely unbanked small and medium enterprises, according to its new investor Creador.

Creador, a leading private equity firm in South East Asia, recently bought 18 percent of Asialink. 

In a statement, Creador Managing Director Omar Mahmoud cited the recent celebration of its P4-billion investment in Asialink. Mahmoud said that with the new investment, Asialink is just scratching the surface of providing financial assistance to the SMEs.

Ninety-nine percent of the 1.2 million registered businesses in the Philippines are SMEs and Asialink has served around 200,000 of them so far, he said.

Robert B. Jordan Jr., Asialink CEO, said that with Creador’s investment and proceeds from other funders like local banks, DFIs and major international lenders, Asianlink will expand all over the country to reach more of the unbanked businesses so that they can grow their operations, generate jobs, and improve their lives.

In jest, Mahmoud said he could have invested in Asialink when it had a starting capital of only P3 million in 1997. Now, Asialink is valued at over P20 billion.

“In 2022, we spoke to approximately 50 financial services companies in the country and it became clear that Asialink was the natural fit for Creador given its leading market share and long-term track record,” he said.

Now Asialink, through Creador, has indirect investors from global development finance institutions, large pension funds, and university endowments.

Jordan said Asialink will introduce new products and services as it bolsters its presence nationwide and improve its internal efficiencies.

Mahmoud touted the visionary leadership of Jordan who, as a loan officer of a bank, saw the SME lending vacuum.

Jordan said he pitched his proposal to many but eventually it was the family of Ruben Lugtu II, Asialink's chairman, who provided the funds to start Asialink.