Experian Eyes Asian Market With Purchase Of Malaysia Credit Bureau Firm

Experian announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in RAM Credit Information (RAMCI), a leading credit bureau in Malaysia.

The deal will help Experian boost its market presence in Malaysia and create more synergies across its Data and Decisioning portfolio.

Founded in 2000, RAMCI provides credit reports, alerts and monitoring, primarily to financial institutions. It also has a direct-to-consumer business, helping consumers better understand their credit, as well as help protect their identities. The company will be reported within Experian’s EMEA/Asia Pacific Business-to-Business segment.

“The acquisition of a controlling interest in RAMCI further extends Experian’s position in Asia Pacific, adding a fourth credit bureau to our operations in the region. It extends our position in Malaysia, an economy seeing rapid expansion and with a population of 32 million,” Ben Elliott, CEO of Experian Asia Pacific, said in a press release. “Experian has a long history of investment and commitment to Malaysia, given our existing investments in our global delivery center with its 800 employees, as well as our recent investment in Jirnexu which runs RinggitPlus, Malaysia’s leading financial comparison website. By combining Experian’s world-leading technology and platforms together with RAMCI’s data expertise and local knowledge, we will better serve consumers and businesses in Malaysia.”

Experian has been investing in Asian FinTech startups, including $28 million in a Series C investment to Lender C88, which operates Indonesia’s CekAja.com and Philippines’s eCompareMo.com. In August, Experian led a $20 million funding round in Asian FinTech firm CompareAsiaGroup. The platform’s 60 million users in Asia use the financial services marketplace to shop for banks, insurance and other financial products.

“… I think this really shows our commitment to Southeast Asia in particular, and also in this case Hong Kong and Taiwan,” Elliott said at the time. “My view is that over time, we’ll see our capabilities and CompareAsiaGroup really improving the experience of customers while they are borrowing.”