Luzon, Philippines Jul 11, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - Asialink Finance Corporation is set to accelerate its nationwide expansion, bolstered by a strategic P4-billion investment from Southeast Asian private equity firm Creador, signaling a new era of growth for the Asialink Group of Companies consisting of major financing companies in the Philippines like Asialink Finance Corporation (AFC), Global Dominion Financing Inc. (GDFI), and South Asialink Finance Corporation (SAFC).
Creador, which acquired an 18 percent stake in Asialink, aims to empower the lender to address the substantial unmet financing needs of the Philippines’ largely unbanked small and medium enterprises (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,” noted Creador Managing Director Omar Mahmoud during a celebration of the partnership.
Mahmoud emphasized that Asialink’s track record and market leadership made it the natural fit for Creador after assessing over 50 financial services firms in the country. The partnership will enable Asialink to expand geographically, introduce new products, enhance operational efficiencies, and accelerate the digitalization of its services.
“Asialink is primed for further growth to help the largely unbanked part of the business community,” said Robert B. Jordan Jr., CEO of Asialink. He shared plans to use the new investment, alongside funding from local banks and development finance institutions, to reach more SMEs, fueling job creation and economic development nationwide.
Mahmoud praised Jordan’s visionary leadership, noting how his identification of the lending gap for SMEs as a young loan officer laid the foundation for Asialink’s success. This vision received backing from the family patriarch of Ruben Lugtu II, Asialink’s chairman, who provided the seed funding to launch the company in 1997 with a starting capital of only P3 million. Today, Asialink’s valuation exceeds P20 billion.
“With our investment, hardworking business owners will gain greater access to the financial system as Asialink expands geographically and leverages data to enhance its services,” Mahmoud said.
The partnership is also expected to introduce Asialink to a wider network of international banking partners and leverage Creador’s expertise from investments in non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) across the region to strengthen Asialink’s innovation and automation capabilities.
Following the successful investment deal, Asialink Group’s Independent Directors were commended for their role in guiding the company’s strategic direction, receiving well-deserved rewards for their contributions. Jose Carlitos G. Cruz, former SGV Chairman, received P7 million; Vicente P. Ortuoste, former SVP of EastWest Bank, received P4 million; while Atty. Ray Anthony Fajarito, long-time family lawyer of the Lugtu Family, owners of the Asialink Group, likewise received P4 million.
This partnership underscores the commitment of both Asialink and Creador to drive the company toward sustained growth and market leadership, providing a clear pathway for SMEs to thrive and contribute more substantially to the Philippine economy.
Media Contact
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