RHB refreshes Cecil Branch, channels oldtime Singapore sophistication

The design integrates a facade of a historical shophouse with a modern twist.

Peranakan shophouse meets modern Moroccan-esque aesthetic in RHB Singapore’s newly-unveiled Premier Centre and Cecil Branch.

Located at the RHB Bank building, the branch features a dedicated centre for the bank’s local and regional priority banking clients, including a business banking centre where clients can access teams of industry specialists and relationship managers.

“The RHB Bank Building is located at the fringe of the Telok Ayer Conservation Area so we have chosen a modern conservation shophouse theme for the Cecil branch. The design integrates the arched windows and façade of Singapore’s historical shophouses in a contemporary style to create a boutique hotel vibe,” said Coreen Kwan, head of Retail Banking at RHB Singapore.

“We serve a mix of professionals, executives and business clients who work or run businesses in the Raffles Place area, as well as clients island-wide given its central location,” Kwan added. The renovation is part of the bank’s wider strategic transformation of its retail banking business that kicked off in 2020, which included refreshing its branch network, revamping its business operating model, and digitalisation.

The branch network refresh aims to relocate branches away from past areas of commercial activity to current regional hubs and business centres to serve the bank’s existing client base as well as reach out to new clients within the vicinity. Each branch has unique themes and concepts that reference the surroundings of each branch location to help establish a personal connection with its clients, RHB said.

“We believe that it is not just about enabling account opening and transactional features via the digital platform, but also the conversation and the relationship that ensues,” Kwan said.

She added that the modern banking experience goes beyond simple transactions, queries and payments being enabled online 24/7. “There is still a need for a more personal touch where higher value-added transactions and discussions are needed to better understand and fulfil clients’ requirements. Our channel strategy is built on a complement of digital banking channels, an accessible call centre and a few well-located and well-designed branches serving Singapore’s key regional centres,” Kwan said.