Malayan Banking Bhd's (Maybank) setup at i-City's Finance Avenue in Shah Alam, Selangor, is another feather in the cap for I-Berhad.

Henry Butcher Malaysia's chief operating officer Tang Chee Meng said it also raises the development's stature.

"Maybank's entry to i-City is a watershed moment for the developer. The DoubleTree by Hilton hotel will also open in July. I feel that as i-City continues to develop and bring in more brands, people will begin to see it in a different light," he told NST Property.

Maybank, the country's largest bank by assets, is relocating some 1,500 employees to Mercu Maybank located at Finance Avenue to improve its business continuity management (BCM) and resilience planning.

Mercu Maybank (formerly known as Menara Sumurwang) was unveiled on April 7, and employees will begin to move in gradually.

The event was officiated by Tan Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, chairman of Maybank, and Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong, founder and chairman of I-Berhad.

According to a statement by Maybank released last Friday, the skyscraper's premium corporate office design, security features, and Green Building Index accreditation align with the banking group's environmental goals.

Spanning 320,000sq ft, the 33-storey Mercu Maybank includes artificial intelligence technology, dedicated internet access powered by a 400G high-availability network, and a private cloud.

The tower is a key component in driving i-City to become the financial hub as well as home to global Fortune 500 companies.

The New Straits Times (NST) was the first to break the news (in October 2021) that Maybank is relocating a section of its operations to Mercu Maybank, where it will occupy a minimum of 14 floors totaling 162,000 square feet.

A Maybank spokesperson told the NST that the decision to secure office space in Mercu Maybank was made exclusively for BCM and resiliency planning to ensure that the bank's operations and service delivery are not disrupted.

According to the spokesperson, Mercu Maybank will act as a permanent alternate office site for the banking group to meet new work arrangements due to the Covid-19 epidemic, such as hybrid and remote work considerations for the group's numerous functions and companies.

There has been an urgent desire for decentralisation since the start of Covid-19, and firms are increasingly embracing hybrid and remote working.

Large corporations, such as Maybank, have acted quickly to implement these changes.

When attempting to decentralise genuinely, a top financial institution's key concern would be world-class business amenities in a desirable location. The site would need to be meticulously planned and outfitted with city-style amenities.

Continuous business operations would demand a robust IT infrastructure. i-City has a Tier-3 qualified data centre connected to a 400G capable high-availability network, allowing it to assist finance and information technology development in the services industry.

Maybank's choice to make i-City its permanent alternate office site demonstrates that it meets all criteria.

Other companies, including Prudential and Shoppe, have also relocated to Mercu Maybank.

This new milestone is significant to Lim of I-Berhad, given where i-City began and its evolution.

During the day, he envisioned i-City as a vibrant entertainment city, and at night, it would transform into an international business hub.

"I wanted technology to be deeply ingrained in the DNA of i-City in order to provide the best possible experience to those who live, work, and visit the city. I want to use technology to make people feel more connected and powerful," he said.

According to Lim, Maybank's presence in i-City validates the smart city's ability to meet the technological and location needs of prominent financial institutions.

The DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, Central i-City Mall, and serviced residences are all part of Finance Avenue.

The attractions will include the 78-story SGT Tower, Finance Avenue's future crown jewel, and the 'charging bull,' which will arrive in June this year.

Meanwhile, Tang said that he has been monitoring the development of i-City since the 1990s.

"The quality of the things they have put up has improved from what they have done earlier to what they have done presently. Today, there are several high-rise buildings. They've also dabbled in green construction and long-term planning.

"Maybank's arrival, together with its 1,500 workers, has elevated i-City to a new level. Once people start moving in, there will be an increase in housing demand. To be closer to their workplace, some people may migrate to i-City or Shah Alam.

"There will be increased traffic as more people move to i-City, but the LRT station is conveniently positioned close. Some folks may choose to take the LRT instead of driving to work," he said.