Financial Planning Firm Whitman Makes Its Debut On LEAP Market

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Financial planning and retirement advisory firm Whitman Holdings Bhd debuted on the LEAP Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd today, with the company saying it intends to play a constructive role in addressing Malaysia’s structural retirement planning gap.

Whitman managing director and founder Yap Ming Hui said one of the structural challenges in retirement preparation today is fragmentation. “Financial decisions are often made, and products are bought, in isolation, rather than as part of a coordinated long-term income strategy. As longevity increases, this approach becomes increasingly unsustainable,” he said in a statement.

He said retirement advisory must be integrated and structured.

“Effective retirement solutions should bring together planning, funding, income management, and legacy considerations into one coherent system. Strengthening our foundation through this listing enhances our ability to expand advisory capacity, deepen professional expertise, and support more Malaysians in retiring comfortably and worry-free,” he added.

According to Whitman, Malaysia’s demographic transition and rising life expectancy are reshaping retirement realities. The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has set a basic savings benchmark of RM390,000 at age 55 as a minimum retirement threshold. “However, official disclosures indicate that a substantial proportion of contributors fall short of this level,” it noted.

WYNCORP Advisory Sdn Bhd is the approved adviser and continuing adviser for the listing exercise.

At 11.27 am, Whitman stock added five sen to 15 sen, with 60,000 shares traded.

-- BERNAMA