June 30, 2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Farah Abdul Hamid as Chief Operating Officer, at Commerz Global Service Solutions (CGSS) effective July 1, 2025. Farah brings a wealth of experience, having worked with major financial institutions like Citibank, HSBC, Standard Chartered and CIMB. With a deep background in trade finance and payments, she has built a strong reputation for driving operational excellence and delivering impactful results. During her tenure at CIMB, Farah led Trade Finance Operations where she played a pivotal role in enhancing efficiencies and streamlining processes. Her expertise has made her a trusted figure in the industry. One of her notable achievements at CGSS was the successful establishment of the Penang Office, which has grown into a thriving success under her strategic guidance. Beyond her operational leadership, Farah has taken on several senior roles within CGSS, demonstrating her versatility and ability to navigate complex challenges. As Principal Project Manager on key strategic initiatives, Farah played a crucial part advising the Board of Executive Directors and ensured alignment with company’s long-term goals. Academically, Farah holds an MBA from Birmingham City University, further complementing her extensive hands-on experience. In her new role, she will report to the CEO of CGSS and the Non-Executive Directors, bringing her expertise, leadership and passion to guide CGSS toward continued success. Arne Graeber and Andreas Schimmele commented, “We are very pleased to have found a strong female leader internally who will join CGSS Board of Directors and worked her way up through the ranks since the inception of CGSS in 2012. Farah has exemplified excellence and commitment throughout her tenure, and we wish her the best of luck in her new role. Her journey is an inspiration, and we look forward to seeing her continue to drive success within the company. Please join us in congratulating Farah on this well-deserved promotion and wishing her all the best and success in her new role. At the same time, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Vijay Arulchothy, who has been Chief Operating Officer at CGSS since July 2021. During his tenure, Vijay has been instrumental in significantly growing the COO area and integrating numerous services from Asia, New York, London, and Germany. His leadership and dedication ensured operational stability amidst this growth. We deeply appreciate his efforts in facilitating a smooth transition and handing over his extensive knowledge to Farah. We wish Vijay all the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his invaluable contributions to CGSS.
Read MoreJune 30, 2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Raphael Robl as Chief Technology Officer of Commerz Global Service Solutions (CGSS), effective July 1, 2025. Raphael brings an extensive array of experience from his former roles as CIO in the automotive sector with BMW Group and Volkswagen Group, spanning across Germany, Greece, and Singapore. He joined CGSS 10 months ago as Principal Project Manager for the IT area, significantly enhancing our Service Delivery Model for the Asian branches. His previous assignments in Asia involved both datacenter consolidation and the implementation of efficient IT service structures. Most recently, he has been pivotal in transforming traditional IT organizations into agile product teams and transitioning technology to cloud solutions. Raphael holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics from the University of Innsbruck, in collaboration with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. In his new capacity, he will report to the CEO of CGSS and the Non-Executive Directors, offering his expertise, leadership, and passion to steer CGSS towards continued success. Arne Graeber and Hans-Georg Beyer remarked, “We are thrilled to have filled this crucial role from within our ranks. Raphael possesses a comprehensive blend of leadership, technical acumen, and project management experience that will drive the ongoing growth of CGSS's IT delivery area. We wish him all the best as he embarks on this new journey.” Simultaneously, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Prem Menon, whose outstanding performance over the past 2.5 years has been instrumental in elevating CGSS to a significant Service provider within our Delivery Organization. Prem has been a pioneer in establishing the IT factory for Tech Foundation, which has become a key initiative for the broader Commerzbank group as part of “Momentum”. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.
Read MoreMarch 7, 2025
The CGSS Mentorship Programme is a structured initiative designed to foster a professional and supportive partnership between an experienced employee (mentor) and a less experienced employee (mentee). The primary objectives of the programme include facilitating knowledge transfer, strengthening professional connections, and promoting both individual growth and personal development. Through this structured relationship, mentees gain valuable insights and guidance, while mentors contribute to the professional advancement of their colleagues. Our mentors are individuals with significant experience and typically comprise Team Heads, Heads of Departments (HODs), and C-level executives. This development programme is unconventional as the mentors draw on their own personal experiences and skills gained organically to support their mentees.
Read MoreFebruary 13, 2025
CGSS welcomed the Year of the Snake with a vibrant Chinese New Year celebration across both our KL and Penang offices. The festivities began with an energetic lion dance performance, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune, followed by a traditional Yee Sang tossing ceremony with our management and teams to usher in success and abundance. To further embrace the spirit of togetherness, colleagues gathered for a festive buffet lunch featuring traditional delicacies, fostering a sense of unity and cultural appreciation. As we step into the new year, we extend our best wishes for prosperity, happiness, and success to all.
Read MoreFebruary 7, 2025
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We are pleased to welcome Marcus Rappelt as the new Head of Point of Production Malaysia at CGSS in Kuala Lumpur, effective January 1, 2025. Marcus brings extensive experience from his long tenure at Commerzbank, where he played a key role in multiple strategic initiatives. Most recently, he was based in Singapore, where he successfully established 24/7 IT Operations and led the transition of central services from Germany to Singapore. In his new role, Marcus will oversee various teams in a managed service approach to lift synergies, reporting directly to the CGSS CTO Prem Menon while maintaining close collaboration with Heiko Burdack, CTO of Commerzbank. Under his leadership, CGSS Malaysia will play a pivotal role in expanding and enhancing IT-Factory capabilities, focusing on core IT infrastructure and security services, including: Network Services and Proxy Services – Ensuring seamless and secure connectivity across global infrastructure. SASE Services – Implementing cloud-based security solutions to protect a distributed workforce. Database Management and VMware Infrastructure – Supporting critical business applications with scalable and resilient infrastructure. Active Defense Center – Strengthening cybersecurity through proactive threat detection and mitigation. CI/CD and IT Operations – Driving automation and efficiency in software development and IT service management. These capabilities form the foundation of Malaysia’s growing IT ecosystem. As we continue evolving, additional services and innovations will be introduced to enhance the IT-Factory model and support the bank’s digital transformation. We look forward to Marcus’ contributions and the continued growth of CGSS Malaysia as a key pillar of our global IT landscape. If you want to learn more about fantastic opportunities in the IT area please stay tuned for upcoming vacancies as well as Trainee/Internship roles.
Read MoreSeptember 4, 2024
We are pleased to announce the launch of our official Instagram page as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance communication and engagement with our community. This platform will provide regular updates on our latest projects, showcase our company culture, highlight employee achievements, and share valuable insights from across the organization. We encourage you to visit our Instagram page and stay connected with CGSS. By following us, you will receive timely updates and gain an inside look into the dynamic environment we foster at CGSS. We look forward to connecting with you there!
Read MoreAugust 8, 2024
We are thrilled to announce that our Chief Technology Officer, Prem Kumar Menon has been honored with The World CIO 200 Awards. This prestigious recognition, bestowed by the Global CIO Forum Committee, celebrates his remarkable achievements and contributions as a transformative technology leader. His visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of organizational excellence have earned him the esteemed title of Master. Under his guidance, our company has continually pushed the boundaries of innovation, setting new standards in the technology industry. This accolade is a testament to his dedication, expertise, and the impactful strategies he has implemented, driving our mission to deliver excellence and do things differently. Join us in celebrating this significant achievement and congratulating our CTO on this well-deserved honor. His success reflects our collective commitment to sustainable, reliable, and high-performing solutions that benefit our clients, community, and franchise.
Read MoreJuly 14, 2024
We are proud to announce the one-year anniversary of our Penang branch. Over the past year, our dedicated team in Penang has exemplified excellence, innovation, and teamwork, contributing significantly to our growth and success in the region. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our employees for their unwavering commitment and enthusiasm. Here's to many more years of achievements and prosperity together!
Read MoreDecember 11, 2023
Today marks a special day for the company. Our company name and branding has changed with immediate effect to “Commerz Global Service Solutions Sdn. Bhd.”. Having grown significantly over the last few years with a full range of global services across operations, IT and support functions, this step is key to prepare the company and branding for our continued growth. Chief Executive Officer, Arne Graeber commented:” With the celebration of our 11-year anniversary, the opening of our Penang office and the establishment of a 24-hour global service promise, this is a natural step in the development of CGSS with a shift from a pure trade finance service provider to a well-established and recognized global service provider.”
Read MoreJuly 18, 2023
We experienced a proud moment in the history of Commerz Global Service Solutions as we celebrated the opening of our new office in Penang, marking the next phase of growth. Together with our VIP guests, Dato’ Lee Lian Loo CEO of Invest Penang, and Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, the ceremony featured two insightful speeches, a ribbon-cutting, plaque signing, floor walk, and a Q&A press conference, attended by our Board Members, including Mr. Uwe Sternitzke, Mr. Vijayasuria Arulchothy, Mr. Prem Menon, and Mr. Arne Graeber. Concluding the event, CEO, Mr. Arne Graeber remarked, ''This marks a significant milestone for our company, enabling us to further expand in the north of Malaysia. The talent we have found thus far is a great enrichment to our Kuala Lumpur base. We are eager to swiftly scale operations in this location and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of our top-notch services. Heading the office will be Farah Hamid, an integral part of our overall management team.”
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