• Malaysia ranked third in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 list with 92 companies, generating US$201.6 billion in combined revenue.
  • NationGate Holdings led regional revenue growth with a 723 per cent increase, joined by four other Malaysian firms among the top 20 fastest-growing companies.
  • Maybank remains Malaysia’s top earner and one of the region’s most profitable firms, alongside CIMB and Public Bank.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 – Fortune today revealed its 2025 Southeast Asia 500 rankings, with 92 Malaysian companies making the cut, placing the country third overall behind Indonesia and Thailand.

In the annual list which ranks the region’s largest companies by revenue for the 2024 fiscal year, Malaysia’s entries generated a combined US$201.6 billion (RM856.2 billion) in revenue — with its top 20 companies contributing 64 per cent of that total.

“Among the region’s fastest-growing companies by revenue, Malaysia stood out with five in the top 20: NationGate Holdings, Guan Chong, Yinson Holdings, Chin Hin Group, and Gamuda,” the business magazine said in a statement.

“NationGate, a precision manufacturing firm, recorded the highest revenue growth across all 500 companies, with a staggering 723 per cent increase.”

Other fast-rising Malaysian firms include Guan Chong, Yinson Holdings, Chin Hin Group, and Gamuda, with Guan Chong and Chin Hin among the top 10 regional performers for growth.

Maybank remains the only Malaysian firm in the top 20 by revenue and also ranks among the region’s most profitable companies, alongside CIMB Group Holdings and Public Bank, which together posted over US$5.5 billion in net income.

Malaysia’s largest companies span sectors such as financial services, energy, chemicals, healthcare, and construction, with notable names including Sime Darby, Tenaga Nasional, Petronas Chemicals, YTL, and IHH Healthcare.

Regionally, Singapore’s Trafigura led the Southeast Asia 500 for a second consecutive year, with US$243 billion in revenue.

The top 20 companies on the list accounted for nearly half of the region’s total combined revenue of US$1.82 trillion.

“Fortune’s interest in the region reflects Southeast Asia’s growing importance as an engine of global growth,” Clay Chandler, its executive editor for Asia said in the statement.

“The region has become a crucial manufacturing and export hub, which is drawing significant capital flows. This momentum has been further fuelled by Trump-era tariffs, which have reshaped global trade dynamics and driven a shift towards Southeast Asia.”

The list also highlights a rise in female leadership, with 37 women now serving as CEOs of Southeast Asia 500 companies — an increase of 28 per cent from last year.