Suyen Corp., the company behind global lifestyle brand BENCH, has exemplified sustainable business expansion through its enduring 38-year partnership with BDO Unibank. Since their collaboration began in 1987 with a basic depository account, the relationship has matured into a full-fledged strategic alliance—enabling Suyen’s transformation from a single-store T-shirt venture to a global retail powerhouse with over 1,500 stores.
Suyen now manages 18 local brands and 42 international labels, including Aldo, Jo Malone, and Charles & Keith, supported by BDO’s comprehensive financial solutions. These include capital loans, credit lines, co-branded products, and operational tools like payroll systems, deposit services, and POS integration. “BDO has been a reliable partner in various aspects of our operations,” said Bryan Lim of Suyen Corp.
A symbol of their growth and commitment to sustainability is Bench Tower, Suyen’s 24-storey LEED Platinum-certified headquarters in Bonifacio Global City. The green building underscores their vision of responsible scaling, a value shared by BDO. “Helping Filipino brands like Bench scale responsibly means more than business success,” noted Charles Rodriguez, EVP and head of BDO’s Institutional Banking Group.
Beyond commercial success, Suyen contributes significantly to the Philippine economy and culture—supporting over 9,000 jobs, working with 700+ local suppliers, and promoting Filipino heritage through initiatives like Ternocon with the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
“From the very start, we recognized that partnering with a trusted bank was fundamental to the success of our business,” said Virgilio Lim, with Ben Chan adding that BDO’s client-first approach has remained consistent throughout their journey.
The long-term partnership between Suyen and BDO stands as a model of how financial institutions can empower homegrown brands to achieve global relevance while fostering sustainable economic and cultural development.
