FLGS – Global Finance Report

- Starting in 2010, Indonesia’s banking top position shopping list more aggressive. They will acquire a number of banks in the ASEAN countries. Indonesia’s banks top position of their shopping list. During this January, two Indian-owned banks that have declared his intention to buy bank in Indonesia, namely the State Bank of India (SBI) and Union Bank.

Deputy Director and Executive Director of SBI Group Pratip Chaudhuri says, than other ASEAN countries, “Indonesia is our main priority,” as quoted by the oldest English-language daily in India, The Statesman, Sunday (24/1/2010). After Indonesia, banks in Thailand and the Philippines to be the next target.

In Indonesia, SBI Group banks aimed beraset Rp 1 trillion, with a minimum number of branch offices 40 offices. Acquisition budget 200 million U.S. dollars. “Target acquisition accomplished in the second quarter of this year,” added Subramanian Sathyamurthy, Director of Operations, Treasury, and Technology SBI Indonesia, to Cash, Tuesday (26/1/2010). The plan, SBI will combine this new bank with Bank Indomonex already ruled since 2006.

Do not want to miss, Union Bank claimed the shooting of four middle-class banks in Indonesia. Told The Financial Express, Indian government-owned bank that claimed to have received approval from shareholders of the bank in Indonesia. Other Indian banks that had expressed interest to enter Indonesia is the Punjab National Bank (PNB). However, that plan has not heard the rest until now.

Not only investors from India are seriously targeting banks in Indonesia. South Korean banks, such as The Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) and the Korea Development Bank (KDB), also have the same interests. Management both the red plates bank claims are just waiting for approval from their shareholders to run the expansion.

Although looks aggressive, move investors from India and South Korea was practically behind when compared to investors from Malaysia and Singapore who first tasted the sweetness of a bank in the country.

Director of Licensing and Banking Information BI Bank Indonesia Swastanto Joni said, until now BI has not received application for a license acquisition from Korean investors. Finally, BI has received application for a license RHB Banking Group will acquire Bank Mestika Dharma.

The aggressiveness of foreign investors are apparently triggered by the sweetness of the banking business in the country. In addition to the broad market, they are tempted by the interest margin is nearly 7 percent and the liberal ownership rules, up to 99 percent.