"With the inauguration of the representative office in Sydney, BNI increasingly strengthens its presence on the international stage," BNI President Director Royke Tumilaar noted in a statement here on Thursday (Sept 5).
He drew attention to several strategic reasons behind BNI choosing Sydney as the location of its new office.
The first deciding factor was that Sydney is one of the main financial centers in the Asia-Pacific region. Thus, by conducting banking operations in Sydney, BNI can strengthen its presence in the international financial market and access various global finances more easily.
Second, Sydney is Australia's business and economic center, which offers myriad opportunities for business collaboration and investment. In addition, several potential business transactions are carried out by Indonesian companies expanding their businesses in Australia and vice versa.
The third reason is that the Indonesian diaspora community in Sydney is quite strong, with around 42 percent of its members in Australia living in Sydney.
Thus, the presence of BNI's representative office allows the company to serve the banking needs of this community better and strengthen relations with the Indonesian community in Australia.
Fourth, Australia offers new market access that is different from what BNI has worked on before allowing the bank to map and explore the region more effectively.
Tumilaar expressed optimism that with the office's inauguration, BNI will become more capable of providing the best services and bolstering bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia.
With its status as a representative office, the main activities in the office will include research, including research on the economy and business in Australia.
The Sydney representative office can facilitate and offer advice regarding investment between the two countries as well as provide market information, introduce potential investors, and furnish banking solutions that support direct investment in strategic sectors.
The office can also serve as a center for information for Indonesian and Australian business players seeking to explore new business opportunities.
By conducting seminars, workshops, and networking sessions, BNI can bring together business players from the two countries to forge mutually beneficial cooperation.
Apart from that, the Sydney representative office can also cooperate with embassies, consulates, and other business organizations to support government initiatives in increasing bilateral trade and investment.
So far, BNI has opened its offices abroad, such as in Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Amsterdam, and New York.
"With the presence of its offices abroad, BNI is committed to becoming a national bank that can compete on the global stage, support economic growth, and bolster business relations between Indonesia and other countries," Tumilaar affirmed.
Translator: Imamatul Silfia, Raka Adji
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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