Jakarta, 20 October 2022 -- PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. or BNI continues to strengthen its support for small and medium business players to expand global market penetration.
BNI in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade through the South Korean Trade Attaché bridged Indonesian export MSMEs to meet Korean buyers through the Business Forum & B2B Meeting with the theme "Towards Stronger Trade Cooperation between Republic of Korea – Republic of Indonesia".
The Business Forum & B2B Meeting event is a series of activities of the 37th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) event initiated by the Indonesian Ministry of Trade which is currently taking place from 19-23 October 2022 at the Indonesia Convention & Exhibition Center (ICE), BSD Tangerang.
The event was opened by Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan and attended by Indonesian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Gandi Sulistyanto, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia Mr. Park Tae Sung, Chairman of Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) Kim Byung-Kwan and invited guests from the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, Seoul Trade Attaches and KOIMA members.
BNI Deputy President Director Adi Sulistyowati, BNI Consumer Banking Director Corina Leyla Karnalies, and BNI Enterprise & Commercial Banking Director Muhammad Iqbal were present in person at the BNI Menara Pejompongan Ballroom, Jakarta (20/10).
On the same occasion, there were 116 participants of Indonesian small and medium business players and 43 importers from the Republic of Korea who were brought together in one-on-one meetings between buyers and sellers in business matching activities.
In his remarks, the Indonesian Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan expressed his appreciation to the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Korea, BNI, Sinar Mas Group, and KOIMA for the support provided so that today's Business Forum activities can be held in order to support TEI 2022.
He also appreciated the delegation of Korean business people who had participated in TEI 2022 activities, and hoped to produce mutually beneficial transactions between Korean and Indonesian business people.
"Hopefully the business matching that will be held after this business forum can also create concrete business transactions and contracts and can open up trade networks between the two countries for wider cooperation," Zulkifli mentioned.
On the same occasion, Gandi appreciated the Business Forum & B2B Meeting activities initiated by the Indonesian Ministry of Trade through the Seoul Trade Attaché by inviting BNI in business matching between KOIMA and TEI business players and BNI Xpora MSMEs.
He appreciated that both parties were able to follow up on the MOU between BNI and KOIMA which was concluded in June 2022.
"Hopefully business actors can continue to increase export transactions and encourage local MSME products to enter the global market. Moreover, South Korea is one of Indonesia's largest trading partners with prospective trade transaction values," he said.
Adi Sulistyowati, who is familiarly called Susi, said that BNI is proud to facilitate the meeting between importers from KOIMA members and exporters under the auspices of Trade Expo Indonesia and BNI Xpora.
The Company is committed to be more proactive in facilitating trade transactions and financing facilities to Indonesia's proud export MSMEs.
BNI continues to optimize the presence of BNI Overseas Branch Offices in Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, London, New York and the representative office in Amsterdam.
BNI has also conducted various business matching collaborations with the Indonesian diaspora to help MSMEs and business people penetrate the global market not only in BNI Overseas Branch Office location countries but also other countries including the United Arab Emirates and Australia.
"The hope is that more and more BNI small and medium business actors can collaborate and connect with international importer associations, so as to encourage national exports," she concluded. (*)