About BritCham Business Centre

The BritCham Business Centre, or the Overseas Partner Delivery (then: Overseas Business Network) was established in 2013, working closely with Department for International Trade (DIT) to support British SMEs for their market access into Indonesia.

Since then, the BritCham Business Centre has provided support to British SMEs, through trade missions, roadshows to the UK, bespoke assistances and other types of market access support. As of December 2020, BritCham Business Centre have provided over 250 business support services for British SMEs.

BritCham Business Centre successfully received the accreditation from British Chambers of Commerce United Kingdom (BCC UK) and until now, is a part of BCC UK's Global Business Network.

Through our services, we support British SMEs from various sectors that are scoping the opportunities, or would like to expand their existing reach in the Indonesian market.

For more information, contact us at businesscentre@britcham.or.id

  • BritCham Business Centre Services

    • Market Information

      Understanding a new market can be challenging. Our Sector Leads provide tailored market research reports that go beyond desk-based studies. Reports may include sector overviews, regulatory updates, market trends, and competitor or consumer insights, all designed to support British businesses in gaining a clearer picture of Indonesia’s business environment.

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      Roadshow Management

      We assist trade groups or associations planning to conduct trade missions to Indonesia. Our role includes coordinating introductions and arranging engagement opportunities with relevant local stakeholders. This allows participants to showcase their expertise, explore collaboration opportunities, and build valuable connections within Indonesia’s market landscape.

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      Visit Programme

      We connect British businesses with relevant local stakeholders, including private companies, potential partners, clients, and regulators. Through bespoke visit programmes featuring one-on-one meetings, businesses can explore mutual interests and expand their understanding of Indonesia’s market dynamics to support future engagement.

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      Trade Mission Management

      We facilitate virtual trade missions tailored to specific business objectives. These include online sessions and one-on-one meetings with country experts and relevant stakeholders. This approach enables participants to gain local insights, explore opportunities, and connect with potential partners in Indonesia through an accessible and efficient format.

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  • What They Said About BritCham Business Centre

    • "We are delighted to be in Jakarta with BritCham Indonesia, our super connectors and partners as part of the British Chamber of Commerce network. We’ve had a fabulous couple of days in Jakarta. And we’ve met with global Scots such as Ainsley Mann, creative businesses such as Juicebox and Moonfolks, and we’ve also had factory tours at the Dharma Group and we’ve got some really good meetings with Mott MacDonald. It’s been a superb couple of days with Chamber colleagues and members and we’re delighted to build on the collaboration in the future with BritCham Indonesia, exploiting the opportunities for Scottish companies exporting in the market but also working with Indonesian companies who would like to work in Scotland. We can’t wait to come back" - Richard Muir, Deputy Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

      "It’s been an absolutely fantastic experience. The team from the British Chambers here have really looked after us and I’ve been able to meet with companies like DIAGEO, who are one of my clients, but I’ve been able to see from a perspective of how they work in the market over here. And I’ve also had lots of great introductions and meetings with some other creative industries, some other agency owners like myself, to understand about how the creative industry works here, but also looking at potential partnerships, potential acquisitions, and trying to get, I suppose, just open my eyes to what Indonesia can offer to a UK company like mine. Yeah, it’s been a fantastic experience and I really enjoyed seeing what the city has to offer." - Andrew Dobbie, Founder of Madebrave

      "We are in Jakarta for the first time to make a pre-visit for our students visiting in June. We are so grateful to our partner at BritCham for the wonderful welcome and the help and support they given us on our visit." – Linda Skyes, International Co-Ordinator at Doncaster College

      "Jakarta is a wonderful vibrant beautiful city. BritCham has been absolutely amazing in facilitating our visit, and we cannot wait to work with them again in June and in the future." - Liam Marsh, International Placement Supervisor at Doncaster College

      “I think businesses have been quite interested in our products which is quite remarkable. The companies that BritCham has introduced to us, overall I would say that we’ve had a good interest from about 80%. I think we’ve had very very good interest from at least 40-50% which is higher than my expectation. I was expecting around about 20-25%. So, I think BritCham have done their homework.

      Sure, one or two meetings did not go as planned, but that was to be expected when you came to the new country for the first time. I was also surprised to find out that no companies were offering by-products to Indonesia. Once again thank you to BritCham and Shella who's been unbelievable.”

      Anthony Horner, Managing Director at Ideal Foods Ltd

      \“The visit met my expectations and the most useful component of the visit was the meeting with DIT and British Council where we were given a very good briefing.  The visit to Universitas Indonesia was also very good. We are planning to further develop our engagement with Indonesia. Overall, I was satisfied with the programme for what I needed at the time.  For a future visit, more bespoke arrangements to develop partnerships would be very helpful."

      Ruth Moir - Assistant Principal (International Development) at Heriot-Watt University

      “We couldn’t have done this without BritCham. They have been so helpful, informative, organised and a really good company. It has been a pleasure to work with BritCham and it feels as though they are part of our team.”

      Tara Unwin - International Development Manager and Headmaster’s PA at Lingfield College

      “General market and trade knowledge is good. To be very knowledgeable in the telecom sector would be unexpected - knowing who to contact and to get the meetings with the right people is more important for us and this objective was achieved!”

      James Taylor - Director for Business & Market Development at Methera Global

       

      "Outstanding. BritCham Indonesia did an absolutely fantastic job and really understood the Norvic proposition. BritCham Indonesia really worked hard to ensure all of our meetings were with appropriate potential customers. Expectations were vastly exceeded. Having used other Chambers of Commerce in Thailand and the Philippines, for example, I continue to be very impressed, but in this instance, overwhelmingly so. I can't think of any way to improve your services. It was an outstanding trade visit, aided by the Chamber for arranging the team to accompany me to all meetings, which made life so much easier, simpler and trouble free. Any company interested in expanding their market should engage with the British Chamber of Commerce in my opinion. Outstanding results and our exports will increase in consequence of this visit, which has been paid for already for business won. Thank you team."

      Richard Boddie - CEO at Norvic Aero Engines Ltd.

       

  • Doing Business in Indonesia

    • OVERVIEW

      Indonesia: A Country Too Big to Ignore

      Indonesia is the 4th largest country in the world with no less than 260 million citizens populating 17,491 islands in 2020. The vast archipelago of Indonesia represents more than 40% of both the GDP and population of ASEAN. The consuming middle class is estimated to number around 80 million in five years, 60% of whom will be under 32 years old. Indonesian demographics mean that there are opportunities across all sectors. There are also many opportunities for investors and venture capitalists therefore making Indonesia a country too big to ignore.

      The United Kingdom is one of the top 10 biggest investors in Indonesia, after Singapore, Japan, United States, South Korea, Netherlands and British Virgin Islands. These investors invest across sectors, from automotive, banking & finance, consulting, fast-moving consumer goods, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, oil & gas and retail. Based on our Business Confidence Index survey in 2019, 60% respondents have a very positive outlook towards the business environment in Indonesia, and almost 60% have expanded, or if not already, will expand their businesses.

      In 2019, our Executive Director, Chris Wren, had an exclusive interview session with the Vice Chairman of Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (KADIN), Anindya Bakrie, who is also the CEO of Bakrie & Brothers, one of Indonesia's very high profile business with diversified sectoral interests. In this video, Anindya shares more about KADIN's trade mission to the United Kingdom and his thoughts on how Indonesia and the United Kingdom can be more collaborative and do more together.

      To ensure success, you will almost certainly need the resources to support your market access endeavours. Our Overseas Partner Delivery (OPD) Team can support you with research, partner identification, visit programme, trade mission and event management services for British businesses. This information is accurate at the time of publication.

      For the most updated information, please contact us at businesscentre@britcham.or.id.

      Click here to learn more about our services and success stories from our past clients.

      Setting Up Business in Indonesia

      Investment Condition

      Indonesia’s investment performance has continued to trend positively, despite the recent global economic uncertainty. In turn, investment has become the main component to support economic growth, balancing out the slower exports experienced. As a result, Indonesia has continued to receive positive reviews. The current investment ratings thus reflect Indonesia’s resilience to the global financial crisis, improving government and external credit metrics, and the ability to manage domestic political challenges such as the reform agenda. These ratings are:

      1. Fitch Ratings (January 24th, 2020): affirmed Indonesia’s sovereign credit rating at “BBB” with a stable outlook.
      2. Rating and Investment Information, Inc (March 17th, 2020): affirmed sovereign credit rating of Indonesia at “BBB” with a stable outlook.
      3. Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd (January 31st, 2020): affirmed Indonesia’s foreign currency long term senior debt at “BBB” from stable outlook.
      4. Standard & Poor (April 17th, 2019): affirmed Indonesia’s sovereign credit rating, at “BBB” negative outlook.
      5. Moody’s Investor Service (February 10th, 2020): affirmed Indonesia’s foreign and local currency bond ratings at “Baa2” with a stable outlook.

      In terms of geography, direct investment realisation Indonesia is still highly concentrated on the island of Java, about 53.7% of total direct investment was allocated to Java. However, the current president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, commits to allocate no less than 63 (totalling approximately US$ 203,511 million) of the total national strategic budget, to improve the infrastructure outside the island of Java—such as building railroads, which expected to decrease the logistics costs in the outskirts and rural areas that could only be accessed by air transport.

      Read more about setting up business and investing in Indonesia here and here


      Regional Opportunities

      Following the re-election of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) for period 2020-2024, the Ministry of National Development Planning and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) announced the Medium-Term Development Plan 2020-2024 (RPJMN) in an effort to maximise and prioritise the development in five main sectors.

      Infrastructure Development

      Building infrastructures that connect large infrastructures with production areas, such as, small industries, special economic areas, tourism, paddy fields, plantations and fish embarks. Policy direction:

      • Establishment of highways, airports and trans Papua roads, in support of the national food and small industries and food estate in Merauke

      Connectivity to support tourism

      • Palapa Ring project, in support of the use of digital technology in Small and Medium Industries (IKM) towards Go-Digital IKM
      • Water resource infrastructure. The construction of reservoirs and water in the eastern region of Indonesia to support the development of Special Economic Zone Sorong and irrigation for plantations, rice fields and fish embark

      Human Resource Development

      Ensuring the health of pregnant women, infant, toddler and children, reducing maternal-infant mortality, increasing the quality of education and vocational training, building Indonesian talent management institutions, and support for high-talented diaspora. Policy direction (health & well being development):

      • Health improvements for mother and child to tackle maternal and child mortality, and improved reproductive health
      • Expansion and development of basic immunisation
      • Expansion of access and quality of family planning and reproductive health services
      • Acceleration in the reduction of stunting by providing parenting counseling and access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation
      • Strengthening the health system by reinforcing basic health services and referrals, increasing health workers’ competence and fulfilling pharmaceutical preparations and medical devices

      Policy direction (TVET development):

      • Industrial Cooperation based Vocational Education and Training, with an increased role and cooperation by industries
      • Reformation of the execution of education and vocational training which includes:
      • The alignment of curriculum, learning models and study programs
      • Dual TVET, teaching factory and apprenticeship/internship
      • Enhancing soft skills and foreign languages
      • Entrepreneurship in schools, madrasahs and pesantren
      • Apprenticeship for teachers/instructors in industry, as well as instructors/practitioners from industries

      Encouragement in Investment

      Inviting as much investment as possible to create more job opportunities, cut licensing, extortion and other investment barriers. Policy direction:

      • Action plan to increase the Ease of Doing Business Ranking
      • Coordination of Ease of Business and National Competitiveness Policies
      • Implementation of the simplification, harmonization and synchronization of investment licensing regulations at the level of central/ministry of institutions and regions.
      • Evaluation and implementation monitoring of regulations regarding Negative Investment List
      • Implementation and development of the Electronic Integrated Business Licensing System Coordination of investment development policy
      • Structuring of labour regulations

      Bureaucratic Reform

      Structural reforms in order to create institutions that are simpler, more rapid, faster service and granting permits, and efficient. Policy direction:

      • Implementation of e-services in the sector of licensing services
      • Expansion of integrated services in the licensing sector Development of an integrity zone in the licensing service unit
      • Structuring in the coordination with ministries and institutions that deals with sectoral licensing

      National Budget Plan (APBN) Allocation

      Guarantees a focused and target oriented use of the National Budget Plan (APBN) in ensuring that it provides economic benefits for the Indonesian citizens, improving social welfare.

      Noting the current situation of uncertainty, President Jokowi announced a revision of National Budget Plan allocation to support the medical and health sector, SMEs and other government stimulus in response to Covid-19. Despite this, Indonesia is still positive towards foreign investments, in particular the tech and digital sector.


      Source: Medium-Term Development Plan 2020-2024 (RPJMN), National Budget Plan 2020-2024 (APBN)

  • BritCham's Business Confidence Index

    • The Business Confidence Index (BCI) 2024 is the 9th annual survey designed and managed by British Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia (BritCham), supported by bp Indonesia, British School Jakarta
      (BSJ), Bumi Laut Group, CastleAsia, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Inke Maris & Associates, London School of Public Relations (LSPR), Noble Solutions, the Oval
      Partnership, and with Nielsen as the market research partner. The BCI represents the views of the corporate members of participating chambers on doing business in Indonesia, towards the regulation in Indonesia in relation to potential economic reform, the investment climate and future investment plans.

      The findings of the 9th International BCI, which shows a strong and continued willingness to invest further, but with confidence considerably softened at this present time, will be utilised by all partners and associated entities to both lobby for reform and to promote Indonesia as an investment destination. The chambers will use the outcomes in activities in respective countries with BKPM, Bank Indonesia, KADIN and other relevant stakeholders.

      For more information on BCI, kindly contact communications@britcham.or.id