Jakarta, June 25, 2013 - Consistently serving and empowering low-income segments of society as well as micro and small enterprises, including the low-income productive communities, PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasiona Tbk (BTPN) continues to develop its business focusing on servicing and empowering the mass market segment. One strategic move was to develop a plan of developing BTPN’s Syariah Unit (UUS Bank's) into a Syariah Bank (BUS).
Currently, BTPN’s Syariah Unit is focused on serving and empowering women from low to moderate-income families. In BTPN Syariah, their service focuses on two core components, namely the empowerment of women and an integrated financial program for a better future.
"In line with the financial inclusion initiative, BTPN has been focusing on developing a business that is specifically designed to meet the banking needs of the low-income segment as well as micro and small enterprises, including low-income productive communities. Based on data from women in low-income families, there is a strong need to access banking services. We have designed an innovate business model that is tailored to their needs, "said Anika Faisal, Director of the Bank.
Anika further explained that this segment not only need access to finance, but also training and mentoring to enhance their capacity so that their business can grow in a sustainable manner. In a period of about 2 years, productive low-income woman who are being served by BTPN Syariah per March 31, 2013 reached 571 thousand, with a loan growth of 247% reaching IDR 621 billion, where the average loan is IDR 1.5 million rupiah .
In order to extend access to finance for women from low-income families, BTPN plans to develop its Syariah Unit into a Syariah Bank (BUS). As part of the plan, the Bank signed an agreement to become a shareholder in Bank Sahabat on Friday (21/6).
The signing of the agreement represents the commitment of both banks to BTPN’s plans to invest capital in Bank Sahabat, including a plan for Bank Sahabat to adopt Islamic banking principles which would be its new business platform.
Both banks see a huge opportunity in Islamic banking, especially in serving the low-income and productive segment of society at the bottom of the economic pyramid.
"In the future, competition in the banking industry will be increasingly challenging. It takes innovation and network development to provide the best service. To that end, we agreed to continue to develop a strong UVP in serving the low-income productive segment, through an integrated lending program with a social empowerment program, "said Anika.
In this capital plan, from the beginning, all parties will uphold and abide by prevailing rules and regulations. BTPN management and its shareholders have gone through a series of consultations and intensive communication with the regulator. Currently the application process for being allowed to invest is still awaiting Bank Indonesia (BI) approval.
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