Why did I go to Indonesia? Why should you go?
My answer is simple: I was given the opportunity, having just turned 30, to work for KPMG in the Asia Pacific region, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
The then regional head of KPMG was a Scot (possibly known to those of you who follow the lower divisions of Scottish football…..he’ll not be happy with me for saying that!) and he had determined that his operations in the region could benefit from an influx of C.A.s, trained in Scotland by the original institute (ICAS). I received a phone call outlining the opportunity, applied…. and five months later was on a plane, with a new suitcase, (a leaving present), and with a shipment of my worldly possessions following on. It is probably worth noting that many of these possessions never saw Indonesia….not because of any issues with the shipment, but because after receiving it I never felt the need to open some of the boxes!
The original idea was that I would go for a two and a half year contract. I had never considered working abroad, despite the prompting of a manager in my original training firm, but must admit that I was attracted by the salary package and the ‘adventure’ and as my old boss said on hearing the news during a chance meeting in Safeway (that’s how long ago it was!), I “could always come back”.
For almost sixteen years I worked my way from Manager to Partner in KPMG, assisting MNCs with their Indonesian tax issues and eventually establishing a successful Transfer Pricing group. I moved on in 2013 - ‘graduated’ in the words of some of the more junior staff at KPMG - to establish the Indonesian tax practice for a very progressive regional law firm (VDB Loi) which had a focus on frontier markets and became the No. 1 legal firm in Myanmar (and arguably Cambodia & Laos). The Vietnamese and Cambodian entities are now member firms of Andersen Global. In the remainder of the jurisdictions we are collaborating firms. VDB loi always had a big focus on tax in addition to legal and added accounting and payroll services. In Indonesia our firm does all except the legal part and we have developed a separate system and brand - ‘garven.solutions’.
Twenty six years on from that original phone call, I felt I had possibly overstayed my ‘two and a half year contract’ and I brought my (Indonesian) family back to Scotland. Many factors led to my wish to return but the COVID experience was the catalyst in the final decision - remote working was now the norm and I realised that most of what I was doing could be done from anywhere.
One of my aims in returning to Scotland was to be closer to what should be my core client base. Our focus is assisting on tax (and accounting) issues for foreign investors in Indonesia and we have clients from all over the world…..and yet in 28 years providing these services (as the only UK national in such a role) I only recall having two or three clients with a Scottish connection…..and not much more from the other nations of the UK. My hope is to rectify that and be of assistance to any Scottish (or UK) entities facing issues in Indonesia. Myself and my team in Jakarta (currently 15) can assist directly with tax, accounting, payroll and related needs…or point you in the right direction/make introductions for other issues.
Why should YOU go to Indonesia?
From a business perspective, assuming you’re not already investing/transacting:
- Largest economy in SE Asia (ASEAN), a market of 600m people
- Significant and growing internal market - 280+m people, 5%+ GDP growth. Consumer class predicted to be >90m within five years
- Stable politically and economically - improving business environment
- Specific opportunities include those related to the focus on downstreaming (nickel, bauxite, copper), the sovereign investment fund - Danantara (infrastructure, housing) Health & Education/Skills development, Food security & agriculture, Energy security, Digital economy but there really is scope in all sectors
From a tourism perspective (also a business opportunity), a.i. provides the following (edited) list of attractions:
- Stunning natural beauty - Bali is well known, but it is only one island (of more than 17,000). The country is vast and diverse and there are sights to see everywhere: Mount Bromo, Labuan Bajo,Lake Toba……
- Rich cultural heritage - Again, diverse and colourful traditions and sights abound: Borobudur, Tanah Lot, Toraja…
- Adventure & wildlife - Volcanoes, Reefs, Orangutans, Dragons!
- Delicious, affordable cuisine - each region has it’s specialties and all (well, most) are fantastic….and cheap
- Hospitality - Indonesians are very friendly. The nightlife and social scene in Jakarta is sophisticated (or down to earth if you prefer) and vibrant
- Affordability - 5 star hotels for less than £100/night; delivery services for almost anything on demand
If any of the above sparks an interest or you or your contacts have any need for assistance regarding Indonesian business or visits, please do get in touch.
P: 07553 139060