Morgan Stanley remains upbeat on RI, opens local branch

Ika Krismantari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta 

Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, the United States financial giant Morgan Stanley has officially opened its doors in Indonesia in a decision which reflects investor confidence toward the country's economy in general. 

Morgan Stanley Asia Indonesia president director Inghie Kwik announced Monday the opening of the company's local branch after it had secured licenses from the country's stock market regulator (Bapepam) in July. 

"This (decision to open a branch) is a long term investment for us...compared with Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam Indonesia is a very big country, its population and its associated industries, such as retail, consumer goods and telecommunications are examples that the country's potentials remain promising despite the global financial crisis," Inghie said. 

The decision, he said was also part of the company's long term strategy in expanding its operation in Southeast Asia's emerging markets. 

The Jakarta office is the fifth Morgan Stanley branch operating in the Southeast Asia region. 

Morgan Stanley's presence in Indonesia dates back to the 1990s, when the company supported local companies in international fund raising and in advising on merger and acquisition plans. 

As its confidence grew on the economy, the company established a supporting office in 2005 and it then sought a brokerage and underwriting license from the regulator. 

Inghie said the Jakarta office would focus on providing services related to capital market businesses, including bond issuance and initial public offerings (IPOs) and also on mergers and acquisitions. 

"We believe the stock market will be normal again, but we don't know yet if the recovery curve is going to take an L shape, a U or a V," he said when asked his view on the local bourse, which has felt the impact of the global financial crisis. 

Next year, Morgan Stanley has been given a mandate to underwrite four IPOs worth about U$600 million in total, Inghie said. 

The company, whose largest shareholder is now Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, was the financial advisor to the country's second largest IPO, that of Adaro Energy worth $1.3 billion in July. 

It was also the sole financial advisor for the selling of the local bank Buana to Singaporean UOB and the merger of Lippo Bank and Bank Niaga. 

Aside from capital market services, the company will remain open to opportunities for expanding its business to other sectors such as commodities or real estate, the two sectors where Morgan Stanley has enough experience consider expansion. 

The company will host a reception in Jakarta next week to market the formal opening of Morgan Stanley's office in Indonesia. 

Morgan Stanley, with 600 offices in 35 countries, had $736 billion of assets under management worldwide as of Aug. 31 this year.