Bank Sumut opens Jakarta branch

JAKARTA: In an effort to attract more customers and serve a wider community, Bank Sumut, formerly known as North Sumatra Development Bank, opened its first Jakarta branch in Senen, Central Jakarta on Thursday.

Bank Sumut President Director Gus Irawan said that after establishing a strong footing in North Sumatra and surrounding provinces, the bank decided to play a greater financial role in the country.

"We are in a very good condition as Bank Indonesia has categorized us as a healthy bank. We are very profitable and have had continual growth in recent years. But Jakarta is the center of the country's financial activity so we must have a branch here," he said before the launching ceremony.

Gus said that they picked Senen as the location of their first branch in the capital because a survey conducted recently by the bank showed that many people from North Sumatra live and do business in the area.

"We believe that they are a captive market. We will capitalize on their emotional attachment to North Sumatra to attract customers," he said.

The bank has total assets of Rp 4.36 trillion, with a total profit of Rp 100.75 billion at the end of September. --JP