TNS Indonesia rebrands

TNS Indonesia rebrands

JAKARTA: Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS), one of the world's leading market information groups, has announced that it was renaming itself into its acronyms TNS after bringing its entire worldwide operations into one single brand.

TNS said in a statement that after the rebranding move, the company remains committed to Indonesia, where it has operated over the past 22 years.

"The market research industry is facing the real threat that our currency of information is becoming increasingly devalued," Hans Lang, TNS Indonesia managing director said.

"Indonesia is a good example of this where businesses are increasingly challenged with tighter margins and more challenging market conditions," he said.

The new TNS brand was developed by global brand consultancy Wolff Olins and is based on the idea of being "the sixth sense in business", the statement said. -- JP

;AFP; ANPAf..r.. CorporateBrief-Maspion-IPO Maspion to launch IPO JP/JAPAN

Maspion to launch IPO

JAKARTA: Electronic and household goods producer PT Maspion plans to sell 25 percent of its shares through an initial public offering (IPO) next year.

The company said on Tuesday that it had also planned to issue Rp 500 billion (US$60.2 million) worth of bonds next month, mainly to refinance Rp 318 billion in debts.

The bonds will have a fixed rate of between 13.25 percent and 13.75 percent with a maturity period of five years. The bonds had earned an A rating from local rating company PT Pefindo.

The company had appointed PT Danareksa Sekuritas as the underwriter for the bonds offering.

Maspion recorded a drop of Rp 1.8 trillion in 2002 sales from Rp 2 trillion in 2002. -- JP

;AFP; ANPAf..r.. CorporateBrief-Mandiri-IPO Mandiri to seek IPO approval JP/JAPAN

Mandiri to seek IPO approval

JAKARTA: State Bank Mandiri will hold a shareholders meeting on Thursday to seek approval for a planned initial public offering (IPO) next month.

The deputy of the offices of the State Ministry of State Enterprises, Mahmuddin Yasin, said on Tuesday that the bank would sell 15 percent of its shares.

He said that the bank planned to register the IPO plan with the Capital Market Supervisory Agency (Bapepam) later this week.

Mahmuddin also said that the meeting would also discuss the bank's capital condition and the appointment of a new board of directors. -- JP

;AFP; ANPAf..r.. CorporateBrief-Telkomsel-IPO Govt to delay Telkomsel IPO JP/JAPAN

Govt to delay Telkomsel IPO

JAKARTA: The Indonesian government said Tuesday it will delay a plan to divest its stake in cellular phone company PT Telekomunikasi Selular Indonesia, or Telkomsel, through an initial public offering (IPO) to next year.

"We won't do the Telkomsel IPO this year," Mahmuddin Yasin, a deputy to the Minister of State Enterprises' Affairs told Dow Jones Newswires.

He said the decision to delay the IPO came after the government received a letter from the management of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), which owns a 65 percent stake in Telkomsel, asking for more time to prepare for the share sale.

Mahmuddin didn't elaborate.

Last month, the state-owned enterprises ministry told Telkom's management to prepare for the Telkomsel IPO in September or October.

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., or Singtel, holds the remaining 35 percent stake in Telkomsel. The government holds a 51.2 percent in Telkom. -- Dow Jones