Private Client Services by Mercer
In this issue of Vision, we bring you a new perspective on Indonesia, the reasons why you need both a savings plan and life protection, and we share the innovations we’re developing to seamlessly deliver world leading the services to you.
Recent legislative changes in Indonesia could potentially transform the country’s economy. To understand why it’s now crucial to discard previously held assumptions about Indonesia and explore its extraordinary growth potential, PCS by Mercer spoke to Ms. Kexin Lim, Tax Partner at PwC Singapore and Mr. Andrias Hendrik, Tax Partner at PwC Indonesia. Together, Kexin and Andrias work on many market leading assignments along the Singapore-Indonesia corridor especially for private clients and family business groups. The conversation took place on 5 April 2021.*
Indonesia's Job Creation Bill (widely referred to as the Omnibus Law) passed on 5 October 2020 and effectively came into law almost a month later on 2 November. The Omnibus Law is aimed squarely at bringing greater flexibility and extensive reforms to the Indonesian economy. If it lives up to its ambitions, it has the potential to supercharge what is already the world’s 16th largest economy by nominal GDP.
The Omnibus Law is expediting approval processes, boosting the country's global competitiveness in manufacturing, simplifying business licensing procedures, enhancing the investment environment, and incentivizing onshore capital flow – in short, greatly increasing the ease of doing business and investing in Indonesia.
While implementing the revision of 79 laws is yet to be tested by time and the sheer number of simultaneous changes have the potential to produce unintended consequences, the Omnibus Law’s prospective impact on onshore and offshore investments as well as active business opportunities cannot be understated.
Incentives
The Omnibus Law is introducing strong incentives to Indonesia’s already dynamic and fast-changing market.
Key changes include broadening foreign investment in some rapid-growth sectors that were previously on the negative list. Telecommunication, technology, and media, including all telecommunication network and service activities, can now be 100% foreign owned compared with previous foreign investment restrictions of 67%.
Significant taxation changes are also taking place. Clearer tax-status definition and more transparent recognition of worldwide taxation status helps to encourage investment flow while full or partial tax exemptions for some reinvestments of onshore dividends are freeing up capital between active business and investments.
Key changes that could present game-changing opportunities
International Investors | Indonesian Investors |
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At a minimum, the incentives warrant a reassessment of the balance between investment and active business capital for those already in the Indonesian market. For those not yet in the emerging market, the incentives should prompt an exploratory conversation with experts on the archipelago.
Top five investment realization Q4 2020 – by country of origin** |
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1. Singapore | US$ 2.6 B (33.9%) |
2. China | US$ 1.3 B (17.3%) |
3. Hongkong | US$ 1.1 B (13.7%) |
4. South Korea | US$ 0.7 B (9.1%) |
5. Japan | US$ 0.5 B (5.9%) |
Opportunities
Strong venture capital, private equity and sovereign wealth f und flow into Indonesia indicate fundamental growth opportunities. Even beyond the Omnibus Law incentives, the emerging market is dynamic, innovative, flexible and has a unique energy – powered by ambition.
Also fuelling the economy are the country’s ever-growing middle class, digitization of the SMEs and traditional family-owned businesses (warungs), not to mention the underlining domestic demand in the world’s 4th largest population.
Whilst strong interest remains in the more traditional investment sectors of natural resources and infrastructure, the tech space is attracting significant global investment from behemoths like Google and Microsoft.
In late 2020, alongside Singapore’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, Microsoft announced it had made a "strategic investment" in e-commerce platform Bukalapak. This year, investments in the archipelago's other unicorns such as Gojek and Tokopedia are set to reach hundreds of millions.
An open mindset to leverage a constantly churning environment
The COVID-19 pandemic hurdles aside, Indonesia is moving fast. To fully explore its depth of potential and successfully maneuver through the legislative and directional changes, an open mindset is crucial, so is advice from experts who understand the country.
The speed of change, latent ambitions of a youthful and innovative populace together with the incentives and opportunities mean that it is time to seriously reframe Indonesia.
ihttps://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/countries-by-gdp
iihttps://foreigninvestment.bakermckenzie.com/2021/03/16/indonesias-new-investment-list-increases-fdi-opportunities-for-foreign-investors/
iiihttps://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/
ivhttps://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Spotlight/Indonesia-s-unicorns-lure-US-tech-giants-from-Google-to-Facebook
Kexin Lim
Andrias Hendrik
* PCS by Mercer spoke to Kexin Lim, Tax Partner at PwC Singapore and Andrias Hendrik, Tax Partner PwC Indonesia and this is an edited excerpt of our conversation.
This excerpt reflects their views and available data on Monday 5th April 2021. This article is general in nature and not intended as advice; it might not be appropriate to you.
PCS by Mercer are pioneers in remote client service for the ultra-high net worth. We are seamlessly delivering risk solutions despite global lockdowns and border closures. Bill Johnston, Global Head of Sales, explains how we are continuing to provide best-in-industry and personalized services to clients, wherever they might be in the world.
One of the privileges of wealth is that it tempers life’s extremes. Exceptional insulation, however, doesn’t negate the need for contingency plans. The pandemic and the ongoing global socioeconomic volatility have only further underlined the need to plan – for the unexpected and the unimaginable.
What does “Plan B” look like for high net worth (HNW) individuals? And how do you manage the vagaries of life on a generational scale?
PCS solution
Life protection for the unexpected
Life expectancy has more than doubled since the year 1900i, but life is finite and the unexpected does happen.
Life Protection is your family’s insurance against financial uncertainties, especially in the event of untimely accidents. It provides immediate and substantial liquidity when it is most needed, particularly for those with predominately illiquid assets.
The main “limitations” of a life protection plan are that it provides for one moment in time and that it doesn’t provide for the policyholder in their own lifetime – that’s where a life protection plan can work in synergy with a savings plan.
A Savings Plan can give you freedom of choice by giving you long-term financial certainty
Savings Plans are unique financial instruments that have evolved specifically to accommodate the unique needs of HNW individuals. It can actualize your foresight and vision – not just throughout your life, but for all the generations of your family to come.
The combined functionalities of savings plans are hard to replicate with any other single financial instrument without the additional complexity of holding structures such as trusts. Depending on the policy, it can also work in perpetuity – for all future generations. Extraordinarily flexible, the other benefits of savings plans include using it as:
1. A wealth accumulation and transfer solution
Savings plan is an invaluable wealth accumulation and management tool. Specifically designed to accrue over time and facilitate wealth transfer, it allows you to manage – in detail – how, with whom, and when you wish to share your assets. Policy ownership can be readily and continuously transferred, allowing you to leverage time and compound interest.1
2. A source of annuity
In fluctuating markets, having a source of steady income is more compelling than ever. If you don’t want/need the income at any time, you can choose to leave payments to accumulate.
3. A death benefit settlement option
One of the flexibilities in savings plans is that you can choose to assign beneficiary (ies) and distribute policy payments according to the policy owner’s wishes. This can be done as a lump sum or by annual installments over any prescribed period (up to 50 years).
4. Wide-ranging choices
A savings plan provides choices between:
5. No need for medicals
Savings plan policies are taken without the need for potentially lengthy and complex medical tests and underwriting.
You are unique and PCS by Mercer can customize life protection and a Savings plan for your unique circumstances. We will work with you to build contingency into every aspect of your and your family’s lives – now and always.
1Timescale is dependent on product purchased
ihttps://ourworldindata.org/life-expectancy
^Subject to bank approval
Daniel Ling
Senior Vice President
Private Client Services by Mercer Pte. Ltd.
We show you how Savings Plans and Life Insurance policies can work simultaneously to protect the long-term prosperity of an entire family now, and into the future.
Background
Solution
Working with their private bank and PCS by Mercer, the Clients set up:
Key takeaways
Daniel Ling
Senior Vice President
Private Client Services by Mercer Pte. Ltd.