Sime Darby Motors Ventures Into Indonesia Via Jv To Retail Bmw In Jakarta, Medan

JAKARTA, April 17 (Bernama) -- Sime Darby Bhd has entered the Indonesian automotive market via PT Performance Motors Indonesia, a joint venture (JV) between its subsidiary Sime Singapore Ltd and Galeon Group to grow its automotive operations in Asia Pacific.

The JV, which marks Sime Darby Motors’ first venture in Indonesia, gives the automotive arm of the group an immediate presence in Jakarta and Medan via two dealerships representing BMW and MINI.

Its group chief executive officer Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson said Galeon, having been in the automotive business since 1989, has the critical expertise and understanding of the local automotive scene.

“Indonesia, being a country with one of the largest automotive markets in the region, and with a large and fast-growing middle and upper middle class – is a very important market for us,” he said in a statement.

The current presence will serve as a springboard for the JV’s expansion into other provinces in Java and Sumatra, with the BMW Group seeking to grow its network in Indonesia.

“This is a clear sign of confidence in our presence here and the strong sales performance of BMW and MINI brands in this market, both of which set new records in 2022,” BMW Group Indonesia president director Ramesh Divyanathan said.

Meanwhile, Leonel Gozali, principal of Galeon Group, said the JV could speed up growth via brand expansion to include the MINI brand and expand its territory outside of current locations.

“With Sime Darby’s strong automotive and BMW experience, solid back-end systems and strong financial capacity to support growth, we’re confident that this partnership would bring success,” Gozali said.

-- BERNAMA