Doing Business in Asia part 1. Intro

I would like to move the narrative more towards business in Asia. I have spent a great deal of time on Brexit, for this I make no apology as it is a subject in my opinion that needs clarity through facts. That is what I have tried to achieve. 

When, I set this blog up I fully intended to deal with the intricacies of doing business in Asia more specifically Indonesia.  I have no intention to abandon the Brexit subject but perhaps spend a little less time on this particular operation and hope that it moves to a successful conclusion.  After which, we the UK can return to being the cohesive power house we once were.

Asia is home to some 5Billion people 70% of the world's population. PWC identify; By 2030 4 of the top 5 economies will be Asian. 1. China, 2. USA 3. Japan, 4. India, 5. Indonesia.  Asia across the top 30 will generate $70trillion in GDP.  Asia is home to 65% of the world's largest cities, currently 35% of the world's economy, 6 of the 10 largest banks, 8 out 10 largest armies, 5 nuclear powers. It is the most culturally linguistically diverse region on the planet. Not only is it the future it is the present, and we must focus on this region.  It will shape all our futures through this Century!

Business Climate Indonesia.

I will spend time on Indonesia as it is here where I have spent considerable time.  I first came here in Nov. 1985.  Indonesia is a vast archipelago consisting of over thirteen thousand five hundred islands.  If you lift Indonesia off the map and overlay on Europe it would stretch from London to Tehran.  It is home to two hundred and sixty million upwardly mobile individuals.  According to the World bank one in 5 individuals belong to the middle classes, that's fifty-six million people. There is another 35% that are considered no longer to be living in poverty and nor do they show a risk to fall back into poverty.  Much has been done over the last two decades to bring Indonesians out of poverty.

Mount Ijen East Java

The Indonesian government are stabilizing their accounts, their tax structures and have embarked on an infrastructure build to assist the country to grow and grow significantly.

Java is the main island with a population of 141M people. Java is over a 1000 km long.  Its capital Jakarta situated in the west of Java and Indonesia's 2nd largest city Surabaya in the East.  Indonesia is blessed with huge deposits of minerals.  It is a volcanic archipelago with 76 deemed active. Indonesia sits on what they call the ring of fire.  It straddles many of the earths plates and is susceptible to high magnitude earthquakes. It should be noted that the scenery in many rural parts is just stunning, mountain ranges, rice terraces with tropical forests and jungles.  All of this due to the geological activity that has played out over millions of years.

76 active Volcanoes

Over the next few months I will try to explain the intricacies of doing business in Indonesia, the opportunities along with cultural taboos.  There is an anti corruption focus to reduce the burden on the country finances.  The shades of grey which exists within business and in the way business is conducted.  This can be alien to businesses that are used to black and white operating structures.