Jakarta. The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has deepened its institutional ties across Indonesia’s business ecosystem through a series of high-level engagements in Jakarta this week, including renewed cooperation with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO), and discussions with Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency (Danantara).

Led by SBF Chairman Mark Lee, the engagements come as Singapore prepares to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027 and seeks to strengthen the role of the business community in building a more integrated ASEAN.

Advancing the SBF-KADIN Partnership

The visit reaffirmed the depth of the SBF-KADIN partnership. In a meeting graced by Deputy for Coordination of Economic Cooperation and Investment Edi Prio Pambudi, both sides reviewed the practical outcomes to be pursued under the three pillars of the two-year MoU signed during the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat in July 2026.

The areas of cooperation include digital enablement, including the rollout of SBF’s Trade AI Advisor (TAIA) Indonesia, described as the world’s first generative AI-powered trade platform; policy engagement through business forums and roundtables; and capability building through business matching and workshops.

Beyond trade, both sides also explored opportunities to deepen cooperation and exchange regional approaches to sustainability and decarbonization.

New Institutional Partnership with APINDO
SBF also signed an MoU with APINDO, represented by its chairman Shinta W. Kamdani, establishing a forward-looking framework for Singapore-Indonesia economic and business cooperation.

The MoU outlines three areas of collaboration.

First, both sides will facilitate cross-border business partnerships through business matching and partnership initiatives between Singapore companies and APINDO member companies.

Second, they will strengthen structured dialogue through roundtables, forums and other dialogue platforms involving businesses, industry stakeholders and relevant ecosystem partners. These platforms will facilitate the exchange of perspectives and the identification of shared priorities.

Third, the partnership will advance talent and workforce collaboration through skills development and talent exchange initiatives, including structured programs such as Tech, aimed at strengthening cross-border skills development, industry exposure and business linkages between Singapore and Indonesia.

The APINDO partnership provides a broader platform for practical Singapore-Indonesia business engagement spanning business partnerships, structured dialogue, talent exchange and workforce development.

Engaging Indonesia’s Investment Ecosystem
SBF also met with Danantara Chief Operating Officer Dony Oskaria to gain a better understanding of Indonesia’s investment priorities and identify opportunities for Singapore companies to contribute capital, capabilities and technical expertise to the country’s growth priorities.

The discussions covered opportunities across industrial development, infrastructure, the energy transition and downstream development initiatives.

Toward Singapore’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027

The Jakarta visit takes place ahead of Singapore’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027, a significant moment for regional business cooperation and integration.

Across the meetings, SBF and its Indonesian counterparts explored how deeper business-to-business ties could strengthen intra-ASEAN trade, build more resilient supply chains and expand access to regional markets for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), all of which are expected to be priorities under Singapore’s ASEAN Chairmanship agenda.

“Singapore and Indonesia will mark 60 years of diplomatic relations next year — six decades built on trust between our governments and businesses. This visit has reaffirmed the depth and practical value of our business-to-business ties,” SBF Chairman Mark Lee said.

“Building on our KADIN partnership, and now our new engagement with APINDO, SBF is committed to translating high-level cooperation into real opportunities for our companies — in cross-border trade, investment and capability building. As Singapore prepares to chair ASEAN in 2027, partnerships like these will be central to how we help businesses seize regional growth.”

APINDO Chairman Shinta W. Kamdani said the agreement should serve as a platform for delivering tangible outcomes rather than being an end in itself.

“The MoU is not the destination; it is the platform for what we can build together. Its real value will be measured not by the agreement itself, but by the business connections we create, the investment opportunities we unlock, the capabilities and talent we strengthen, and the stronger, more resilient business networks we build between Indonesia and Singapore,” Shinta said.

“Through this partnership, we seek to turn strategic alignment into tangible business outcomes and create new pathways for companies from both countries to grow together” she added.

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