The history of PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (“BRI”, “Bank”, or “Perseroan”) began in 1895 in Purwokerto, Central Java, by Raden Aria Wiriatmaja, originally to manage mosques’ cash, to be distributed to the public using a simple scheme. Throughout history, various names have been attached to BRI, beginning with “Hulp en Spaarbank der Inlandsche Bestuurs Ambtenaren”, Hulp en Spaarbank der Indlandsche Bestuurs Ambtenareen, Syomin Ginko, and finally, officially established as Bank Rakyat Indonesia on 18 December 1968 by virtue of Law No. 21 Year 1968.
In 1992, BRI changed its legal status to PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) by virtue of Law of Banking No. 7 Year 1992 and listed its stocks on Jakarta Stock Exchange, now the Indonesia Stock Exchange, on 10 November 2003, with the stock code BBRI. In 2007, BRI undertook strategic steps by acquiring Bank Artha Services (BJA), which was then converted into PT Bank BRISyariah. BRI’s Syariah Business Unit then was spun-off from BRI and merged into PT Bank BRISyariah (BRI Syariah) on January 1, 2009, and further on 3 March 2011 BRI acquired the shares of PT Agro Niaga Tbk from Dana Pensiun Perkebunan (Dapenbun).
Since its establishment, BRI consistently focuses on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), and became the pioneer of microfinance in Indonesia. The Bank maintains its commitment until today, and with the support of its experience in delivering banking services, especially in the MSME segment, BRI has been able to record the achievement of being the most profitable bank in 13consecutive years. Such an achievement is the result of hard work of all BRI employees who ceaselessly innovate and develop banking products and services for all business segments.
Through innovation, BRI is able to respond to any developments in society and the business world. One of them is the development of technology. BRI is the first to provide banking self-service in Indonesia through BRI Hybrid Banking in 2013.
BRI also brought its technology-based banking services to every corner of the country, even to the small islands of the archipelago. In 2015, BRI launched Teras BRI Kapal, the world’s first ever sea-floating banking service. Then, in 2016, a new history was made. On June 18, 2016 18:38 pm Kourou time, French Guiana, BRI launched BRIsat, making it the first bank in the world that owns and operates its own satellite. The procurement of this satellite was part of BRI’s strategic plan to strengthen the supporting infrastructure for digital services of the future, which could offer quality banking technology from the center of the city to the remote areas of the nation.
