BNI launches Chelsea cards

State lender PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) has agreed to cooperate with English Premier League soccer club Chelsea to publish BNI-Chelsea credit, debit and prepaid cards, the publicly-listed bank said on Sunday.

In a media statement on Sunday, the bank said that BNI president director Gatot M Suwondo reached the agreement with Chelsea leadership at the Stamford Bridge Stadium in London on Friday afternoon.

BNI, Asia’s first bank to cooperate with the club, which has won the coveted EPL title three times, expects to expand its customer-base to younger people with the BNI-Chelsea payment cards.

The bank said card holders would receive various benefits, such as the opportunity to acquire official Chelsea merchandise, including shirts signed by players of Chelsea’s main team.

“We are delighted to form this relationship with Bank Negara. BNI is a strong organisation and the right company with which to establish the club’s first commercial partnership in Indonesia,” Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said, as quoted by Chelsea’s official website www.chelseafc.com.

“We are sure that the many Chelsea fans who live in Indonesia will be keen to show their support by applying for Chelsea-branded payment cards. In turn, they will gain access to the many exclusive club-related benefits available to BNI/Chelsea FC cardholders. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with BNI in this key market.”

Gatot said the strategic partnership was for four years and expected it would strengthen BNI’s position as a lifetime partner for its customers.

He also expressed his enthusiasm regarding Chelsea’s plan to launch the soccer club’s Indonesian site in May, together with Chinese, Korean and Thai websites.

Co-branding will provide BNI with the opportunity to add to its existing 1.7 million credit card users, more than 10 million debit card users, and provide an alternative method of introducing BNI’s prepaid cards business to the people of Indonesia. (nvn)