CNBC Insight Learn from Prabowo’s younger brother, here’s how to have assets of IDR 10 trillion Entrepreneur – 21 hours ago

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The Djojohadikusumo family is a well-known family breed in Indonesia. There is Margono Djojohadikusumo, economist and founder of Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI). Then, there was Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, an Indonesian economist during the Old Order and New Order. While the most well-known name is Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo, the Minister of Defense of Indonesia.

However, there is one name from the Djojohadikusumo family that is quite forgotten. He was Hashim Djojohadikusumo, son of Soemitro and Prabowo’s younger brother. One of the reasons his name doesn’t shine like the others is because he is not active as an intellectual and on the country’s political stage. This is because Hashim has always been involved in the business world and has Rp. 10 trillion in cash. What’s the story?

Hashim Djojohadikusumo is the 4th child of Soemitro Djojohadikusumo and Dora Sigar who was born on June 5, 1954. Since he was little, Hashim dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot. However, his dream had to run aground when he found out that his eyes were minus and he had to wear glasses.

As a result, writes William Pratama Subagja in Indonesian Supertajirs (2013), he then chose to study abroad. It is known that he went to California, USA, to study business at Panoma College in 1976. After graduating he went to France to do an internship as a financial analyst at a well-known investment company, Lazard Freres Et Cie.

Hashim argued that his activities abroad were carried out because he did not want to be seen as taking advantage of his father’s power. Because, at that time Soemitro was on duty as Indonesia’s Research Minister for the 1973-1978 period. It was only when his father retired that Hashim returned home and started a business in Indonesia.

“I just don’t feel comfortable. So when I go home, my father no longer holds a position. It’s better, no one accuses me of doing business because of my parents’ facilities,” Hashim said as quoted by Didin Abidin Masud in The Struggle of 26 Indonesian Managers Towards Success (1997).

In Indonesia, Hashim immediately became a director of Sumitro’s business consulting firm, Indo Consult. After two years, in 1980, he started to establish his own company, namely PT Era Persada, which was engaged in the trading sector. It was at this point that Hashim’s business idea emerged. He wants cement business.

Still quoting William Subagja’s explanation, Hashim sees that cement is a potential business. The massive development during the era of President Soeharto definitely required cement as a basic material. And this business will definitely not die and it will always need many people going forward. Perhaps, Hashim learned from tycoon Sudono Salim who was successful after establishing the first cement factory with the Indocement brand.

As a result, it didn’t take long for Hashim to enter the cement industry. The name of the factory is Semen Cibinong. Luckily, when starting a business, there was a shortage of cement supply in Indonesia. Semen Cibinong, which had just been born, was immediately attacked by the community so that the company’s profits multiplied.

Slowly, not only cement, Hashim is also listed as a business in other sectors. It is known that he owns PT Tidar Kerinci Agung, which is engaged in the palm oil industry. Then, there is PT Prahabima which owns the Asia Development Bank. There is also PT Tirtamas Majutama which is engaged in resources, manufacturing and trade. Finally, he owned PT Bank Universal and PT Ina Persada.

Not only that, Hashim’s business has also reached overseas. According to a Tempo report (January 28, 2008), Hashim once owned oil fields in Kazahstan and black gold wells in Azerbaijan and the United States. During the New Order era, Hashim’s business was relatively strong. During the 1998 monetary crisis, Hashim’s business faltered, but has survived to this day.

Now, all of his businesses are under the auspices of the Arsari Group, which was founded in 2013. Thanks to his large business network, Hashim was once named by Forbes as the 40th richest person in Indonesia with assets of US$ 685 million or Rp. 10.4 trillion.

Not only focusing on business, Hashim is now exploring the political and philanthropic sectors. In politics, he is a top official of the Gerindra Party, which makes him Indonesia’s richest politician. While in philanthropy, he is active in the rehabilitation of Sumatran tigers and rescuing historical objects abroad.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(mfa/wur)