Biography| Sukanto Tanoto
Tanoto whose real name is Tan Kang Hoo is a businessman or a conglomerate of success from Indonesia in 2006 in tasbihkan by Forbes magazine as the richest man in Indonesia, he led the company named PT Raja Garuda Mas are based in Singapore and its business in various sectors especially paper and palm oil sector so Tanoto dubbed The King of paper and palm oil. He is one of the successful entrepreneurs who invest in more than ten countries in the World. Tanoto born in Belawan, North Sumatra, December 25, 1949. He received his elementary education in Belawan in 1960 and then Sign SMP in the field in 1963. At the age of 12 years Tanoto already love to read anything, including books about the American Revolution and World War.
Tanoto claimed figure like her mother is firm and hard. Once upon a small loaf Sukanto go to the seaside. When I came home, was asked by her mother, she said fabricating, small Sukanto beaten wear rattan. "I am most eating cane," he recalls about the figure of the mother. But, with the hard-hitting nature, including in terms of business, he could become one of the top entrepreneurs Indonesia, leading a number of companies under the group of Raja Garuda Mas International. Tanoto aspires to be a doctor. "Before I go on to medical school, I became a doctor," he said. Because of the obsession that is, until 1973-1974, he was happy to use the name of the doctor Sukanto. But, when only 18 years old, his father, Amin Tanoto, sore stroke. The eldest of seven children then took over responsibility for the family: parents continue efforts to sell oil, gasoline, and car equipment. Jobs are familiar to him because after school she used to help her parents while reading a book. And, from there Sukanto alias Tan Kang Hoo first learn business skills including accepting reality and not give up under any circumstances, as well as solutions.
Moving from his hometown, Belawan, North Sumatra, Medan, he also sells auto parts, and transform the business into a general contractor and supplier. Once, coming Sjam, a Pertamina official of Aceh. "At that time I did not know if he's officials," recalls Sukanto. Offered cooperation work of the contractor, "Yes, necessarily would, wong I was young," he said. Not wasted the opportunity, at Pangkalan Brandan, North Sumatra, Sukanto building houses, installing air conditioning, plumbing, tractors, and make the golf course in Prapat. "That's my technical school," he said. To search for building materials, he had to go Sumbawa, Lampung, at the age of 20 years.
Clever see opportunities, while imports of plywood from Singapore to disappear in the market, he founded the company in the field of wood, CV Karya Pelita, 1972. "Our country is rich in timber, why do we import plywood" he said. "I was a pioneer," he said. When others have not made of plywood, it produces plywood and changed the company name into PT Raja Garuda Mas (RGM), which he was the managing director, branded Polyplex 1973. Plywood was imported into the European Common Market countries, the UK, and The middle East.
"Strategy of my competition was a two-step before people do," he said. When no one opened a large-scale private plantations, although it was already existing foreign estates, in Sumatra, Sukanto oil palm plantations on a large scale.
"Then we make Indorayon," he said. PT Inti Indorayon Utama (IIU) engaged in reforestation produces pulp, paper and rayon, and are able to supply quality seeds tree pulp maker in the country. The presence of the IIU was resisted by communities and environmental activists. Because, it is suspected, Lake Toba is severely polluted by the waste pulp. As a result, the IIU had closed.
But, Sukanto learn from mistakes, to not repeat the same mistakes. "What I learned from it (Indorayon), then I use in Riau," he said. In Riau, he opened Plantation Forestry and pulp mill that supposedly established the world's largest, PT Riau Pulp. Starting up in 1995, because of the crisis, the incipient in 2001. In the vicinity of the factory, together with non-governmental organizations, Sukanto create community development programs for local residents. "I do not love fish, but I teach fishing, that's what we do," he said. Among other things, the community development program: cattle, road construction, and agriculture. "My dream, when I got a hundred entrepreneurs Riau was so miliader, I'm happy," he said again.
Sukanto other businesses are banks. When the United City Bank is experiencing financial difficulties, in 1986-1987, he took over the majority of shares and rise with a new name: Unibank. In Medan, one of the cities in Indonesia, he ran in the property, by building the Union Plaza, then Thamrin Plaza. Not only in Indonesia, he expanded overseas, with co-owns oil palm plantations Advertisement National Development Corporation Guthrie in Mindanao, the Philippines, and electro magnetic in Singapore, as well as a paper mill in China (which is now sold to enlarge PT Riau Pulp) , Since 1997, Sukanto choose resides in Singapore with his family and took a head office in the land. Obsession, want to become entrepreneurs Indonesia that compete in the global arena, minimal in Asia. The ultimate goal, according to him, "How can we take advantage of us, to compete, at least in the Asian arena."
Now, in addition to the business, he wanted to write a book about how entreprenur crisis. "What I want to do is study how entrepreneurs in Europe that survive, the First World War, Second World War. How the Americans' through the crisis of 1930. How entrepreneurs in China, time change of regime, when the communists came in, how they survive. I will also learn how entrepreneurs through Latin America crisis, which in Brazil, "he said. "What the crisis led to the seeds entreprenur new," he said again.
Until now Sukanto still like to read books. Any book, either business or non-business. "Every time I go, I bring a book," he said. "If you take the travel, if not sleep, so, see," he said again. The benefit, according to him, in addition to updating the knowledge, it is also helpful in binis and social activities daily. One again, the man who mastered two foreign languages, Chinese and English, is happy learning. He never attended a course at Insead, Paris, at MIT, in addition to remain a participant in the Education and Development Management, Jakarta. Even now he sometimes took leave to attend short courses. "My career is one more: a professional student immortal," he said. Two-three weeks he went on leave to go to Harvard, Tokyo, London School of Economic, to update knowledge. Lastly, 2001, he attended the Wharton Fellows Program, USA, for six months, to learn dotcom.
"If the business key to my success: think, act, learn, read, hear, see. Secondly, if I do not know, I asked. I also do not feel embarrassed to tell my failure."
In addition, the handles: do the right thing, do the right thing. Do the right thing be interpreted as a guideline on the management pattern. Do the right thing has an emphasis on the importance of an action. "My principle, business and politics should not mix," says admirer plastic businessmen from Taiwan, Wai-Sze Wang, this. "There is no protection. Business, yes, the business, "he said.
For her business is to develop existing resources, responsive to one thing, consistently and responsibly for a better life. Principles and values he cherished a strong include "Continuous Improvement", which must continue to innovate and improvise in developing productivity, with. Time faster, higher quality with lower cost. There are some other things that he cling to, also the "Hand on / down to earh" where the attitude is our real action. "Do not spend time in vain, to do with always listen and be involved in it," he said at Tionghoanews.con. Integrity, which uphold the value of honesty and accountability. Teamwork, moving forward as a complementary team to progress together toward accordance with the original purpose. Next is to make sense of people, planet, profit, ie, any work done, the first is for the prosperity of the people, for the preservation of the world and can not be separated on the profits they make.
Until now, Pt. Raya Garuda Mas International has a permit and is headquartered in Singapore. He portray that business should be run with regard to life, like a tree. What is needed in the form of tree H2O and CO2, as its output O2. Tanoto childhood experiences were very hard, has given a lesson that was extraordinary and very serious effect on the success led some of his company. Life of childhood that discriminate against racial flowing in his body made him endure to get their rights. His journey as a businessman was not directly in the line at the top. He started everything from career low. But dramatically, he was able to survive and even take advantage of the crisis in Indonesia.
Note Tanoto net wealth is estimated at 2.8 billion US dollars was ranked as the 418th richest man in the world by Forbes magazine in 2012 ago. The man who now resides in Singapore has assets up to 12 billion US dollars. Tanoto Married with Tinah Bingei Tanoto and has four children. He likes to listen to classical music lightly.
