Sinarmas Group’s Golden Agri-Resources mulls US$500 million investment plan to boost its presence in the oleochemical world, especially fatty acid. Djarum and Wings Group, meanwhile, expand their fatty alcohol business. Fatty acid and alcohols are two of the...
What more can I say? President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has once again claimed that eradication of corruption during his term is the most aggressive in Indonesian history. A naïve claim considering the poor performances of the two key law enforcement institutions...
The prevailing belief is that no one can compete with the Governor of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. But a friend of mine disagreed, he believed that the Mayor of Surabaya, Tri Rismaharini, could very well defeat Jokowi. At that time, I didn’t...
After divesting shares in Jakarta Garden City to Modernland for S$249 million and indirect ownership in Hotel Sedona, Manado last year, Keppel Land—developer of two office towers in Jakarta, reinvests in the city’s property market with plan to develop more...
Hanura Party, where Harry Tanoesoedibjo is the ‘campaign manager’, sets an ambitious target to come out as third largesy party in April election. Latest survey from Kompas, the largest newspaper in Indonesia, pointed to Hanura in sixth behind Nasional...
On May 16, 2013, Ottawa Holdings Pte Ltd, unit of MNC Investama (BHIT) issued US$365 million 5.875% Senior Secured Guaranteed Notes due 2018. Market price of the Notes, unfortunately, has dropped significantly in the past few months on potential higher risks because...
Bagus Group and its controlling owner enjoyed the boom of consumer market in recent years. The owner, despite controversies surrounding Kopitiam trade mark dispute, was elected chairman of The International Association of Fuzhou Corporation in December 2012 to lead...
Noble Group Ltd, one of the region’s major players in resources business, has acquired 100% shares in PT WHS Maritime Investment, which has involved in disputes with directorate general of customs and excise at ministry of finance. At the same time, Noble divested its...
In November 2013, we published an article about the possible political backlash that could hit the Governor of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, should the capital city get severely inundated. Sure enough, now that some parts of the city are immersed due to...
David Tendian, CFO of Adaro Energy (ADRO), predicted in May 2013 that coal prices would recover in the fourth quarter of 2013 to US$95-100 per ton. We all know that price of the commodity stopped falling in the quarter, but the benchmark price of Indonesian coal was...
