Chairul Tanjung is the founder and Chairman of Para Group, Indonesia’s leading consumer focused business group. He has been described by Forbes as one of Indonesia’s rising stars and “is considered by some to be the new, young face of Indonesian business”.

In 2010 Mr. Tanjung was appointed as Chairman of the National Economic Committee by Indonesia’s President.  The Committee provides actionable strategic recommendations to the President on how to develop Indonesia’s economy in an inclusive, balanced and sustainable manner.

Para Group focuses on three core industry sectors: (1) Financial Services; (2) Media, Retail, Lifestyle, and Entertainment; (3) Natural Resources.

In Financial Services, the Group includes Bank Mega, a leading non-government bank, and Bank Syariah Mega Indonesia, a top syariah player. Other companies include Para Finance (consumer finance), Mega Life (life insurance), Mega Insurance (general insurance), and Mega Capital.

The Group is a major player in media, lifestyle, retail, and entertainment.  In Media, in 2001 the Group launched Trans TV which is an innovation and performance leader in Indonesian television. In 2006, the Group acquired another nationwide free-to-air channel, Trans7, and quickly achieved record profits.

In Retail, the Group acquired 40% of PT Carrefour Indonesia in 2010 to become the single largest shareholder in Indonesia’s leading retailer.  This partnership is generating major synergies and reversed the recent trend as an Indonesian company purchased a stake in a foreign retailer, not vice versa.

In Lifestyle, the Group holds the exclusive franchise for 15 international high-end fashion brands, operates over 40 branded boutiques in Indonesia, and expanded into Thailand in 2008.  Lifestyle also includes Coffee Bean and Baskin Robbins, leading travel agencies Antatour and Vayatour, and Metro, a top department store.

The Group’s Entertainment businesses include Bandung Supermal and Trans Studio Makassar, a world class integrated indoor theme park, retail, and resort destination.  Construction of the second Trans Studio is underway in Bandung.

Looking to the future, Mr. Tanjung envisions that Para Group will venture into the natural resources sector. Towards this end, the Group has started greenfield CPO plantations in Kalimantan.

Born in 1962, Mr. Tanjung has a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery from Universitas Indonesia and an MBA from Institut Pendidikan & Pengembangan Manajemen (Education and Management Development Institute).

His external roles include Chairman of the Indonesia National Kidney Foundation, Board Member of the Indonesian Committee for Humanitarian Programs, and Board of Trustees Universitas Airlangga.