How Sukanto Tanoto Deals with Crisis

Sukanto Tanoto, who realized two great improvements at the two time’s great economic depressions of oil crisis and financial crisis, has his own deep experience in the crisis. He said: “There are also good opportunities in the crisis. Whether you could transfer crises to opportunity lies in your solid foundation. You should do things steadily and surely, just like a tall tree needs a profound root; a tall building needs firm ground. Furthermore, at the critical moment, you should be clearheaded, have faith and be confident. When the darkness ends, the brightness is sure to come. When you are in the brightness, don’t be proud. Not only confidence is needed, you must see through what will happen next, and have the ability to cope well and get hold of.”

Sukanto Tanoto

“Don’t put eggs at one basket” is Sukanto Tanoto’s another strategy. What is valuable is that he never puts the egg in a basket that has nothing to do with his core advantage. In these decades, he has been carrying on long-term, sustainable strategic investment around resources. In the words of staff of his company: President Sukanto Tanoto knows forever what he can do, and what he can’t do.

Sukanto Tanoto’ s own view of this is: When enterprises reach a certain scale, they do not make money, but make an industry. Undertaking should be made interesting and meaningful, deserve pride, and should be useful to society.

That is why to benefit the society, Sukanto Tanoto ensures that RGE and related companies build true quality with three “benefits”.

“Now when I do anything and engage in any trade, I will consider ‘three benefits, that is benefit to government, to local people, and then to enterprise. Pursue harmonious development of people, enterprise and nature is continuous development process. If the people and government can’t reap benefits, your enterprise will not last long. However, if what the enterprises do is useful to ordinary people and local government, they definitely can survive for a long time and not forgetting, still make money.