Kartini Muljadi
Not many women are listed in Forbes version of richest Indonesians, but Kartini Muljadi is one of those few. Born in 1930 and has Dutch blood, Kartini earned her rich from family business as well as her successful law firm. Her life works proved that she is an amazing woman with many skills and vast knowledge, and she is a living proof of how women also have the same opportunities with men to be successful. Kartini has also earned many awards thanks to her achievements in her life works.
Starting as Law Officer
Despite coming from a family that owns highly successful Tempo Scan Group (established in 1953), Kartini Muljadi did not get her wealth by running the company. In fact, she first started her career as a judge in Jakarta, before went to notary exam and ran her own notary office. She slowly gained popularity among many big companies during Indonesia economic booming period between the 70’s and the 80’s, and she earned her first wealth from this business after she failed to give decent income to her family with just a judge’s salary.
Although Kartini did not play active part in running Tempo Scan, she helped a lot in the development process of the company until it became one of the most successful companies in Indonesia. Even after retired from being a notary, and already got huge profits from her shares at Tempo Scan, she did not want to stop working. In 1990, she opened her own law firm, Muljadi & Partners, and focused on legal consultation for companies like she did with Tempo Scan and her daughter’s company, Indika Group. Her law firm later gained popularity as a top consultant for big business players, and she even helped many companies to recover during and after Indonesia monetary crisis in 1998.
Skyrocket Share Prices from Tempo Scan
Currently, big chunk of Kartini’s wealth came from Tempo Scan shares that she sold for about $218 million in 2013. She is also still active in her law firm; helping many businesses and companies while still supporting Tempo Scan and Indika Group, which has companies that deal in IT, production house, recording company, mining and many more. Her knowledge in business and law as well as her skill as notary and law consultant, plus her great ability to make the right decision, managed to land her on Forbes list of richest Indonesians among just the few women in the list.