five years; just a few years ago, it changed
every 10 years. It changes faster now and
we have to adjust,” Sadikin told Forbes
Indonesia in 2015.
Sadikin even makes time to pursue
his interests outside Bosowa. An avid
motorcyle racer, he is also chairman of
Ikatan Motor Indonesia for the current
term, from 2016 to 2020.
The Aksa family continues to be a major
force in Indonesian society. Even though Aksa
Mahmud has not had an active role in
Bosowa for the best part of a decade, he
still commands a net worth of more than
US$860 million and is number 34 on
Indonesia’s 50 Richest People, according
to Forbes.
With such a strong hold on the
Indonesian market, Sadikin hopes to elevate
Bosowa into a global player in the same
way his older brother lifted the company
from a local to a national player.
“Only businesses that are well prepared
can lead the transformation. That is what
motivates Bosowa to be dynamic and
adaptive to change,” Sadikin says. “Even
with all our achievements, we will never
stop moving forward.”“ The economy
changes every five
years; just a few
years ago, it
changed every 10
years. It changes
faster now and we
have to adjust.”
As well as his father and
brother, Erwin, Sadikin has a
spot in Indonesia Tatler’s 500
List, identifying the country’s
biggest movers and shakers.As might be the case with any family-
owned business, a decent succession plan was
always front of mind for the family patriarch,
who placed much of his attention on
maintaining strong relationships among the
family’s second generation (as well as Erwin
and Sadikin, there are three younger siblings,
Melinda, Atira and Subhan).
To maintain cohesion, the family meets
every quarter to discuss business and personal
issues, something Mahmud says instils a strong
ethical grounding in his children and plays a
major part in maintaining the sustainability of
the company. In addition, the family hopes to
turn Bosowa into a publicly listed company
before the next generation, currently
comprising 12 grandchildren, becomes
involved in the business.
In recognition of its success in Indonesia
and as a way of giving back to the local
people, Bosowa also established a not-for-
profit foundation focused on education,
humanities and culture.
One of the foundation’s initiatives is the
Bosowa Merit Scholarship, offered to students
from South Sulawesi “with high
achievements, honourable personalities and
strong leadership spirits”, an opportunity to
pursue an undergraduate degree at one of
Indonesia’s leading universities.
Despite the pressures, both personal and
professional, that go with handling a family
business, Sadikin remains unfazed. “The times
have changed. The economy changes every
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