ASII: From Soeryadjaya to Prajogo, Government, and Finally to Jardine
Astra International (ASII) is not just a conglomerate but a reflection of Indonesia’s economic and industrial transformations, with all its highs and lows, triumphs and failures over the past 68 years.
Founded in 1957, ASII has lived through economic turmoil, political upheavals, policy shifts, and financial crises in Indonesia, shaping itself into one of the country’s most important companies.
Its history is also inseparable from the sacrifices of its founders, particularly William Soeryadjaya, whose decisions determined Astra’s fate over the following decades.
This is a story of how ASII went from a family-owned to a foreign-owned company, and how many Indonesian conglomerates became shareholders before it was eventually acquired by Jardine Group.
