Martua Sitorus (born 1960), also known as Thio Seng Hap (吴笙福), is a Chinese Indonesian businessman. He was once known as the fourth richest person in Indonesia (and #377 in the world), but had decreased to fifteenth by November 2013, according to Forbes. He and his partner, Kuok Khoon Hong founded Wilmar International, the largest palm oil producer in the world.
Wilmar’s business activities include oil palm cultivation, oilseeds crushing, edible oils refining, sugar milling and refining, specialty fats, oleochemicals, biodiesel and fertilizers manufacturing and grains processing. It has over 300 manufacturing plants and an extensive distribution network covering China, India, Indonesia, United States and some 50 other countries.
Personal life
Martua was born in Pematang Siantar, a town located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. After finishing high school, he continued to the University of HKBP Nomensen, Medan which was the largest city in North Sumatera to finish his economic degrees. During his teenager, Martua traded fish, when grown up he started his business as a palm oil and mesocarp trader.
Career
Martua along with Kuok Khoon Hong, the nephew of Malaysia’s richest tycoon Robert Kuok, founded Wilmar International Limited and by 1991 he owned 7.100 hectare of palm tree plantations, and also build his own palm oil refinery in North Sumatra. The Wilmar International business has grown rapidly; by 2013 Wilmar owns more than 50 other companies with 300 manufacturing plants around the world.[5] Martua also owns London skycraper Aviva Tower and a hospital in Medan, Murni Teguh Memorial Hospital, which is named after Martua’s mother, Murni Teguh. The hospital was launched on 12 December 2012 (12/12/2012).
In 2014, Sitorus formed a partnership with Roys Poyiadjis to create the largest biofuel power plant in Japan. The plant’s 20 year feed-in tariff is valued at $1.5 billion US dollars.
Summary
Martua Sitorus | |
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Martua Sitorus, February 2012
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Born | 1960 Pematang Siantar, Sumatera Utara |
Residence | Singapore |
Nationality | Indonesian |
Alma mater | HKBP Nommensen University, Medan |
Occupation | Co-Founder, COO (until July 2013) & Executive Chairman of Wilmar International |
Known for | Indonesia’s 12th wealthiest people (Aug 2014), 1046th world (Aug 2014) |
Net worth | US$ 24,7 billion (Aug 2014) |
Spouse(s) | Rosa Taniasuri Ong |
Children | 5 daughters |
Chinese Indonesian businessman Martua Sitorus has an estimated net worth of $1.45 billion as of April 2016 according to Forbes. He was once considered by Forbes as Indonesia’s fourth wealthiest man, but his net worth was reported to have declined during the last quarter of 2012. Together with Kuok Khoon Hong, Martua Sitorus is known to be the co-founder of the world’s largest palm oil industries, the Wilmar International. Among Sitorus’ businesses include oilseeds crushing, sugar milling and refining, oleochemicals, fertilizer manufacturing, grain processing, biodiesel, specialty fats, edible oils refining and oil palm cultivation. The company now has more than 300 manufacturing plants in the world and has an extensive distribution network in United States, Indonesia, China, India and fifty other countries.
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