Our Leadership

Mr. Franky Widjaja is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Agri-Resources Ltd (“GAR”) and a member of its Nominating Committee and Remuneration Committee. He has been a Director and Chief Executive Officer of GAR since 1996; and Chairman since 2000. His last re-appointment as a Director was in 2019.

Graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan with a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce in 1979, Mr. Franky Widjaja has extensive management and operational experience. Since 1982, he has been involved with different businesses including pulp and paper, property, chemicals, telecommunication, financial services, and agriculture.

Mr. Franky Widjaja also sits on the board of directors of Sinarmas Land Limited (“SML”) and Bund Center Investment Ltd (“BCI”), both listed on the Official List of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. He has been a Director of SML since 1997; the Executive Chairman of SML since 2006; and a Director of BCI since 2009.

In addition, he is a member of the boards of several subsidiaries of GAR, SML, and BCI. Since 2003, Mr. Franky Widjaja has been the President Commissioner of PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Tbk, a subsidiary of GAR listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

Currently, Mr. Franky Widjaja is the Co-Chairman of Partnership for Indonesia Sustainable Agriculture (“PISAgro”); Co-Chair of World Economic Forum (“WEF”): Grow Asia, and he is a member of WEF: Global Agenda Trustee for World Food Security and Agriculture Sector; Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (“KADIN”) for Agribusiness, Food and Forestry Sector; and a member of the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (“GAPKI”).

From 2007 to 2015, Mr. Franky Widjaja was Vice President Commissioner of PT Bumi Serpong Damai Tbk and PT Duta Pertiwi Tbk; and he was also Vice President Commissioner of PT Puradelta Lestari Tbk until his resignation in May 2016, all of which are subsidiaries of SML listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

Mr. Muktar Widjaja is an Executive Director and President of GAR. He has been a Director since 1999; President since 2000; and was re-designated as Executive Director and President on 1 March 2018. He was Non-Executive Director from December 2006 to 28 February 2018. His last re-appointment as a Director was in 2018.

Mr. Muktar Widjaja, aged 65, obtained his Bachelor of Commerce in 1976 from the University Concordia, Canada. Since 1983, Mr. Muktar Widjaja has been actively involved in the management and operations of the property, financial services, agriculture, chemical and pulp and paper businesses.

Mr. Muktar Widjaja is a member of the boards of several subsidiaries of GAR and SML. He is Vice President Commissioner of PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Tbk, a subsidiary of GAR listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Mr. Muktar Widjaja is a Director and, since December 2006, the Chief Executive Officer of SML. He is President Commissioner of PT Bumi Serpong Damai Tbk, PT Duta Pertiwi Tbk and PT Puradelta Lestari Tbk, all subsidiaries of SML listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

Mr. Rafael Buhay Concepcion, Jr. is an Executive Director and the Chief Financial Officer of GAR. He was appointed as a Director of GAR in August 2002 and as its Chief Financial Officer in January 2013. His last re-appointment as a Director was in 2019.

Mr. Concepcion, aged 53, studied at the University of the Philippines where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Economics in 1988.  He later obtained a Master in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines in 1992 with scholarship from SGV Philippines.

Mr. Concepcion worked on regional projects and has extensive experience in corporate and financial planning. After 5 years with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Concepcion joined PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Tbk, a subsidiary of GAR listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, and now holds the position of Commissioner. Mr. Concepcion also sits on the boards of several subsidiaries of GAR.

Mr. Lew Syn Pau is a Lead Independent Director of GAR, Chairman of its Audit Committee, and member of its Nominating Committee and Remuneration Committee. He re-joined GAR’s Board of Directors in December 2007. Prior to that, Mr. Lew was a Director of the Company from 1999 to May 2007. His last re-appointment as a Director was in 2017.

Mr. Lew, aged 66, obtained a Master in Engineering from Cambridge University, UK and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University, USA. Mr. Lew was a Singapore Government scholar.

Mr. Lew sits on the boards of several companies listed on the Official List of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited, namely, Broadway Industrial Group Ltd, Food Empire Holdings Ltd, Golden Energy and Resources Limited, SUTL Enterprise Limited and Sinarmas Land Limited.

Mr. Lew was Senior Country Officer and General Manager for Banque Indosuez Singapore, where he worked from 1994 to 1997. He was General Manager and subsequently, Managing Director of NTUC Comfort from 1987 to 1993 and Executive Director of NTUC Fairprice from 1993 to 1994. Mr. Lew served as a Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2001. He was President of The Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation from July 2002 to June 2006.

Mr. Foo Meng Kee is an Independent Director of GAR, Chairman of its Nominating Committee and Remuneration Committee and a member of its Audit Committee. Mr. Foo joined the Board of Directors of GAR in 2017 and his last re-appointment as a Director was in 2018.

Mr. Foo, aged 70, holds an MBA from the University of Dubuque, USA; Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management from the Singapore Institute of Management; and Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the Nanyang University of Singapore.

Currently, he is the principal owner of M K Capital Pte Ltd and M K Marine Pte Ltd. Since 2001, he has held various positions as an independent director of several companies listed on the Official List of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. From 1976 to 1998, Mr. Foo was with Hitachi Zosen Singapore Limited (now known as Keppel Shipyard Limited). When he was the Managing Director of Hitachi Zosen Singapore Limited, he led in the listing of the company on the main board of the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Mr. Foo has also previously served on the Committees of the Association of Singapore Marine Industries and the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists’ Association.

Mr. Kaneyalall Hawabhay is an Independent Director of GAR. He was appointed as a Director of GAR in May 2003 and his last re-appointment as a Director was in 2019. He was member of its Audit Committee from 21 February 2006 to 24 April 2019.

Mr. Hawabhay, aged 72, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Mr. Hawabhay was Partner (ABAS) of BDO & Co, Mauritius from 2007 till his retirement in June 2018.

He has been a Partner (Assurance and Business Advisory Services (“ABAS”)) of De Chazal du Mée & Co, Mauritius from 1987 to June 2002, and a Director of Multiconsult Limited from July 2002 to 2005.

Mr. Christian G H Gautier De Charnacé is an Independent Director of GAR and a member of its Audit Committee. Mr. Christian G H Gautier De Charnacé joined the Board of Directors of GAR in November 2018. His last re-appointment as a Director was in 2019.

Mr. Gautier De Charnacé, aged 70, graduated from Institut d’ Etudes Politiques de Paris in Economy and Finance, and he also holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Law in Paris.

Mr. Gautier De Charnacé currently sits on the Board of Commissioners of PT BNP Paribas Sekuritas Indonesia as an independent President Commissioner. He was an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of Directors of Millenium & Copthorne Hotels PLC till 10 October 2019 before it was delisted on the London Stock Exchange on 11 October 2019.

Mr. Gautier De Charnacé was CEO Investment Banking Asia Pacific at BNP Paribas Bank (“BNP”) prior to retiring in 2017, having held that position since 2013. He was with BNP since 1980. When he was with BNP, he was Head of Paribas branches and region in Seoul, Taipei and Los Angeles / Western US region (1980 – 1990); Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific region based in Paris (1991 – 1993); Managing Director and successively Head of Capital Markets and Corporate Finance for Asia Pacific based in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Hong Kong (1993 – 2013). Mr. Christian G H Gautier De Charnacé started his career in banking at Bank of America and he was Vice President of Multinational Division Paris and Houston (1973 to 1980).

Mr. Khemraj Sharma Sewraz was appointed as a Non-Executive Independent Director of GAR on 15 November 2019.

Mr. Khemraj Sharma Sewraz, aged 69, is a fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA), and a member of the Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners (STEP). He trained and worked in London, and has over 30 years’ experience in the audit, tax and advisory fields.

Since August 1989, Mr Sewraz is the Managing Partner of Crowe ATA, Mauritius, which provides professional services. He is also a Director of Crowe Mozambique Limitada, Chexsys Consulting Ltd, HS Corporate Services Ltd and Al Jawaaz Holdings Ltd.