Early Life
Eddy Kusnadi Sariaatmadja was born on August 23, 1953, in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is the first son of Mohamad Soeboeb Sariaatmadja, a businessman of Sundanese descent, and his mother, who is of Palembang-Malay descent. He completed his education in Australia, earning a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering in 1978 and a Master's degree in Engineering Science in 1980, both from the University of New South Wales.
Rise to Success
Eddy Kusnadi Sariaatmadja's business journey began in 1983 when he founded PT Elang Mahkota Komputer, which later became PT Elang Mahkota Teknologi (Emtek) in 1997. Initially, the company was a distributor of Compaq computers in Indonesia. Emtek expanded and acquired control over several Indonesian television channels, including SCTV and Indosiar. By 2005, Emtek had acquired Surya Citra Media, which operates SCTV. Emtek also made strategic investments in various startups such as Bukalapak and DANA. In 2020, Emtek acquired a majority stake in PT Sarana Meditama Metropolitan Tbk, which operates the Omni International Hospital network.
Key Business Strategies
A key strategy for Eddy has been the diversification of Emtek's business interests. This includes expanding into digital platforms like Liputan6.com and Vidio.com, investing in e-commerce and fintech, and entering the healthcare sector. Emtek has also partnered with Alibaba's Ant Financial for the DANA digital payment system. These moves have positioned Emtek as a major player in Indonesia's media, technology, and healthcare industries.
Philanthropy
Eddy Kusnadi Sariaatmadja is also recognized for his philanthropic efforts. In 2018, Forbes recognized him as one of Asia's most generous philanthropists, acknowledging his contributions to social and educational fields. In 2017, his media company, Emtek, hosted the Indonesian Diaspora Network Global event featuring Barack Obama as a speaker.
