Dato’ Sri Prof. Dr. Tahir is the Founder of the Mayapada business group. He is currently the Founder and Chairman of the Tahir Foundation.
Dr. Tahir was born in Surabaya in 1952. Despite growing up in challenging circumstances, he completed his secondary education at Petra Christian Senior High School in Surabaya in 1971, and a year later, he received a scholarship to study at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
While in Singapore, Dr.Tahir pursued his studies while sourcing products every month to sell in Surabaya. He bought women’s clothing and bicycles from shopping centers in Singapore and then resold them in Indonesia.This marked the beginning of his involvement in the garment business, which he later expanded into other sectors. Starting with the establishment of Mayapada Group in 1986, his business expanded from car dealerships to banking and even the healthcare industry. In 1990, Bank Mayapada was born as one of his flagship businesses.
Bank Mayapada remained aggressive, particularly in facing the Asian monetary crisis and the Global financial crisis. With foreign investments from the USA, UAE, and Singapore, the bank now has more than 100 branches across Indonesia. In 2007, the bank was ranked as the second-best commercial bank in addition to State-owned banks. This recognition was awarded by InfoBank magazine.
Dr Tahir is being recognised today not only for being a successful entrepreneur, but also because his strong social spirit has made him a well recognised philanthropist. Many of Dr. Tahir’s social activities are more prominent than his business ventures His social charity activities are carried out under the Tahir Foundation. He is not only recognized in Indonesia, but also internationally; being the first and only billionaire to give a pledge from Indonesia to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dr. Tahir’s spirit of sharing is emphasized in the fields of education and social welfare. For example, he has allocated funds of 1 trillion Indonesian Rupiah for the education and training of female migrant workers before they go abroad for work — a responsibility that usually falls on the government and the companies that send them abroad. Dr. Tahir has also donated 10 Transjakarta double-decker buses to the Jakarta Provincial Government and provided free treatment for children with cancer.
Of the many achievements of Dr. Tahir is the Chancellor’s Citation from the University of California, Berkeley, USA; Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernst & Young 2011; and an Education Award from Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew 2011.
He has also completed a Master’s degree in Financial Education.at Golden Gate University in the USA in 1988, and holds a Doctorate Degree in Economics from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), graduating in 2019.
The Institute of Certified Management Accountants is honoured to induct Dato’ Sri Prof. Dr. Tahir to the Global Management Accounting Hall of Fame® for his business leadership and social philanthropy; and in advancing the profession in Indonesia.