otto putihrai

Good to be back

At 38, Otto Putihrai is one of the youngest chief executives in Indonesia’s real estate industry. He became Managing Director of Tamara Group in 2017. The property and development company, founded by Pek Tek Ben, has played a prominent role in real estate here since the 1980s. Putihrai graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and a Master’s in Marketing. He worked for Citibank and Credit Suisse Private Banking in Singapore before joining Tamara Group in 2010.

“My late grandfather and my father asked me to come back to Indonesia to assist in the family business,” Putihrai says. “As the eldest grandson, I couldn’t help but take on the responsibility. It was a very challenging adjustment because I had been away for a long time. It was quite a culture shock.

“I’m proud to be Indonesian and I believe that our country is blessed with having abundant natural resources and obviously has the amazing potential to be able to compete and become a world economic player. But at the same time, I do hope that the education gap in our country can be closed, so that education can reach the less fortunate and give them a chance in life.

“Education is crucial for the young generation as the building blocks to prepare them to face the future, because knowledge is the highest wealth foundation and it’s your ‘passport’ in life. My hope is for unity and for good governance, which will propel Indonesia forward and bring prosperity for the people.”