Jakarta, IO – Soebronto Laras, President Commissioner of PT Indomobil International, passed away on Wednesday night, September 20, 2023, at 8 p.m. The former national racing driver died at Medistra Hospital in Jakarta, just before his 80th birthday.
Soebronto Laras was an inspirational figure in the automotive industry. The news of Pak Bronto’s passing has inspired great sadness. According to PT Hyundai Motors Indonesia Chief Operating Officer Fransiscus Soerjopranoto, Soebronto Laras was one of the greatest automotive industry figures in the country. He walked his career path with Indomobil from the group up, inspiring the future managers to build Suzuki into one of Indonesia’s leading automotive companies. “His passing is a tremendous loss for the Indonesian automotive industry,” as quoted in Bisnis.
Soebronto Laras was R. Moerdono’s second of four children. Born as a Muslim on October 5, 1943, in Jakarta, as a teenager, Soebronto was once a motorcycle racer, along with Tinton Soeprapto. He went to Cikini Elementary School, Jakarta (1958); Cikini Junior High School, Jakarta (1961); Harapan Kita Senior High School, Jakarta (1964); Paisley College, London, England (1965); and London College, England (1965) for education.
Yonto (Soebroto’s nickname) had been passionate about automobile workshops since his youth, as his family was also in the automobile business. He continued his mechanical engineering studies at Paisley College for Technology in England after high school in 1964. He pursued Business Management at Hendon College afterward.
Following his studies in London in 1972, the late Yonto met Atang Latief, the owner of Bank Indonesia Raya, and became Atang’s confidant.
His first career was directing PT First Chemical Industry, a company that assembled Formica, plastic tools, and calculators. He was appointed as the President Director of Suzuki Motor Car Assembly four years later.
He persevered to keep his company going, despite the fact that it nearly went bankrupt. Liem Sioe Liong’s group took on the company in 1981 and his firm then grew stronger than before. In 1984, he was appointed President Director of PT National Motors Co. and PT Unicor Prima Motor, both of which manufactured Mazda, Hino, and Binter motorbikes.
His company now stands majestically, with an annual turnover of IDR 150 billion and assets of IDR 90 billion. Yonto was the President Director of PT Indomobil Utama, the Suzuki bike and car assembler, and the President Director of PT Indohero Steel & Engineering Co.
According to its official website, the company was founded in 1976 as PT Indomobil Investment Corporation. The name was changed to PT Indomobil Sukses Internasional Tbk, after concluding a business partnership with PT Indomulti Inti Industri Tbk a year later.
PT Indomobil Sukses Internasional Tbk is the holding company of an integrated automotive business group consisting of several subsidiaries, including brand licensees, after-sales service, vehicle sales distributors, motor vehicle assembly, distributors of spare parts under the IndoParts brand, and vehicle rental services.
Through its subsidiary companies, Indomobil holds numerous automotive brands, including Audi, Datsun, Foton, Hino, John Deere, Infiniti, Nissan, Kalmar, Manitou, Renault, Renault Trucks, Suzuki, SDLG, Volvo Bus, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volkswagen (VW), and Zoomlion.
The late Pak Bronto was married to Herlia Emmi Yani, daughter of General Ahmad Yani, and they had two children.
Soebronto Laras’ resting place is in Karet Tengsin, from Thursday, September 21. (rp)