Agus Djamhoer is a graduate of the University of Padjajaran in Bandung, Indonesia, where he majored in Physics. He started his career at Total E&P Indonesie in 1989 in the Exploration Geophysical Operation Division. He retired from Total E&P Indonesie in 2014 and has since become the Chairman of the Mahakam Lestari Foundation (formerly the Total Indonesia Foundation).
A New Challenging Mission
Becoming part of a foundation that was established 2008 was not an easy task for Agus. He accepted this as a challenging mission. “It is not only about how to preserve the culture. It goes beyond that, since the foundation relies very much on the funds from the company. It is also about how we can sustain the foundation itself,” stated Agus. The foundation has been actively engaged in numerous programs aimed at preserving and promoting Indonesia’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. Now, Agus is putting great effort into maintaining this commitment.
Culture is Deep Inside His Heart
A father of 5 children, Agus has had a passion for culture since he was a child. He is a person who loves to learn about local wisdom, and implement the knowledge in his approach to interacting with the society. Without putting aside his affection for the national cultural heritage, Agus believes that being a universal person enables him to become tolerant of other cultures and not be so judgmental.
“Love My Life” is his motto. His journey with the Mahakam Lestari Foundation still continues. Engaging with the local craftsmen to preserve the cultural heritage has been a success. Now, Agus is thinking of boosting the promotion of the products in the market. “In order to create sustainability in what we have already done, it is our friendly desire to help them connect with the market”, explained Agus.
Creating A New Business Unit
Agus has recently established a business unit called PT Mahakam Kreasi Lestari, in which the Mahakam Lestari Foundation is the main investor. It is intended as a tool to continue preserving cultural heritage through the selling of products. Agus expect that the business unit may become self-reliant within the next two years. “My next journey will be growing along with this new business unit. We are now still learning to crawl. Indeed, I see a big opportunity in it and am optimistic that we can promote our culture more in the future”, stated Agus.
