Anderson Tanoto is Managing Director at RGE and a member of the Executive Management Board. RGE is a group of world-class companies in resource-based manufacturing industries, operating in Indonesia, China, Brazil, Canada, Spain and Malaysia, with over US$35 billion in assets and a workforce of over 80,000 people.
Anderson Tanoto drives RGE's strategic growth initiatives and is closely involved in the group's fibre operations and business transformation activities, specifically on sustainability efforts, including those at Asia Symbol.
Asia Symbol, a world-leading producer of pulp and paper, specialises in products such as Bleached Hardwood Kraft Pulp (BHKP), Needle Bleached Kraft Pulp (NBKP), dissolving pulp, liquid packaging board, high-grade ivory board, uncoated woodfree printing and office paper. Like all companies under RGE, Asia Symbol is committed to sustainable development, shown through its exploration of long-term renewable resources for paper production, which supports regional economic growth and local community's welfare.
Under Anderson's leadership, RGE has implemented sustainability policies and programmes that drive significant on-the-ground impact. A notable achievement is the new 5.25 MW solar power station developed by Asia Symbol (Shandong) in collaboration with EAP New Energy (Nanjing). This solar power station has been successfully connected to the regional grid for power generation, marking a significant step in the company's transition to cleaner energy sources. It provides an average of 5.6 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually, effectively reducing operating costs and carbon emissions, while helping Asia Symbol achieve sustainable development on a broader level.
Anderson's commitment to sustainability is also evident in Asia Symbol's initiatives to maximise biomass resources from the pulping process to generate electricity and steam. Additionally, Asia Symbol is adopting low-carbon waterway transportation instead of road transport, further aligning with its dedication to clean energy.
A young emerging business leader, he serves as Chairman for the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s (KADIN) Brazil Committee and has been KADIN’s representative to Canada since 2018. Anderson is also a Champion for Nature at the World Economic Forum (WEF). He has held memberships in the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020’s Southeast Asia Regional Committee, Wharton Executive Board for Asia, and WEF’s Global Agenda Council on Forests. As member of the Board of Trustees of the Tanoto Foundation, Anderson drives programmes focussed on forging international partnerships with reputable universities and developing leaders of the next generation. He co-founded Asia’s first SDG Academy in 2019 with Indonesia’s Ministry of Development Planning and the UN Development Programme. He has also been recognised by Forbes as one of Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy.
Anderson Tanoto previously served as a consultant at Bain & Company and holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.