Business Leader and Former Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel Dies at 63
Jakarta. Indonesian business leader, former trade minister, and lawmaker Rachmat Gobel died in Jakarta early Friday at the age of 63, his family announced.
Rachmat passed away at 3:20 a.m. local time, according to a family statement.
His body is lying in state at the family residence on Jalan Supomo No. 55A in South Jakarta. He will be buried in Gorontalo, with the family saying details of the funeral arrangements will be announced later.
The family asked the public to pray for the deceased and forgive any shortcomings during his lifetime.
Tributes poured in from political leaders, business figures, and members of the public following news of his passing.
Born in Jakarta on Sept. 3, 1962, Rachmat was one of Indonesia's best-known business executives, leading the Panasonic Gobel Group and helping expand the country's electronics manufacturing industry.
He also had a long career in public service. A senior member of the NasDem Party, he was serving as a member of the House of Representatives for the 2024-2029 term, representing Gorontalo and sitting on Commission VI, which oversees trade, industry, investment, cooperatives, and state-owned enterprises.
He previously served as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2024.
Rachmat was appointed trade minister by President Joko Widodo at the start of his first administration in October 2014. He served until August 2015, when he was succeeded by Thomas Trikasih Lembong in a cabinet reshuffle.
Throughout his career, Rachmat was known for bridging Indonesia's business and public sectors, contributing both to the development of the country's manufacturing industry and to national economic policymaking while remaining a prominent advocate for the development of Gorontalo and eastern Indonesia.
He is survived by his wife, Retno Damayanti, two children -- Nurfitria Sekarwillis Kusumawardhani and Mohammad Arif Gobel -- as well as grandchildren and other family members.
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