Astra retains first slot in RI's 10 top companies

Astra retains first slot in RI's 10 top companies

JAKARTA (JP): The Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review
presented awards yesterday to Indonesia's top 10 companies, which
were assessed in the magazine's annual leadership survey called
Review 200.

Nayan Chanda, an editor from the magazine, said at yesterday's
award presentation the companies were selected based on their
leadership qualities.

Diversified industrial firm PT Astra International retained
its position as Indonesia's top company for the second year
running, followed by its car making subsidiary PT Toyota Astra
Motor, which moved from third place to second.

State-owned international telecommunications giant PT Indosat
dropped to third place from second place last year and first
place in 1995.

PT Indofood Sukses Makmur moved to fourth position from sixth
last year, while PT Ciputra Development stayed in fifth spot.

PT Bank Central Asia (BCA) moved to the sixth spot from ninth
last year.

"It's a great pleasure for me, and this award serves as
recognition of our standing in Indonesia's banking industry,"
said BCA president Abdullah Ali.

Cigarette maker PT HM Sampoerna, a newcomer to the top 10,
was in seventh spot, PT Bank Bali in eighth place, PT Gudang
Garam in ninth position and PT Bank Niaga in 10th spot.

Review 200 is an annual survey ranking 530 companies in Asia
on their leadership qualities including services and products,
innovation, vision and financial soundness.

More than 6,100 executives participated in the survey. They
were readers of the Review and its five affiliated local business
magazines in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan,
Thailand, Australia, India, Indonesia and South Korea. (rid)