Fortune Southeast Asia 500 Released, National Company in Top Three
The Fortune Southeast Asia 500 ranking for 2026 has been released. The annual list features the largest companies in the region, ranked by revenue for the 2025 fiscal year. For the third consecutive year, Trafigura Group topped the list with revenues of US$240.3 billion, followed by Thailand’s state-owned energy company PTT (US$81.0 billion) and Indonesia’s Pertamina (US$70.9 billion).
Branding observer Yuswohady said in Jakarta on Thursday (18/06/2026) that this achievement is good for Pertamina’s corporate image. However, what is more important for Indonesia is that it reflects national economic strength in the eyes of the world. The Managing Partner of Inventure stated that the achievement demonstrates Pertamina is well-managed and globally competitive.
"Being included in the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 list is a prestigious benchmark that shows the large scale of a company’s business based on revenue, thus reflecting the economic impact it generates on employment, industry, and national development," he said. Yuswohady, who has authored more than 50 books on marketing, also explained that the presence of national companies in the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 contributes to the country’s image. The more companies a country has on the list, the stronger the global perception of its economic capacity.
"One indicator of a developed country is its ability to place large companies in the Fortune Southeast Asia 500. It is a reflection of a country’s economic strength," he explained. Nevertheless, Yuswohady cautioned that improving the ranking is not easy due to intense competition, especially since the ranking is based on operational revenue, not market valuation. He said Pertamina’s main focus should not solely be on chasing a higher ranking, but on strengthening business quality and corporate transformation. "What is more important is to continuously improve qualitative aspects, such as governance, innovation, and the ability to create long-term value," he said. He assessed that Pertamina needs to leverage the global exposure gained from the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 to build a stronger narrative regarding its contribution to national development. According to him, the state-owned energy company must demonstrate that its business activities support Indonesia’s development agenda, both to the domestic and international public.