Profile: Rachmat Gobel, Former Trade Minister, Passes Away
Businessman and member of the House of Representatives from the NasDem Party faction, Rachmat Gobel, breathed his last on Friday, 10 July 2026, at 03.20 Western Indonesian Time. According to information shared by NasDem Party Secretary-General Hermawi Taslim and on the Instagram account @rachmatgobel_rg, Rachmat Gobel passed away at the age of 63 at Brawijaya Tebet Hospital, South Jakarta.
NasDem Party faction member of House Commission IV, Rajiv, remembered Rachmat Gobel as more than just a party colleague. Rajiv considered him an older brother and senior who taught him many things. “I knew him as an economist from the regions who was educated in Japan and returned to develop his region,” Rajiv said via telephone on Friday.
Rachmat Gobel is survived by his wife, Retno Damayanti, and two children, Nurfitria Sekarwilis Kusumawardhannie and Mohammad Arif Gobel, along with grandchildren and his extended family.
The body of the late Rachmat Gobel is lying in repose at the family home on Jalan Supomo Number 55A, South Jakarta. Meanwhile, the funeral procession for the successor to the Gobel Group is planned to be held in Gorontalo. Further information regarding the funeral is pending notification from the family.
“We ask for prayers from all so that Allah SWT forgives all his sins and mistakes, accepts all his good deeds, widens his grave, and places him in the best place by His side,” the announcement of Rachmat Gobel’s passing stated.
Rachmat Gobel was a businessman and member of the House of Representatives born in Gorontalo on 3 September 1962. Citing profile information from the official NasDem Party website, Rachmat was born into a business family and was the fifth child of the late Thayeb Mohammad Gobel and Annie Nento Gobel. From childhood, he was groomed to be the successor and leader of the Gobel Group of companies founded and led by his parents.
In 1987, Rachmat earned a bachelor’s degree in International Trade from Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan. After graduating, he undertook practical training at the Matsushita Group near Osaka, Japan. In 1989, at the age of 27, Rachmat returned to Jakarta to join the Gobel Group.
In the political sphere, Rachmat achieved two prominent positions. In 2014, President Joko Widodo appointed him as Minister of Trade. From 2017 to 2019, Rachmat was appointed as the President’s Special Envoy to Japan.
In the House of Representatives for the 2019-2024 period, he served as Deputy Speaker of the House from the NasDem Party faction. For the 2024-2029 period, Rachmat served as Chairman of the NasDem Party faction group in House Commission VI.
According to information gathered from various sources, Rachmat had served as President Director of PT Global International, the holding company of the Gobel Group; President Commissioner of PT Panasonic Gobel Indonesia; President Commissioner of PT Visi Media Asia, Tbk.; and Commissioner of PT Indosat, Tbk. and PT Smart, Tbk.
Rachmat Gobel also once served as Chairman of the Indonesian Renewable Energy Society (METI). Throughout his life, he was active in various business associations, including serving as Chairman of the Federation of Electronic and Telematics-Based Industry Associations (F-Gabel), Chairman of the National Board of the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo), and Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).