William Soeryadjaya, the founder of PT Astra International Inc. (since 1990, PT), died on Friday (2/4/2010) at 22:43 on Medistra Hospital, South Jakarta. William previously hospitalized several times because of illness. Finally, he was hospitalized on March 10 and since the day Thursday (1/4/2010) treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Bodies buried at Gatot Subroto Army Hospital Funeral Home, Central Jakarta.

William, who was born in Majalengka, West Java, December 20, 1922, is a humble person and unpretentious. Astra International built its success was never claimed as a success of himself. When asked about his success, he says, "The success of the Astra thanks to the hard work of all employees and the grace of God, not because of my personal success."

William was also a visionary who seemed to understand where the business will move. He also is one of the pioneers of modernization of national automotive industry. He built a business network with the core product in the automotive sector. But, indeed, the growth of its business is never free from government interference.

His success in business to make it occupy many important positions in some companies, particularly those based automotive.

William became the first Asian to become a member of the Board of Trustees of The Asia Society, founded John D Rockefeller III in New York, USA, 1956. He withdrew from the business world in 1992 when the Bank Summa's son, Edward, collapsed and had to be liquidated so that forced him to release 100 million shares of Astra International to settle its obligations.

William was orphaned at the age of 12 years. Seven years later he had to drop out of school. His first business was to trade waste paper from city to city before switching to buying and selling of agricultural products. Tenacity can relieve the burden on families and also take their studies at the tannery Leder & Schoenindustrie, The Netherlands.

Not surprisingly, if the skin is the first attempt. In 1949, he founded the leather tanning factory, then also established CV Sanggabuana, import export companies that made losses of millions of rupiah because it cheated his friend in 1952.

New year 1958, William established PT Astra with the initial product of soft drinks and exporting agricultural products.

Besides doing business, William is also concerned with education, especially business-oriented human resources. Cilandak land in the area with cheaper price to establish the Institute of Management for review, school managers, in November 1984.