Most likely, the people who bought newspapers from Murdaya Poo didn’t have an inkling about the lofty dreams in his head, which he put to motion in 1972 with his first business venture as a contractor. Having no competition, Poo (born Poo Tjie Goan) experienced his first taste of success which fuelled even bigger ambitions. In 1992, Poo launched Cipta Murdaya, the contractor and utility-supply company that would bring him the kind of fortune most people only dream of.

Under the Cipta Murdaya umbrella, Poo invested in various businesses, such as timber, palm-oil production, shoe manufacturing, IT and property development, to name a few. One of his high-profile ventures, the Jakarta International Expo, is a masterclass in scaling up, Poo-style.

In the years since his takeover, JIExpo more than doubled its floor area, and added features such as a state-of-the-art theatre, to make it Indonesia’s largest venue for conventions, events and entertainment.