JAKARTA, Indonesia Feb 19, 2025 —As Indonesia charts a path toward a greener future, the leader of one of its key infrastructure firms has been recognized for guiding his company through a transformation that mirrors the country’s broader shift toward sustainable development.

Kuntjara, the President Director of PT Wijaya Karya Beton Tbk (WIKA Beton), was named one of Indonesia’s Best CEOs 2024 at an awards ceremony hosted by SWA Magazine and Dunamis Organization Services in Jakarta on February 14, 2025. The award highlighted not only his strategic leadership but also his success in embedding sustainability into the company’s operations—positioning WIKA Beton at the forefront of the country’s evolving construction and manufacturing sectors.

The honor comes as WIKA Beton cements itself as Indonesia’s leading precast concrete producer and a pioneer in low-carbon construction materials. Under Kuntjara’s leadership, the company became the first concrete manufacturer in Indonesia to obtain an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), an international certification confirming the environmental performance of its products.

That milestone was further amplified by the firm’s Greenship Solution Endorsement (GSE) Platinum Certification from the Green Building Council Indonesia (GBC Indonesia), a top-level recognition of WIKA Beton’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and embedding sustainability into its production processes.

Leadership Beyond Profits
The recognition of Kuntjara was based on an independent survey of WIKA Beton’s management-level employees, applying the Four Roles of Leadership Framework developed by renowned leadership thinker Stephen Covey. The survey assessed leaders on their effectiveness as:
Pathfinder: Defining the company’s vision and future direction.
Alignment Builder: Ensuring organizational harmony and focus on shared goals.
Empowerer: Encouraging employees to innovate and contribute to transformation.
Role Model: Upholding trust, integrity, and professionalism within the company.

Kuntjara, who assumed leadership of WIKA Beton amid increasing competition in Southeast Asia’s infrastructure sector, was recognized for steering the company through not just market challenges, but also the transition to green industry practices. His vision for integrating environmental responsibility into the company’s core business aligns with Indonesia’s national agenda to lower emissions and achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Indonesia’s Infrastructure Drive Meets Sustainability
Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, is undergoing a massive infrastructure expansion under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, with plans to build new highways, ports, and the ambitious new capital city, Nusantara. However, the country is also under pressure to cut carbon emissions, as it remains one of the top global emitters from deforestation and coal dependency.

The concrete industry plays a pivotal role in this transition. Cement production alone accounts for approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions, and Indonesia is no exception. Companies like WIKA Beton are increasingly expected to balance growth with sustainability—a challenge Kuntjara appears determined to meet.

Concrete Innovation for a Greener Future
Under Kuntjara, WIKA Beton has pioneered low-carbon concrete solutions tailored for Indonesia’s diverse construction landscape. The company’s EPD certification was a milestone, not only for the firm but also for Indonesia’s precast sector, signaling a shift towards product transparency and eco-friendly construction materials.

The company’s efforts are aligned with the government’s Green Economy Roadmap and the Rencana Pembangunan Jangka Panjang Nasional (RPJPN) 2025-2045, a long-term development plan that places sustainability at the heart of Indonesia’s growth strategy.

An Expanding Role in Regional Infrastructure
WIKA Beton is also expanding its footprint across Southeast Asia, with projects in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, as neighboring nations ramp up their own infrastructure development. The company is positioning itself as a regional player offering low-emission concrete products, capitalizing on the growing demand for sustainable building materials.

Industry analysts say such moves are likely to strengthen WIKA Beton’s standing among global investors, as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors become increasingly central to capital flows into emerging markets.

The Road Ahead
While the recognition as Best CEO 2024 is a personal accolade for Kuntjara, it also reflects a broader narrative unfolding across Indonesia’s business community—where companies are not only competing for market share but also leading the charge toward environmental accountability.

For WIKA Beton, the challenge now lies in sustaining this momentum. As demand for infrastructure booms, the firm must ensure that green principles remain embedded in its supply chain, production processes, and workforce culture.

What began as a leadership transformation within a concrete company has become part of Indonesia’s larger quest to reconcile economic growth with environmental stewardship—a journey that will likely define the nation’s development trajectory for decades to come.