TO start with, Chairul Tanjung was a dentist, a graduate of the University of Indonesia, who then changed his career direction by going into the shoe business. He was not an illustrious businessman, nor was he the son of a famous business tycoon. His name only became well-known when he took over ownership of Bank Mega in 1996.

When business tycoons fell by the wayside after being hit hard by the crisis in 1998, Chairul’s fate changed. The bu