Prominent Indonesian Businessman and Politician Rachmat Gobel Dies at 63

Rachmat Gobel, a distinguished figure in Indonesian business and politics, has died in Jakarta at the age of 63. His passing was confirmed on Friday, July 10, 2026, by Hermawi Taslim, the Secretary-General of the NasDem Party.

Gobel died at Brawijaya Tebet Hospital in South Jakarta at 03:20 WIB. He is survived by his wife, Retno Damayanti, two children, Nurfitria Sekarwilis Kusumawardhannie and Mohammad Arif Gobel, as well as grandchildren and extended family. His remains will be laid to rest at the family's mourning house in Jalan Supomo, South Jakarta, with funeral services planned for Gorontalo.

A native of Gorontalo, born on September 3, 1962, Rachmat Gobel achieved significant political milestones. He was appointed Minister of Trade by President Joko Widodo in 2014. Subsequently, from 2019 to 2024, he served as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives representing the NasDem Party.

Gobel hailed from a prominent business family and was groomed from childhood to lead the Gobel Group, established by his parents, Thayeb Mohammad Gobel and Annie Nento Gobel. He earned a bachelor's degree in International Trade from Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan, in 1987. Following his studies, he undertook an internship at the Matsushita Group near Osaka before returning to Jakarta in 1989 to join the family conglomerate.