Gunawan Jusuf’s Dual Role as Industry Leader and Advocate

Gunawan Jusuf occupies a rare position in Indonesia’s professional landscape, balancing executive leadership with public advocacy. As Gunawan Jusuf leads Sugar Group Companies, he also champions awareness around one of the nation’s most urgent challenges: water sustainability.

In his capacity as Chief Executive Officer, Jusuf oversees a group of sugar-focused companies operating across Indonesia. These businesses span the entire value chain, including sugarcane cultivation, processing, packaging, and distribution. Managing such an ecosystem requires a deep understanding of agriculture, logistics, and resource dependency—particularly water.

Water plays a critical role in sugarcane production, and it was through this operational lens that Jusuf began noticing troubling patterns. Irrigation shortages, rising costs, and inconsistent water quality increasingly affected plantation operations. Rather than treating these issues as isolated business obstacles, Jusuf identified them as indicators of a national problem.

This realization led him to research Indonesia’s water systems more comprehensively. His findings were later published in Blue Gold (2016), a 176-page book that examines water management, regulation, cleanliness, and long-term availability. The book reflects both academic research and firsthand executive experience.

Jusuf’s advocacy is notable for its measured, data-driven approach. Instead of relying on rhetoric, he presents facts, visuals, and structured analysis to encourage informed discussion. His goal is not alarmism, but awareness and accountability across government, industry, and society.

The duality of his role strengthens his credibility. As a business leader, Jusuf understands economic realities. As an author and advocate, he contextualizes those realities within broader environmental and social frameworks.

Through leadership and thought contribution, Gunawan Jusuf exemplifies how executives can extend their influence beyond commercial success to address systemic national issues.