The corporate history of PT Astra International Tbk began in February 1957 when it was founded as a modest trading company in Jakarta, Indonesia, by entrepreneurs William Soeryadjaya, Tjia Kian Tie, and Liem Peng Hong. Over subsequent decades, the enterprise expanded aggressively, securing landmark automotive distribution partnerships that established its dominance in the national vehicle market. The company achieved a major milestone by officially listing its shares on the Jakarta Stock Exchange in 1990, transforming into a public corporation. Through strategic diversification into financial services, heavy equipment, mining, and infrastructure, it evolved into one of the largest and most influential multi-industry conglomerates in Southeast Asia.