Erick Thohir Biography

Thohir was born in 1969 or 1970. His father is Teddy Thohir, co-owner of the automotive group Astra International with William Soeryadjaya. His brother, Boy Thohir, is an investment banker; he also has a sister, Rika. As a child the younger Thohir helped in the family business.

Thohir received his master's degree in 1993 in the United States. Upon his return to Indonesia, together with Muhammad Lutfi, Wisnu Wardhana and R. Harry Zulnardy he formed the Mahaka Group.

In 2001, the Mahaka group bought the newspaper Republika, then facing bankruptcy. Because of Thohir's background in communications, he was chosen to lead the paper. Inexperienced with the world of newspapers, Thohir received support from his father, as well as founder of Kompas Jakob Oetama and founder of Jawa Pos Dahlan Iskan. The Mahaka group later acquired the Chinese-focused newspaper Harian Sin Chew Indonesia, a localization of Sin Chew Daily.

A 2009 report in the Jakarta Globe noted that Thorir's holdings included the lifestyle and sports magazines a+, Parents Indonesia, and Golf Digest, newspapers Harian Sin Chew Indonesia and Republika, the television station JakTV, radio stations GEN 98.7 FM, Prambors FM, Delta FM, and FeMale Radio, as well as numerous advertising, ticketing, entertainment and Web sites. He is also the founder of two charities, the education-oriented Darma Bakti Mahaka Foundation and Dompet Dhuafa Republika. By 2011, he and Anindya Bakrie co-owned the television stations tvOne and antv, as well as the internet news site Viva News.

After several months of negotiations — starting several days after the 2011 NBA All-Star Game — with former basketball agent Jason Levien and managing owner Joshua Harris, Thohir became part of a consortium that would go on to buy the Philadelphia 76ers, an NBA team; the consortium also included actor Will Smith, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, and Levien. Thohir was the first Asian to own, in whole or part, an NBA team.

Thohir is currently president of the Southeast Asia Basketball Association and, up to 2006, president of the Indonesian Basketball Association (Persatuan Bola Basket Seluruh Indonesia). He is also owner of the basketball teams Satria Muda BritAma Jakarta and Indonesia Warriors.

In 2012, Thohir and Levien were named new majority owners of Major League Soccer club D.C. United.

Source : en.wikipedia.org