colmanhandoko was established in 2004 by Peter Colman and Surja Handoko, each partner bringing into the mix their varied and rich experiences in the world of marketing and advertising. Peter had previously been a joint partner in TBWA Indonesia, where he successfully shepherded the company through the tough economic climate of the Asian financial crisis in 1998. Surja had risen to the position of Head of Marketing for HM Sampoerna, Indonesia's biggest tobacco company, before the two met and decided to create their own agency. colmanhandoko soon became the hottest local shop in the country, known for their ground-breaking work for local clients such as telco provider AXIS as well as globally-known brands like Danone and Unilever. Recently the agency has bolstered its client roster by winning two prestigious new accounts, Pertamax (the government-owned premium fuel brand) and BNI (one of the largest national banks in Indonesia).