R&D IBS Experts - Batch 1 (2026)

Emily Sutanto is the founder and director of Bloom Agro, a social enterprise she launched in 2009 after returning to Indonesia from overseas to work with small-scale farmers trapped in cycles of poverty. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Australia/USA), a Master of Arts in Mass Communication (Australia), and a Masters of International Management (Australia).

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Under Bloom Agro, she built Sunria, a premium organic and fair-trade brand for the international market, and led the effort that achieved Indonesia's first international organic and fair-trade certification — successfully lifting the export ban on rice and making Bloom Agro the first Indonesian exporter of organic rice. The company now works with farmers producing rice, sugar, sea salt, cashew, cacao, spices, fruits and vegetables for global markets.

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Her work has been recognized with the Presidential Award for Best Organic Farmer (2011) and Best Farmer for Food Security (2010) from the President of Indonesia, a Certificate of Excellence from Cornell University (2011), a Silver Award for Best USDA Organic Product from SOFI, USA (2012), and recognition from Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture, among other honors.

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