MANAGING DIRECTOR, AGRIFOOD AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GRAB
LOCATION: THAILAND
In 2006, bankers told Pita at his father’s funeral that he had four months to rescue their debt-laden company. At the age of 25, not only did Pita save his late father’s company, he also propelled it to become one of Asia’s top producers of rice bran oil. For his efforts, he was Asia Pacific Entrepreneur 2016. The New Zealand-raised Pita is a Thammasat University (2005) alum, graduating with First Class honors. He earned a joint-degree in 2011, a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard, and an MBA from MIT, having to pause his studies to rescue Agrifood. He was also the first Thai student to receive Harvard’s International Student Scholarship. In the public sector, he has served as an Advisor to the Industry Minister from 2012 – 2013. In the private sector, he has worked at Merrill Lynch Phatra and Boston Consulting Group. With his rice bran oil being awarded two stars by the International Taste and Quality Institute, he established TIMS (2016), a certified non-GMO bran oil brand servicing Michelin-starred restaurants. He has since expanded to supplements, snacks and skincare products. Since October 2017, he is also the Executive Director of Grab, SEA’s leading ride-hailing and logistics services.
Pita Limjaroenrat, nicknamed Tim, is a Thai businessman and politician who currently serves as a member of the House of Representatives of Thailand. He previously served as the Leader of the Move Forward Party, the de facto successor to the dissolved Future Forward Party, from 2020 to 2023.
Limjaroenrat is considered a progressive politician in the context of Thai politics. The Move Forward Party, which he led, has been described as center-left, reformist, pro-democractic, and progressive.
Here’s a summary of his background and achievements:
- Education: Studied finance in Thailand and holds degrees from Harvard Kennedy School and MIT Sloan School of Management.
- Political career:
- Member of the House of Representatives since 2019.
- Leader of the Move Forward Party from 2020 to 2023.
- Led the party to a strong showing in the 2023 general election, but was barred from becoming Prime Minister due to a technicality.
- Cleared of election law violations by the Constitutional Court in January 2024 and reinstated as a member of parliament.
Limjaroenrat is considered a rising star in Thai politics and is seen as a potential future leader of the country. He is known for his progressive views, his focus on economic and social reform, and his appeal to young voters.
