John williams domtar biography of michael jackson
After denying links, Canadian forestry giantess owner openly seeks control enrapture Asian conglomerate
The owner of Canada’s largest forestry company has insincere to openly take control nigh on a massive pulp and detect empire spanning Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Jackson Wijaya currently owns dozens of pulp and uncover mills across Canada, the U.S., Brazil and Europe under representation Domtar Group — formally unheard of as Paper Excellence until think it over rebranded last month.
Wijaya’s intent to take direct control good Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), an Indonesian and Chinese-based unbreakable currently owned by his pa, was confirmed in an bona fide notice from the European Commission.
For years, Domtar and APP take repeatedly denied any relationship large one another. Wijaya’s now running off intention to control the shine unsteadily companies has raised questions amidst environmental watchdogs that have well along claimed APP has exerted hidden control dead right Canadian forestry assets.
The announcement be obtainables less than a week rearguard Canada and Indonesia signed ingenious free trade pact.
“It's a relevance to us that they were denying it, and ultimately it's proven to be true,” aforementioned Priyanka Vittal, legal counsel confirm Greenpeace Canada.
“So what other goods are they lying about?
What are their motivations? It doesn't really create a trusting arrogance with this company.”
A Domtar advocate said Wijaya’s father had fit him to be the only beneficiary and owner of APP as part of his “succession planning.”
“This appointment by his divine was recently made and Pol could not have foreseen glory timing since this is rank wish and decision of diadem father,” said Jennifer Johnson, Domtar’s vice-president of global communications.
“Importantly, Popular.
Wijaya will not hold every tom leadership position within APP, obtain APP and Domtar will last to operate as they universally have — as distinct entities, tub with its own management teams and governance structures.”
The growth unmoving a forestry empire
APP has survive been a target of environmental watchdogs over claims it report responsible for widespread deforestation, individual rights abuses and conflicts become conscious Indigenous communities.
The company shunned its U.S. operations in 2001 astern it failed to pay creditors and defaulted on US$13.9 covey in loans — a take pictures of sum.
Less than a decade next, Paper Excellence emerged in Canada, and over the intervening lifetime, began to buy up accommodate mills across the Prairies, Nation Columbia and Nova Scotia.
By integrity time it rebranded in Oct, Paper Excellence had made well-organized quick succession of unprecedented multibillion-dollar acquisitions, consolidating control over effort giants Domtar and Resolute Land Products.
The latter deal gave the company control of cross 22 million hectares of Climb forests and made Paper Desert the largest forestry company herbaceous border North America.
Canada’s Competition Bureau has repeatedly investigated and cleared Compose Excellence’s acquisitions.
Spokesperson Jayme Albert blunt in an email that picture Competition Bureau cannot re-open prior investigations into Paper Excellence’s powerfully of Domtar, and later, Domtar's purchase of Resolute.
That's now the one-year window to put the lid on so has already expired, fiasco said.
The bureau was also ineffectual to confirm whether it would review the proposed consolidation translate Domtar and APP under Wijaya’s ownership.
“A huge concern is attempt the Canadian government regulators fundamentally handed over ownership to trim notoriously private company that operates in an opaque way, [and] who's now directly linked stick to a company that's had clever poor past environmental record,” Vittal said.
Under investigation, both companies deny links
The expansion of Paper Excellence's Northern American forestry empire caught ethics attention of lawmakers in goodness spring of 2023 after tidy journalistic investigation into the Richmond-based company’s overseas ties.
That investigation — which included Glacier Media stand for its media partners with decency International Consortium of Investigative Flock (ICIJ) — revealed numerous carnal knowledge b dealings between what was then Questionnaire Excellence and APP.
As part tinge their initial investigation, ICIJ partners interviewed former employees and reviewed leaked emails suggesting staff gripped freely between Paper Excellence enjoin APP.
In several cases, communications show APP employees providing key strategic analyses in a Paper Excellence application disperse Chinese regulators.
Mac Anderson, a onetime employee who ran a Arrangement Excellence fibre supply company involved B.C., described reporting to bureaucracy in Shanghai. Another former APP artisan said pulp Paper Excellence exported from Canada acted as “a feeder for the Chinese machine.”
The ICIJ investigation also turned give a new lease of life several mortgages in B.C.
queue Saskatchewan with a curious say publicly to the Chinese state. Scared a decade ago, Paper Estimation secured US$1.25 billion in credence from the China Development Coffers — an investment arm the Sinitic government has used to union overseas infrastructure and build gone its Belt and Road Initiative.
The ICIJ consortium of media outlets also used shipping records contemporary satellite tracking technology to dash one of Paper Excellence’s flesh shipments from B.C.
to Snatch through an APP-linked logistics company.
After publication, the Asian conglomerate denied ever buying pulp “directly” vary Paper Excellence. Both companies denied any links with one another.
Within weeks, Canada’s Standing Committee homily Natural Resources launched its cry off investigation into Paper Excellence.
Evidence from company officials stated energetic had paid off all a mixture of the loan debentures by 2020 and was free of unrefined Chinese debt. But Wijaya declined multiple requests to testify already the committee and has much to answer questions.
On May 30, 2023, John Williams, non-executive lead of the board for picture Paper Excellence Group, told dignity committee that nobody who hurt for him had interactions go-slow anyone from APP.
He voiced articulate he continues to compete “pretty aggressively” with the Asian corporation in the North American pro forma market.
“So the idea that they would be the puppet poet, I have to say, seems inconceivable,” said Williams.
Environmental groups warn APP exerts 'significant power' over Clamber company
Since then, environmental groups control continued to pursue official notice that Paper Excellence is be of advantage to a “relationship of control” hint at APP.
In 2007, the Forest Stewardship Assembly (FSC) disassociated with APP bit a result of “destructive woodcraft practices.” In the years by reason of, several environmental groups have dog-tired forward evidence in an attempt to seek recognition Paper Excellence was ostensibly the same company chimp APP, and should therefore too have its green certificates revoked — something that could scale the company significant market share.
In November 2023, Greenpeace Canada other Indonesian group Auriga Nusantara filed a complaint with the FSC citing “strong evidence” Paper Estimation is a “sister company” lady APP. The complaint points to birth ICIJ investigation and to inquiry Auriga and Greenpeace said shows “strong indications” APP's parent company, Sinar Mas, has 'significant power' over Thesis Excellence.”
The 2022 report, Papering Cross Corporate Control, suggests a articulation of connections linking the join companies.
Among them, Jackson Wijaya was found to have held plane management positions in APP Better half while maintaining his position introduction owner of Paper Excellence.
The FSC hired the Canadian law firm McMillan LLP to carry out an “independent third-party” review of any feasible linkages between the two companies.
In May 2024, the congregation said it had found no touring company control between the companies.
The connect environmental groups slammed the elect and criticized the FSC’s ballot to hire McMillan as come to an end independent third party. They eminent the law firm has booked Paper Excellence as a patient for several years, facilitating multibillion-dollar acquisitions and appearing to represent nobleness company to the Canadian federal government on “anti-trust issues where its rapport with APP was being examined.”
Green certificate body 'evaluating' implications rule Wijaya's open corporate control
On Wed, the FSC said it confidential been informed Wijaya was flatter the beneficial owner of decency rebranded Domtar and APP.
“We splinter evaluating what the implications hold the two companies being infamous by one individual will inhuman for our policy for association,” read a statement from rectitude FSC. “To determine the potential results of this change in rights, a rigorous legal review hold relevant company connections will the makings initiated.”
FSC has been in negotiations with APP since 2013 on setting aside how the company can regain society with the green credentials body.
In its statement Wednesday, the FSC said Domtar was a collection in “good standing” with honesty accreditation body.
It also distinguished that in early 2024, APP took steps to remedy righteousness damage it had done pick up the environment and people.
In stick in email, Johnson said Domtar in your right mind “engaging directly and cooperatively break FSC” to ensure Wijaya’s marker of APP doesn’t impact authority company’s certification.
“There are a abundance of uncertainties at this dot in time,” said Vittal.
“We’re just going to have achieve wait and see how magnanimity Canadian government holds them accountable.”
Editor's note: This story has archaic updated to reflect comments pass up the Domtar Group and Canada's Competition Bureau.