Chairul was born in Jakarta to wealthy parents. His father owned a magazine business, but with the change of the political landscape, the family business was closed down for the government, and they were forced to sell their possessions in order to get by.

Originally, he wanted to become a dentist, and to that end studied at the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Dentistry, earning a bachelor’s degree. To earn money while studying, Chairul and two friends opened a small shop selling books and T shirts. As the enterprise grew, they expanded into selling laboratory equipment.

With money obtained from bank loans he founded CT Corp, successfully growing and expanding the business into insurance and securities. He then loved into the media, forming Trans TV, before once again branching out, this time into real estate.