[8] The Bakrie Group operates in various sectors, including agriculture, real estate, trade, shipping, banking, insurance, media, manufacturing, construction, and mining.

During the Asian economic crisis of 1998, he faced significant challenges in maintaining control of the conglomerate but successfully emerged victorious after a refinancing process in 2000.

[14] The move was positively received by Standard & Poor's, which regarded it as a significant step toward alleviating immediate fiscal pressures and improving Indonesia's external balance.

[15] To address Indonesia's declining crude oil output, Aburizal Bakrie intervened[16] to resolve a longstanding standoff between ExxonMobil Corporation and PT Pertamina.

In May 2008, he announced a direct cash relief program worth $1.52 billion, which aimed to support nearly 19 million low-income households[20] and mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices.

[24] However, another group, along with the government, has confirmed that the drilling practices of PT Lapindo Brantas, a company in which Bakrie's family held a controlling stake, were responsible for triggering the mudflow.

According to the Jakarta Globe, Satya Widya Yudha, a Golkar legislator, and Effendi Simbolon, a deputy chairman of the House of Representatives Commission VII from the PDI-P, largely supported Bakrie's family, characterizing the event as a natural disaster and expressing satisfaction with the compensation process.

In contrast, Eva Kusuma Sundari, a PDI-P legislator whose property was affected by the disaster, accused Lapindo and the government of failing to meet their obligations in compensating the victims, calling them "insensitive and unresponsive.

[31] Media reports also indicated that the Golkar Party had already started searching for a running mate to join Bakrie,[32] with names such as Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwana X, the current Governor of Yogyakarta,[33] Pramono Anung, the Secretary General of the Indonesian Democratic Party and Deputy House Speaker, Dahlan Iskan, the Minister of State Enterprises, and Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono, the youngest son of Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, being mentioned.

[37] However, others pointed out the importance of settling on a presidential candidate well ahead of the 2014 election, given Indonesia's vast geographic size, its sprawling provinces, and a population expected to reach 248 million that year.

"[40] To end speculation about a possible running mate for Bakrie,[41] Golkar's Deputy Chairman Agung Laksono announced that the selection of a vice-presidential candidate would be postponed until 2013.