Jean Baptiste August Kessler

Kessler, who was known by his middle name August, was born 15 December 1853 in Batavia, Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta, Indonesia). There were 12 children in the family, four of whom died in infancy.

Kessler became managing director of the Royal Dutch nearly from its inception. Aeilko Jans Zijlker acquired the original oil concession in Indonesia and the "Royal" imprimatur but died suddenly of a tropical disease in 1890. The board of directors turned to Kessler, who was a son-in-law of Geldolph Adriaan De Lange, one of the directors, to head a committee of inquiry into whether the faltering enterprise was still viable. He took the post with the understanding he would be made managing director and run the company. Kessler had vast experience in the Dutch East Indies, having abandoned his studies at the Delft University at the age of 23 to seek his fortune there. He had become partner in Tiedeman & Van Kerchem, an important business firm, but after financial difficulties in 1888 "returned broken and shattered in health to Europe, where he sought and found recovery". He was described as someone who was old for his age but possessed personal leadership and an unflagging stamina.