CEO Speak

Raising Telkom’s’ flag in the international arena

2012-01-21T00:55:00.001-08:00

IT seems that Ririek Adriansyahis inseparable from the telecommunications industry as more than half of hislife has been linked to this prime industry. “From my days at university untiltoday I have always been close to the telecommunications world,” said thegraduate of electrical engineering.

Born in Yogyakarta on Sept. 2,1963 his entire career has been involved in the telecommunication industry. Hejoined PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) in 1989. He was initially given theresponsibility of handling matters connected with satellites in the state-ownedcorporation. Ririek also had the opportunity to expand his knowledge intelecommunications at UCLA, United States. “After graduating from UCLA I workedat the representative office of Telkom in the United States for the preparationof Palapa B4 satellite,” said Ririek.

Back here Ririek was againinvolved handling matters connected with satellites and he was placed inTelkom’s business unit that takes care of its satellites, Witelsat. He was alsoinvolved in the preparations for the launch of Palapa C satellite. “I was also “lent” to Satelindo foralmost three years,” he said while mentioning that at the time Telkom was oneof Satelindo’s shareholders.

Having extensive experience inthe world of satellites now Ririek carries a larger responsibility. He is nowpresident director of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin) afterholding the position of marketing director for almost three years. Telin is abusiness unit of Telkom that is tasked with raising Telkom’s profile amonginternational telecommunication corporations.

“In Indonesia indeed Telkomalready has a solid reputation, but at the international level it is still farbelow companies in neighboring companies such as Singtel or Telecom Malaysia,”explained Ririek. “It is Telin’s task to ‘raise Telkom’s flag’internationally,” he added.

Ririek said that as a new playerTelin had a lot of homework to take care of. That’s why Telin has not set agrandiose target. “At present we are more focusing on business developmentwhere the traffic of voice and data from and to Indonesia is quite huge,” hesaid.

Ririek has been involved invarious profitable ventures and strategic partnerships for Telin. CurrentlyTelin is already collaborating with more than 60 companies in 20 countriesconnecting more than 400 destination points in the world.

Ririek said that Telin is alreadymoving on the right track. Last year Telin enjoyed a 70 percent increase inbusiness growth with an incoming revenue of Rp 334 billion along with theincreased sales of international bandwidth for data and Internet up to 94.8Gbps.

Telin has also succeeded indeveloping some of its portfolio components and is always looking ahead to thefuture. “We have also increased our ownership shares in Scicom (MSC) BerhadMalaysia as much as 13.3 percent taking our ownership in the company to 29.7percent,” explained Ririek.

Ririek’s major dream is to helpspeed up the realization of Telin’s vision, which is Bridging the World withIndonesia and Beyond. Therefore he is focusing on the company’s transformationin business development, infrastructure, system, corporate culture andenhancement of human resources, all of which have been initiated by hispredecessor.

“So far the results indicate ourachievements reflected by Telin’s enhanced performance in providing servicesfor information communication and international network based on our two mainbusiness portfolios, namely international telecommunications and investment aswell as strategic partnership or collaboration,” he said.

”The various transformations atall levels have boosted our self confidence to realize our resolve in becomingone of global leaders in the telecommunications industry, which is consistentwith our mandate to execute international business of Telkom Group,” saidRiriek, who is fond of playing golf.

However, Ririek is fully awarethat the company’s success does not solely depend on his own performance, butis based on the contributions of his staff and the rest of the human resources.That’s why he strives to have a close relationship with them. “I am veryaccessible,” he said. “And I treat them as friends,” he added.

He said it is very important tomake the employees feel comfortable and close to him, because the progress ofthe company largely depends on them. “The duty of a leader is more like acoordinator and mentor,” he said. As a mentor, he continued, the leader shouldnot go into too much detail to enhance their creativity and boost their senseof responsibility.

Ririek further said that givingsubordinates opportunities and trust is a good way to bring out theirpotential. “They have to be developed fully, given opportunities to deepentheir knowledge and expand their experience, because it will be one of them whowill replace me,” he said.

The father of three said a goodevaluation of a leader’s success is not only during the time he or she is inthe top position, but also after he or she leaves. “It can be said that theleader has failed if the company is only successful during his period, butcollapses after he or she leaves,” he emphasized.

That is why, Ririek concluded, itis most important for a leader to form the company’s future leaders bymonitoring the employees potential. (T.Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, January 21, 2012

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/01/21/profile-ririek-adriansyah-raising-telkom-s-flag-international-arena.html

Human touch management

2012-01-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

A proud smile was clearly writtenon Erry Sunarli’s face, when he was named one of the Top 10 Indonesia FutureBusiness Leaders 2011 by SWA magazine. For the executive assistant to thechairman of the KMK Group – a multinational footwear manufacturing companyproducing global premium brands (Nike and Converse), this achievement was amatter of pride as well as recognition of his efforts thus far. However, Erryacknowledges that these achievements are shared by all KMK Group employees.

Erry asserts that his successcannot be separated from the company philosophy that always puts the interestsof employees above all else. “KMK is committed to providing the best qualityproducts and to being a great place to work with its Human Touch Managementphilosophy. In conducting business, we focus on people, diversity, theenvironment and local community,” said Erry.

Erry explained that in creating astrategic framework KMK uses human values and societal values as its decisionmaking criteria. The company treats employees as family, with people being themost important asset in the company. “Therefore, KMK is willing to invest inthe human side of organization, an investment that cannot be justified byimmediate financial return but can help create a sustainable institution,” headded.

“I can say I have been a part ofand have witnessed the manufacturing evolution in our company,” he said. “It ishard to imagine, you start to work at the company with only 10 people, whichhas now become more than 17,000 employees. And I am happy to be part of theprocess,” said Erry who has been working for the company for more than 18 yearsin various managerial positions. He participates in high level operationinitiatives, including turnaround management and reorganization.

In line with the companyphilosophy, KMK encourages employees to continue develop their skills andknowledge by providing a further education program. In 2001, KMK received anaward from then president BJ Habibie for initiating a formal education programfor employees in the company. During the period 1999 to 2007, 800 employeesgraduated from junior and high school. Others training programs are also heldin the company such as supervisory skills, lean manufacturing system, healthand safety, and managerial skills.

For the management level, thecompany conducts multi-leadership training regularly and key managers are sentoverseas for training to improve their competency. “We have 13 NOS or leansensei. Our people are the foundation of our success and the key to our future,”said Erry.

According to Erry, KMK also has aunique management team. A combination of Indonesians and expatriates fromKorea, Taiwan, China and Japan provide value for the company. “We are diversein nationalities but united by a culture that believes our diversity makes usstronger. “We have a coherent identity based on mutual respect and trust,” headded.

He explained that business is aprimary pillar of society. In manufacturing its products, the company useprocesses that minimize any negative impact on the environment and thatconserve energy and natural resources, as well as ensuring the safety andhealth of its employees, communities and consumers. “This is what we callsustainable manufacturing,” said Erry who is a graduate of Gadjah MadaUniversity majoring in international relations.

By collaborating with customersand other footwear manufacturers, in 2003, KMK established PT RCI (RecycleCentre Indonesia), the first recycling centre for footwear manufacturers in thecountry.

This is part of its corporatesocial responsibility. KMK’s chairman together with labor union leaders andseveral members of the board of directors visit an employee’s house andcommunity in the area twice a month. This program began in 1998. “We call itKunjungan ke Rumah Karyawan,” said Erry, who explained that it creates positiverelationships and boosts employee engagement.

KMK’s investment in the communityand its employees is seen by the recognition it has achieved. KMK hosted adialogue between employees and all footwear business entities with presidentMegawati in July 2004. The footwear company received the Green Factory Awardfrom the governor of Banten in 2006 and an award for Best Company in EHS systemin 2007.

In the same year, KMK received anaward as Best Company in Managing Female Workers from President Susilo BambangYudhoyono and in 2010 as Best Company in Promoting Employee Health from theminister of health.

Erry explained that whilevolatility in the world economy continued this year, KMK kept focusing oninnovation. “We also place a high premium on innovation,” he said. Innovationaccording to Erry is an important part of KMK’s strategic plan.

The company gains input from themanagement, employees, customers and even business partners related toimprovement of products, processes or the working environment. Innovation hasbecome part of the company culture. “In 2004, we received the Nike InnovationExcellence Award and in 2005 received the Best Nike Indo Manufacturing forExcellence,” said Erry.

“We believe that to havesustainable growth in the current business environment amid an atmosphere ofuncertainty, and to be a great company we need to continue to innovate andcreate more value for stakeholders as well as to care for our people andsociety. All this is based on our principle of Human Touch Management.” (T.Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, January 14, 2012

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/01/14/profile-erry-sunarli-human-touch-management.html

On a rising cloud

2011-12-31T21:47:00.001-08:00

By November 2011 Andreas AnantoKagawa had held the position of Country Manager of VMWare Indonesia for exactlyone year. In his hands, the company which is a pioneer in virtualization andcloud computing, has shown significant improvement. “The significantimprovement is visible in all indicators: number of customers, partners,increased awareness as well as communities,” said Andreas.

Joining VMWare was a positivecoincidence for Andreas, because in his last year at PT Microsoft Indonesia hewas interested in virtualization and cloud computing. “It was like a dream cometrue when the offer from VMWare came,” he said adding that he did not thinktwice about joining VMWare.

Andreas, a graduate of ElectricalEngineering faculty of Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga, CentralJava, had at least three reasons for joining VMWare. The first was that hebelieved VMWare, a trend setter in infrastructure, data center and cloudcomputing, hasa great potential in Indonesia. The second one was that he waspersonally very interested in virtualization and cloud computing. The last washis passion for developing a new business. “When I joined VMWare I was numberthree in the company, so my duty is not only to develop its business, but alsoits organization,” he said.

According to Andreas, who wasformerly an account manager at Computer Associate and SAP Indonesia, developinga new organization holds more interesting challenges compared to running anexisting one. “When I joined VMWare I was the third person to be recruited.Previously the operations of VMWare in Indonesia were controlled more by theregional office,” he said.

Andreas also recruited a team tomatch his requirements. For Andreas, who started his career at PhilipsIndonesia, teams that complement one another are important for the progress ofan organization. Besides he is not a micro-managing leader. That’s why hiscriteria in recruiting team members was that each should be skilled,independent and able to fully cooperate in a team.

It is not a must for a leader toknow everything, he asserts. “A leader’s duty is more in the coordination ofseparate divisions in the organization,” he explained. Andreas added thatdelegation of responsibility and the development of good team work is the keyto a leader’s success. “That is also part of the efforts to mold futureleaders,” said Andreas while mentioning that he also has the responsibility tocreate future candidates to replace him.

He commented that a leader can bedeemed successful if the organization he leaves behind keeps running well. “Ifthe organization experiences degradation after he leaves then he has not been agood leader,” he said. So, Andreas feels he needs to know each team member wellso that he can make a good evaluation and find out what each member needs.

Andreas has proven his workprinciple. When PT Microsoft Indonesia assigned him to form a new division heapplied the same principle. The result was the division responsible forenterprise application product Microsoft Dynamics which was launched at thetime achieved huge success in the market. In 2005 he was given the MicrosoftWorldwide Award as Outstanding Contributor Award for his achievement in headingthe division. The award was presented directly by CEO of Microsoft Inc, SteveBallmer to Andreas.

With this experience under hisbelt he now wants VMWare Indonesia to grow better and faster. He believes theway forward is through active marketing development. “I don’t want VMWare tohave only a supporting role,” he said. Although VMWare does not sell directlyto customers he wants VMWare to have a more active role in assisting itspartners to develop the market.

VMware’s business in Indonesiahas enjoyed rapid growth. And, Andreas believes that his experience and understandingof the IT market locally will be an added value in leading, improving the salesstrategy as well as developing the ecosystem of virtualization and cloudcomputing in Indonesia.

Andreas has every reason tobelieve that VMWare has huge potential to grow in Indonesia, because it hasplus points that its competitors do not have and also has a strong image as thepioneer in virtualization and cloud computing.

Four reasons make Andreasconfident about VMWare’s future in Indonesia. VMWare has the lightest, simplestand most secure architecture. It also has a number of superior features thatother players don’t have. Its total cost of ownership (TCO) is the mostefficient. And, equally important is its established ecosystem. “Customers feelmore secure because our ecosystem is already set and established, so they canshare their experiences,” he said.

Based on all these reasonsAndreas keeps striving to drive his team to become more aggressive in theirmarketing efforts. He added that the technology of virtualzation and cloudcomputing are developing fast in Indonesia and VMWare can grab a larger portionof the growing market.

According to him it is preciselyduring these moments that the role of a leader in setting the rhythm and thestrategy of the organization is extremely important. Andreas acknowledges thathe has learned a lot from the experiences and success stories of the world’sleaders of organizations. However, he commented, that there is no fixed patternfor leading an organization. “It does not mean that what I did at Microsoftwill run smoothly here at VMWare. There must be certain adjustments to matchthe character of each organization and specific market,” he concluded. (T. Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, December 31, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/12/31/andreas-ananto-kagawa-on-a-rising-cloud.html

Hard work and determination pay off

2011-12-24T00:41:00.000-08:00

PERSEVERING and never giving updescribes Eka Taufik Syah Putera to a tee. Putera started from the lowest rungof the ladder as an ordinary employee. But in just four short years, his careershot up and today Putera is a successful businessman heading PT Geo LinkNusantara (GLN), a major player in the oil and natural gas sector.

The oil and natural industry is acapital intensive business and many companies in this line get investment fromforeign companies. Besides the huge capital required only experienced peoplewith the appropriate educational background would dare venture into this field.Putera, as he is often called by those close to him, rejects this paradigm.“It’s not always so. The key is hard work, determination, the willingness tolearn, not to lose hope in difficult situations. These are the main assetsactually,” he said.

Putera recalls that before hiscurrent success he was just a marketing staff in a private domestic oil and gascompany. Although just an employee, Putera felt certain and optimistic that oneday he could own his own business by saving the commissions he received frombusiness tenders. “Previously I was only a marketing agent of an oil and gascompany and I received commissions from sales and tenders. I saved thecommission for my working capital. I always had the dream that one day I wouldhave my own company and finally that dream has come true,” said the father ofone.

Putera admits that the journeythere has been full of challenges and struggles. He can still recall having towait in a company’s waiting room to find out the result of a tender. Even afterbecoming a director, Putera, whose hobby is fishing, still often works hands onand gets involved in submitting tenders and staying in areas of conflict. ”WhenI was Director of PT Batam Dwi Karya to procure drilling equipment I had tostay in an area of conflict, Gujarat, India, and there was minimum security andit was difficult even to get food,” said Putera, born in Kisaran, North Sumatraon June 6, 1975.

Putera said doing business waslike learning to ride a bike; you often fall down and get up to ride again. Butone has to have high spirits, courage and optimism in order to open the door tosuccess, he said.

Networking and maintainingothers’ trust are also vital for success and equally important is treating theemployees as a company asset. Putera said that his business started with aprocurement order for drilling equipment worth US$ 124,000, but today GLN isone of the largest suppliers in the oil and gas business.

Some of the services provided byGLN are as follows: drilling services, engineering, procurement, constructionand installation/EPCI, fluid drilling, mud logging unit services and tradingand supplying of pipes and various drilling equipment. Under his leadership GLNhas won mega project tenders, such as integrated drilling project (MPPT) fromPT Pertamina EP in Region Java II worth $76 million.

Another major project was the 40kilometer oil pipe infrastructure at Banyu Urip — Mudi, East Java, from PTPertamina EP Cepu-Mobile Cepu Limited (MCL) with a contract lasting until 2014,on a BOO (build operate own) contract system with a capacity of 30,000 — 32,000BOPD (barrels of oil per day).

Next GLN has also won a tenderfor casing and tubing pipes for PT Pertamina EP, PT Pertamina GeothermalEnergy, Chevron Pacific Indonesia and several other oil and gas blocks inIndonesia. He added that a successful businessman has to think about the longterm and ‘outside the box’.

He cited as an example that GLNwill make an initial public offering of its shares (IPO) in the first quarterof 2012 and will purchase a new drilling rig with the capacity of 1,500-2,000horse power (HP). “Long term thinking keeps one motivated and makes oneconsistently want to realize one’s dreams,” said the former director of PTBatam Dwi Karya.

As a successful businessman,Putera, who is also fond of music, does not forget his social responsibility,like building places of worship close to the project area and employing thelocal people. In the eyes of his colleagues Putera is an inspiration for youngbusinessmen. He is also known for developing a network and relationship withall layers of society. (Satria RangaFausta)

The Jakarta Post, December 24, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/12/24/eka-taufik-syah-putera-hard-work-and-determination-pay.html

Business with a conscience

2011-12-17T02:42:00.000-08:00

AFTER successfully running DayaGroup and Triputra Group together with her brothers, Teddy P. Rachmat andTheodore P. Rachmat, Linda Rachmat has moved to another business area, a clinicand hospital, called Daya Medika Clinic. The management of this clinic is underthe umbrella of the above business groups.

Linda plans to set up 200 clinicsall over the country, called Daya Medika Clinic, in view of the lack of medicaland health services here as can be seen from the ratio of number of patients toservices. It is currently 1:1.580 while ideally it should be at least 1:500. ”Ourplan to set up 200 clinics will be realized over a period of 10 years and theclinic will be available in many areas in the country and in the near future wewill also develop hospitals,” said Linda when met at her office at Menara Karyain Kuningan, Jakarta.

Linda explained that the visionof Daya Medika Clinic is to become a leading and reputable clinic and providethe best standard of health service using high quality and sophisticated facilitiesas well as highly professional human resources. “I expect Daya Medika Clinic to become the leading reputableclinic, and more importantly one that can improve public health for a betterquality of life,” said Linda who was born in Majalengka on June 10, 1945. Sheadded that initially the clinics will be built in fast developing areas.

The first Daya Medika Clinic wasestablished in Kedoya area, West Jakarta on Nov. 11, 2011. There are a numberof reasons why Linda chose Kedoya area. First, its strategic location and densepopulation as West Jakarta demographically is highly populated and there aremany new residential complexes. Second, access to Kedoya is also strategic asit can be reached from four sides from the toll road. The third reason is theavailability of doctors who can easily come to Kedoya because it is easilyaccessible. In the next phase more branches of Daya Medika Clinic will beopened in other similarly strategic locations.

Daya Medika Clinic has manyspecialists and doctors, such as internists, pediatricians, surgeons,gynecologists, neurologists, cardiologists, nutritionists and dentists who areavailable on every working day.

There is also emergency ward aswell as a day care center, children’s playground, restaurant, ambulances,labratory and a drugstore. ”We have complete infrastructure, including medicaland health care equipment, drugstore and related buildings,” said Linda.

She explained that the targetmarket is the middle income segment, because it has more business potential.Daya Medika Clinic uses a personal relationship strategy and membership systemto draw customers.

The frontline staff registerspatients in a timely and responsive way. The staff and the rest of the humanresources are highly communicative while the clinic provides expert specialistswho are always on standby along with quality service at an affordable price. ”Therates at our clinic are affordable for many people, because it is not onlyabout business as we intend to help the Indonesian people in improving theirhealth,” said Linda, who is an anesthesiologist and a graduate from RWTH,Aachen, West Germany.

”We exist because of the publicand the public is our partner. Hence we have a sense of social responsibilityand care for our environment. We also realize that CSR is important for thecompany and in our business we execute our social functions by serving thepublic,” added Linda.

With all its superior featuresLinda is confident that Daya Medika Clinic can compete in the growing healthindustry here as it also has a complete range of health and medical services. ”Wehave a lot of services, such as the emergency ward, IVF, mother and child care,drugstore and so many others,” she further said.

Linda loves reading and when shehas time she reads mostly books or articles on health. ”To be honest, actuallyI don’t have time to spare,” she said smilingly in conclusion. (Satria Rangga Fausta)

The Jakarta Post, December 17, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/12/17/profile-linda-rachmat-business-with-a-conscience.html

Indonesian brands have huge potential to go global

2011-12-10T02:00:00.001-08:00

THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2011 was a newmilestone in the career of Danny Anthonius. On this day he established PT ASLouken Indonesia, a joint company in collaboration with a branding andfranchising company from Singapore (AS Louken Group) and his publishing and communicationconsultancy company, Foresight Asia.

Since its establishment inSingapore in 2000 AS Louken has enjoyed rapid growth and the consultancycompany established by Luke Lim, has been named among the “Top 10 BrandConsultancy of the Year” and “Local Hero Finalist” for 2011 by Singapore’sMarketing Magazine in addition to a number of other awards.

AS Louken has proved its successin launching a number of Singaporean brands that have gone global, such asBread Talk, Charles & Keith, The Soup Spoon and so on. These brands are notonly winners in the local market, but are also successful international brandsas they have penetrated other markets like Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Vietnamand several other countries.

AS Louken positions itself as abrand growth partner, providing consultancy not only for brands, but othertypes of consultancy as well, such as franchising and a structured andsystematic company operation. AS Louken also helps its clients for business toconsumers (B2C) or business to business (B2B).

Of course AS Louken has todetermine the strength of the brand, its challenges and then help clients’local brand to penetrate the international market. Danny said that thecollaboration would invigorate small and medium enterprises in Indonesia,although they may also serve major corporations as their clients. “We want todo something for Indonesia. One of which is to introduce foreign investors tolocal Indonesian brands or the other way round,” explained Danny.

Danny said AS Louken has a hugepotential to grow in Indonesia as there are many Indonesian brands that havethe potential to penetrate the international market. It is not only aboutexisting brands, but also new brands that are handled properly. “Our productshave specific characteristics that are acknowledged worldwide, so the potentialof going global is quite big,” said Danny, the CEO of AS Louken Indonesia.

Apart from helping local brandsto become global ones AS Louken Indonesia also offers investment opportunitiesto local investors for Singapore’s brands in the Indonesian market. “There aremany Singapore’s brands that can be brought here, but a smart selection andstrategy is needed,” said Danny, a graduate of Trisakti University, Jakarta.

According to Danny the two typesof services made available by the company have positive potential for rapidgrowth in Indonesia. Besides the potential for Indonesian brands going globalthere are many investors here seeking foreign brands to be launched inIndonesia. “The second type of service is far more ready, that’s why inDecember we will hold an event that can introduce investors to brand owners,”said Danny.

Danny said that currently thereare between 15 and 20 Singapore brands intending to be launched in Indonesiathat are still waiting for the right partners. Danny is optimistic that ASLouken can enjoy positive growth in Indonesia, not only because the marketneeds its services, but because AS Louken Indonesia has a strong method andteam. “Our approach is different from other players and on top of that we alsohave a highly experienced team in branding and franchising,” he said.

Danny himself is an executivewith extensive experience. For more than 20 years he has been involved indeciding important managerial steps in a number of companies both for planningnew businesses as well as managing established companies. Danny still holds theposition of Chief Operation Officer at a consultancy company, Andrew Tani &Co., and CEO at some affiliate companies of Andrew Tani & Co.

His managerial skill is fullysupported by a strong entrepreneurship spirit. Danny was also a businessmanbefore he joined Andrew Tani & Co. Even before completing its first monthAS Louken Indonesia succeeded in acquiring its first client, Colombia Cash& Credit. “Before the end of the year our target is between three and fiveclients,” said Danny.

The father of two said that inmanaging a brand a clear cut concept is required for the short and long termand the concept must be combined with the right management basics. “Marketingand management are quite inseparable,” he said. And equally important, he said,is the leadership of the company. “All these elements are combined into onetotal concept that has been proven successful in many companies,” added Danny.

Together with AS Louken IndonesiaDanny hopes more Indonesian brands will take a leading role globally. (T. Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, December 10, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/12/10/profile-danny-anthoniusindonesian-brands-have-huge-potential-go-global.html

Making Enesis better, smarter, faster

2011-12-02T23:22:00.001-08:00

SINCE his appointment as ChiefExecutive Officer (CEO) of Enesis Group in January 2009 Bambang W. Soendoro hasstepped on the gas in reorganizing or revamping the consumer goods company. Theresults are clear: Enesis’ sales rose rapidly making it a pioneer and benchmarkin its category.

Even before Bambang’s appointmentas the company’s number one executive, Enesis was already known as aninnovative company. Its products have created a new category of their own, suchas Adem Sari, Vegeta, Soffel, Kispray and Antis.

Bambang’s presence has givenEnesis new energy, because the 46 year old executive has held various toppositions in a number of companies here and abroad before joining Enesis. Bambang, who received hismaster’s degree in management from J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management,Northwestern University, United States, has long experience in the mining andautomotive industry as well as consumer goods and had also been a consultantfor a multinational company.

Bambang acknowledges that beforehe joined the company although it consistently launched innovative products itsgrowth was below expectations and sales figures were below target. “Theorganization was not unified, it was too fat, each process was disconnected,”said Bambang, who plays tennis and enjoys scuba diving.

To find the right solutionBambang applied a strategy for which he coined a slogan: Better, Smarter,Faster. Better in products, smarter in strategy and faster in implementation. “Thisstrategy came up because we had a lot of ideas, but they were not implementedfast enough,” explained the alumnus of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).Using the new strategy he targets a threefold company growth by 2013.

The implementation of thestrategy involved a number of stages: strategy review, reorganization andstrengthening of the infrastructure of the company that has 3,000 employees. The first stage was strategyreview. Enesis consists of three companies: PT Herlina Indah that producesnon-food items, such as Soffel (anti mosquito cream), Kispray (ironing spray),Antis (hand sanitizer) and Force Magic (mosquito spray); PT Sari Enesis Indahwhich produces food products, such as Adem Sari, Vegeta and its latest product,Coolant; and PT Marketama Indah, the distribution company of Enesis.

According to him, the structureof ownership in the three companies was separate, meaning there was no parentcompany and as a result it was difficult to take corporate actions and to movefast. So, Bambang restructured the companies in relation to the ownership andmade them ‘slimmer.’ Next he strengthened the business base of the companies.He said the manufacturing was solid enough, but not distribution, so herevamped PT Marketama Indah.

The second stage wasreorganization. For that he developed the Research and Development (R& D)department further by dividing it into product categories. In addition he alsocreated R&D especially for packaging. He also formed a special team orregistration body. Previously registration was handled by each R&D. “Thisway each department can be more focused and work faster in a more skillfulway,” said Bambang.

He also formed supportingdepartments using the concept ‘center of excellence’ to support the company’soperations. Previously, each department had its own purchasing units, forexample corporate purchasing, but now there is only one purchasing departmentthat handles each product category.

Warehousing is now under onelogistics department, not like before when it was handled by each department. “So, it is now more focused and they aremore skilled due to being under one single department,” said the father of two.

The third stage isinfrastructure. To him one of the most vital infrastructures is supply chainfollowed by process and policy. In short the entire company’s team should beable to collaborate smoothly and to solve problems as delegated. The changes broughtabout by Bambang showed good results.

Today Enesis is able to launchproducts faster as per target. Moreover Enesis also implements the originalequipment manufacturing (OEM) system to manufacture products in collaborationwith other related companies for faster marketing. “Ideas and concepts are all from us, but the manufacturing isdone by other companies,” he said. An example of such a product is Coolant,which is produced using the OEM system with a different concept from competingproducts in the market, including its packaging.

Bambang feels optimistic thatthreefold business growth can be achieved faster, even before 2013. “Currentlyour growth is between 20 and 30 percent,” said Bambang. Although many changeshave been made Enesis will still remain a company that consistentlymanufacturer innovative products that are brand new in their product category. (D. Prasetya)

The Jakarta Post, December 03, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/12/03/profilebambang-w-soendoro-making-enesis-better-smarter-faster.html

Langkah HB Naveen Menjadi Raja Multimedia

2011-11-27T23:17:00.001-08:00

BERMODAL tekad yang kuat, HBNaveen berhasil pindah kuadran secara mulus. Kini, Falcon Interactive menjadisalah satu perusahaan multimedia yang disegani di Tanah Air dan mulai menjajakipasar internasional.

Jabatan mentereng denganfasilitas kelas satu ternyata tak cukup buat meredam niat HB Naveen berpindahkuadran. Padahal, kala itu di usianya yang masih sangat muda, ia sudahmenduduki posisi sangat penting, yaitu Direktur Bhakti Media.

Di perusahaan yang kemudianberubah nama menjadi MNC Corp. itu, Naveen dinilai punya potensi sangat bagus.Maklum, sebelumnya ia berhasil melambungkan program seperti Fear Factors, WhoWants to be A Millionaire, dan beberapa program lainnya. Karena alasan itupulalah, keputusan Naveen mengundurkan diri sangat disayangkan oleh petinggiBhakti Media.

Namun, tekad pria kelahiranJakarta 12 Desember 1971 ini sudah bulat. “Saat itu adalah momentum yang sangattepat,” ujar Naveen. Pertengahan tahun 2006, Naveen resmi mundur dari BhaktiMedia untuk memulai petualangan baru sebagai wirausaha.

Tak sedikit “ongkos” yang harusdikeluarkan untuk pindah kuadran. Seluruh uang tabungan dan pesangon yangdiperolehnya dari Bhakti Media dijadikan sebagai modal untuk mendirikanperusahaan yang membidangi multimedia yang dia beri nama Falcon Interactive.“Mobil pun saya tukar dengan yang lebih murah agar mendapat tambahan modal,”ungkap Naveen.

Bukan itu saja pengorbanannya.Naveen pun harus rela melepas seluruh atribut yang pernah melekat pada dirinya.“Saya turun langsung ke lapangan untuk menemui AE-AE (account executive) dariperusahaan telko,” ujarnya. Padahal, Naveen mengaku kenal dengan para petinggidi perusahaan telko itu. “Saya benar-benar mulai dari nol.”

Naveen menuturkan, salah satualasannya memilih bidang multimedia, atau yang dia sebut sebagai new media,karena bidang ini merupakan bidang baru yang belum dikuasai oleh pemain besar.Dia menyebutkan, media-media tradisional sudah dikuasai oleh konglomerasi besardengan modal berlimpah. “Di industri ini semua berstatus sama, sebagaistart-up.”

Proyek pertama yang berhasildirengkuh Falcon adalah handset Esia Hidayah bekerja sama dengan PT BakrieTelecom Tbk. Handset yang ditujukan untuk konsumen Muslim tersebut ternyatameraih sukses cukup besar. Lebih dari satu juta unit terjual. “Ini menjadikansemangat kami semakin tinggi,” kata Naveen.

Falcon pun kemudian menggandengFlexi dan Kompas untuk meluncurkan Kompas Phone. Walau penjualan Kompas Phonetak sebaik Esia Hidayah, kehadiran produk ini semakin menancapkan nama Falcondi jajaran perusahaan telko di Indonesia. “Kami semakin banyak menjualaplikasi, baik yang berbasis teks maupun gambar ke perusahaan telko,” iaberujar.

Nama Falcon kian dikenal ketikamasuk ke bisnis nada sambung pribadi (NSP). Tidak tanggung-tanggung, Falconlangsung menggandeng dua artis legendaris yang punya penggemar dalam jumlahyang masif, yaitu Iwan Fals dan Rhoma Irama. Kedua artis ini terbukti semakinmelambungkan nama Falcon di jajaran pelaku industri multimedia di Tanah Air.

Melihat perkembangan perusahaanberjalan dengan sangat baik, rasa percaya diri Naveen pun makin tebal. Iasemakin yakin akan masa depan perusahaan dan bisnis yang dia geluti. “Semuayang berbasis mobile dan Internet punya potensi yang besar untuk terusberkembang,” ucapnya.

Naveen tidak asal ucap. Diamenyebutkan, dari tahun ke tahun jumlah pengguna ponsel di Indonesia terusmeningkat signifikan. Demikian pula jumlah pengakses Internet yang terustumbuh. “Itu adalah momentum kami untuk fokus di dua bidang tersebut,” kataNaveen, yang lalu memutuskan serius di dua bidang industri, yaitu teknologi danentertainment.

Di bidang teknologi, Falcon tetapfokus dalam memasarkan aplikasi berbasis mobile lewat perusahaan telko. Selainitu, Falcon juga merambah ke bisnis portal Internet. Sekarang, Falconsetidaknya mengelola tiga portal, yaitu portal barang diskon(www.diskongokil.com), portal olah raga (www.cekskor.com) dan portalinfotainment (www.lipstik.tv).

Walau bisnis Internet pernahmengalami crash pada awal 2000-an, menurut Naveen, bukan berarti bisnistersebut sudah tidak memiliki potensi. Keadaan saat ini sangat jauh berbedadibanding awal 2000-an, yang mana penetrasi PC dan Internet jauh lebih baik.

Sementara di bidangentertainment, Falcon mengembangkan sayap bisnisnya dengan merambah industrirekaman. “Dari NSP kami bergerak ke full track dan physical product,” iamenerangkan. Dua artis yang sebelumnya sudah mereka gandeng, Iwan Fals danRhoma Irama tetap dipertahankan. Falcon pun kemudian menggandeng artis yangtengah naik daun seperti Goliath, Rido Rhoma dan beberapa lainnya.

Di bisnis rekaman, Naveentergolong cukup nekad dan berani mengambil risiko. “Kalau tidak ada risiko sayaresah,” ujarnya sambil tertawa. Terbukti ia berani mengontrak (almarhum) MbahSurip yang kala itu sudah ditolak oleh beberapa perusahaan rekaman lain karenadianggap tidak memiliki daya jual. Toh nyatanya, Mbah Surip lewat lagunya TakGendong berhasil meraih sukses besar.

Di bisnis rekaman, Naveenmenganut prinsip yang sangat unik, yaitu tidak mau kalah. Dia menceritakan,suatu ketika ia pernah bertemu dengan boy band Smash dan ia menawari Smashbergabung dengan perusahaan rekamannya. “Saya tawarkan kepada mereka, kalianmau jadi kawan atau lawan. Karena mereka tidak menjawab, saya anggap mereka maujadi lawan,” ceritanya. Dari situ, ia menggandeng personel Opera Van Java danmembentuk boy band yang diberi nama Smosh (pelesetan dari Smash).

Namun, mantan Manajer Akun McCannEricsson ini sadar bahwa Smosh hanyalah proyek sesaat. Maka, format dan namanyapun diubah menjadi 7 Ikans yang merupakan pelesetan dari girl band 7 Icons.Terakhir, Falcon mengontrak Briptu Norman yang beberapa waktu lalu sempatmenjadi buah bibir di dunia hiburan di Tanah Air. “Saya ingin melakukan bisnisini dengan fun. Saya enjoy, konsumen juga suka,” ia menandaskan.

Di bisnis rekaman, Naveen beranimengklaim bahwa Falcon berada di posisi tiga besar. “Kami sudah menjadi labelyang sangat diperhitungkan di negeri ini,” ujarnya. Dari industri rekaman,tahun ini Falcon mulai merambah bisnis film. Oktober ini, mereka meluncurkanfilm yang berjudul Mestakung, bekerja sama dengan Mizan. Adapun November nantihendak diluncurkan film terbaru Rhoma Irama yang berjudul Sajadah Ka’bah.“Tahun depan kami rencananya akan membuat 6 film,” lanjutnya.

Naveen mengatakan, salah satucita-cita yang belum tercapai adalah masuk ke program TV. Namun, hal itusebentar lagi akan terwujud karena Falcon sudah mendapatkan kontrak dari salahsatu stasiun TV untuk membuat 13 FTV. “Perjuangan kami di TV masih 1,5-2 tahunlagi,” ujarnya seraya menambahkan, Falcon tengah mencari rumah produksi untukdiakuisisi agar bisa mempercepat perkembangan Falcon di program TV.

Menurut Yoris Sebastian, Naveensudah membawa Falcon pada track yang benar. Dalam menggarap industri kreatif,pengembangan sayap usaha harus terus dilakukan. “Di industri kreatif, kitatidak bisa hanya bertumpu pada satu bidang,” kata Yoris.

Selain harus bisa membaca pasar,Yoris menyebut bahwa intuisi juga sangat dibutuhkan dalam menggarap industriini. Dalam hal ini, Yoris memuji Naveen sebagai sosok yang punya intuisi tajam.“Ketika mereka ambil Mbah Surip semua orang mencemooh karena dianggap tidakpunya daya jual. Buktinya Mbah Surip sukses.”

Naveen sepakat dengan Yoris.Menurutnya, sebagai seorang wirausaha dia harus bisa membaca arah pergerakanpasar. Karena alasan itu, Naveen berani berinvestasi dengan membeli 10% sahamsalah satu perusahaan di Silicon Valley yang membidangi video streaming. “Kamimelihat tren pasar akan terus bergerak, dari teks ke gambar, kemudian akanbergerak ke video,” ujarnya. Sayang, Naveen enggan menyebut besarnya investasidi perusahaan itu.

Naveen memang sangat agresifmengembangkan Falcon. Namun, hampir semua bisnis yang dia kembangkan adalahhasil pengembangan sendiri. “Kami jarang sekali melakukan akuisisi.Satu-satunya akuisisi yang kami lakukan adalah pada www.carakita.com,” ujarnyalagi.

Carakita.com merupakan pintumasuk Falcon ke bisnis pendidikan. Website yang membidangi kursus bahasaInggris secara online ini tadinya dimiliki oleh orang Bali yang sangat mengertibagaimana pola belajar bahasa Inggris bagi orang Indonesia. “Nantinya kami akanbawa carakita.com ke sekolah offline dan mobile,” katanya seraya menyebutkan,saat ini mereka tengah membangun sebuah sekolah di Bali untuk mendukungcarakita.com.

Selain carakita.com, Falcon ditahun 2011 ini mengembangkan pusat belajar membaca Al Quran yang berlokasi dikawasan Mampang, Jakarta Selatan, yaitu Quran Learning Center (QLC). Samaseperti carakita.com, QLC juga akan disinergikan dengan bisnis lainnya.“Nantinya semua bisnis kami akan masuk ke jalur mobile dan Internet,” ungkaplulusan Program Eksekutif dari Harvard University ini.

Naveen mengatakan, kini organisasiFalcon sudah berkembang sedemikian rupa. Total tenaga kerja yang tergabung dikelompok usaha ini mencapai lebih dari 200 orang. Adapun omset per tahun yangberhasil diraup Falcon mencapai Rp 400 miliar. “Organisasi ini harus terusberkembang dan satu komando. Dan saya masih menjadi sentral di organisasi ini,”ucapnya.

Dia mengatakan, gaya kepemimpinanyang diterapkannya selama ini adalah leading by example. Ia harus turunlangsung ke lapangan, sambil memastikan semua berjalan sebagaimana mestinya.“Belum saatnya saya menjadi seperti Sir Alex Fergusson yang hanya berada dipinggir lapangan. Saya masih harus turun bermain, paling tidak sampai 10 tahunmendatang,” ungkapnya.

Sambil “bermain”, Naveen punharus terus memompa motivasi jajaran di bawahnya. Menurutnya, sebagaiperusahaan multimedia, Falcon harus terus berinovasi untuk melahirkan hal baruyang diminati pasar. “Kami harus bisa membaca tren dan menjadikannya sebagaipeluang.”

Menurut Yoris, salah satupermasalahan di perusahaan seperti Falcon adalah ketergantungan pada satuindividu. “Naveen bisa mengambil posisi seperti Steve Jobs yang sangat sentraldan menjadi otak perusahaan atau membangun organisasi yang inovatif. Sayaberharap dia lebih memilih yang kedua,” ungkap Yoris seraya menambahkan, perusahaanseperti Falcon harus terus kreatif dan inovatif. “Itu hanya bisa dicapai jikakultur di perusahaan juga mendukung,” ujar penulis buku Creative Junkies ini.

Yang menarik, berbeda dariperusahaan lain yang berstatus start-up, Naveen tak sedikit pun berniat menjualusaha yang dibangunnya dari nol ini kepada investor asing. “Saya merasa tidakada investor asing yang bisa membantu saya mengembangkan usaha ini. Initeritori saya. Saya lebih mengerti karakter bisnis dan pasar Indonesia,”katanya tegas.

Naveen malah berencana membawaFalcon menjadi perusahaan publik. “Langkah ke sana sudah mulai kami rintis.Awal tahun 2012 kami akan melakukan beauty contest untuk mencari underwriter,”katanya. “Menjadi perusahaan publik bukan untuk mencari dana, tapi agar kamilebih terkontrol.”

Bisnis yang digeluti Falcon,lanjut Naveen, masih punya masa depan yang sangat cerah. Maka, dia pun beranimengambil keputusan yang mengandung risiko. Seperti yang saat ini tengahdilakukannya, yaitu membeli 25 ribu handset yang nantinya akan dijadikanhandphone, ditujukan untuk pasar anak-anak. “Faktanya sekarang banyak anak-anakyang sudah menggunakan handphone, tapi handphone yang mereka gunakan adalahuntuk orang dewasa. Kami akan luncurkan handphone yang khusus untuk anak-anak,”kata Naveen lagi.

“Nekad bukan berarti tanpaperhitungan. Yang pasti kami harus bisa membaca pergerakan pasar,” kata Naveen.Saat ini Naveen pun tengah membangun divisi internasional. Dia sudah menjajakiuntuk masuk ke beberapa negara berkembang yang karakter pasarnya mirip denganIndonesia, seperti Bangladesh, Nigeria, Filipina, dan beberapa negara lain.“Nantinya kami akan memasarkan aplikasi kami ke luar negeri,” katanya bertekad.(Taufik Hidayat)

SWA, November 24th, 2011

http://swa.co.id/2011/11/langkah-hb-naveen-menjadi-raja-multimedia/

Beating the competition

2011-11-26T02:02:00.001-08:00

THE penetration of Lenovocomputer products in Indonesia is growing. In the first quarter of 2011Lenovo’s market share in Indonesia was 7.6 percent, or number five in theindustry. Out of this market shareLenovo dominates the corporate segment with a market share of 15.8 percent andit is indeed the leader in this market segment beating its competitors HewlettPackard (HP) and Dell. At the endof 2010 Lenovo was already enjoying a 15 percent market share in the corporatesegment.

Meanwhile in the small and mediumbusiness (SMB) segment Lenovo has a market share of 9.8 percent and in theconsumers segment it has a 5.1 percent market share; number five in theindustry in Indonesia. “Ourbusiness growth is 90 percent while the industry’s growth is only 18 percent.Lenovo still dominates the business to business segment,” said Sandy Lumy,Country General Manager of Lenovo Singapore Pte. Ltd. for Indonesia’sRepresentative Office.

Of course Lenovo’s success isinseparable from Sandy’s role as GM of Lenovo Indonesia. Indeed Sandy is not anew face in the industry as he has a long career in the computer industry. Therefore, he did not experienceany difficulty in adapting to her new role at Lenovo Indonesia. In addition sheis assisted by a solid team. “I always give my full trust to my employees forthe company’s growth,” said Sandy explaining her strategy in companymanagement.

He also revealed another strategyin ensuring Lenovo remains market leader. For the corporate segment inIndonesia she has a special team for the corporate and government segment. Inaddition the product must be excellent, such as Lenovo’s ThinkPad for thelaptop and ThinkCentre for its PC both of which are undoubtedly superior inquality and innovation.

Also important are itsdistribution channels, which Sandy calls partners, spread throughout thenation, such as in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. Sandy has alsoenhanced the after sales service and expanded the network.

Besides educating the customersvia seminars there are also customer visits to the company’s lab in Beijing,China. “We have a research and development facility in Beijing, China, Yamato,Japan and the United States,” said Sandy, an alumni of the Accounting Economicsfaculty of Parahyangan Catholic University, Bandung.

Sandy also improves the skills ofthe sales team and distribution channels. “In the business to business segment(B2B) we are striving to maintain our position and grow faster than the marketitself,” said Sandy who joined Lenovo in June 2007.

Not satisfied being the dominantleader of the corporate segment Sandy also strives to enlarge the company’smarket share in the SMB and consumer segments. Sandy, who plays golf andbadminton, said that for these two segments the company leverages partners andmakes huge investments to build Lenovo Exclusive Stores that sell Lenovoproducts exclusively. Currently there are already 48 stores, more than doublelast year’s 20 outlets.

In addition this year Lenovo islaunching Power Brand (PB) in a major way globally, including in Indonesia, toincrease brand awareness. Through this PB campaign Sandy expects Lenovo will beknown not only as a computer company, but also as a technology company.Therefore, Lenovo has recently launched a tablet computer and smartphone.Indonesia is getting a large portion of Lenovo’s PB campaign to increaseawareness here because the Chinese computer company only started here in 2005.

“The target for the Power Brandcampaign is the 18 to 25 year old age bracket,” said Sandy, the former SalesDirector of HP Indonesia. Integrated marketing is also implemented via ads andoutdoor advertising not only in Jakarta but in 13 cities in Indonesia. TVcommercials and collaboration with radio stations are also included in thecampaign. Three brand ambassadors have been appointed: Lenny Agustin, acreative fashion designer famous for contemporary Indonesian cultural designs;Denny Sumargo, a basket player and an entrepreneur; Wahyu Aditya, founder ofHellomotion Academy, one of Indonesia’s best animation schools.

Sandy said that enlarging theconsumer market share will have a positive impact on its current domination ofthe B2B segment. “This is our way to protect our market by staying the marketleader in B2B and entering the consumer segment. What we do is protect andattack the market,” said Sandy, who was previously an executive at CompaqComputer Indonesia.

Sandy said all these were herstrategies to enable the company to increase its domination of the market in2011. Therefore, the company’s investment and marketing as well as promotionalcum advertising budget, including its PB campaign, is huge. The number ofemployees has also been increased. “We have raised investment four or fivefold. Our PB campaign will run until March 2012. Yes, we are very serious,”said Sandy, who has a master’s degree in management from IPMI Business School.

Since the PB campaign Lenovo’sbrand consideration had increased to 55.8 percent early in 2011, while inAugust last year it was only 18 percent. This is due to the company’s intensivemarketing and increased sales and distribution. Along with the increased brandconsideration (BC) Sandy is targeting Lenovo’s market share in Indonesia to bemuch higher than 7.6 percent, meaning double digits. (D. Prasetya)

The Jakarta Post, November 26, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/26/profile-sandy-lumy-beating-competition.html

Building hotels with creativity and innovation

2011-11-20T20:47:00.001-08:00

WHEN most foreign investors didnot believe in Indonesia’s potential during the financial crisis, MarcSteinmeyer left the Accor group at the peak of his career and reinventedhimself as an entrepreneur in Indonesia.

He built a hotel managementcompany Tauzia and established international-standard budget hotels. His uniqueconcept of a budget hotel has created a unique market of its own. TheFrenchman, born in Marseille 57 years ago, has extensive experience in thehotel business spanning over 20 years.

Marc Armand Georges Steinmeyerstarted his career as a consultant in development for hotel and tourism inNicaragua after graduating from the Glion International School of Hotel &Tourism, Switzerland, in 1979.

He had also held the position ofchief executive for Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia operating and developing30 hotels for Softel, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis between 1993 and1998. At theheight of his career as regional vice president for Accor group in Asia,including India and the Philippines, he resigned.

His reason for resigning wasquite simple: He wanted to become an entrepreneur. When he was director andbrand consultant of Académie Accor, he led the human resources department for150 hotels belonging to Mercure Europe. He conducted management training aswell as taught the spirit of entrepreneurship to the employees. “It’s hard tobecome an entrepreneur when one is still working as an employee,” he said.Another reason was retirement.

“In Europe we retire at the ageof 65, I don’t like that. I want freedom, that’s why I stopped my professionalcareer,” he said. He wanted to have his own company with new and differentproducts. Steinmeyer established PT TauziaBusiness Development in October 2000, a company dealing in the hospitality andleisure industry. Instead of China, India and Thailand, he chose Indonesia asthe base for his company.

He likes India, but he wasworried the country’s bureaucracy in the property business may have a negativeeffect on his company’s cash flow. On the other hand, although at that time notmany foreign investors were interested in Indonesia, he felt that he wasfamiliar with the country and the people; he likes its culture and at the sametime loves living here. “Indonesia is like a sleeping treasure!” emphasizedSteinmeyer whose hobby is traveling. His travels have even taken him toUshuaia, a small town in Argentina, “the southernmost city in the world” with apopulation of only 64,000. Indonesia was more advanced in the propertybusiness, said Steinmeyer.

In his opinion, if thebusinessman is a good developer, well-organized and has a good partner, then itonly takes between 18 and 24 months for the business to run smoothly. Room forimprovement is still as good as 10 years ago.

In August 2001 PT Tauzia HotelManagement was born to manage a number of hotels bearing the brand Harris Hoteland Pop! Hotel as well as other properties.

Tauzia is one of thousands ofspecies of oak trees that is a favorite of Steinmeyer; one of which is in theyard of his home in Marseille and is 250 years old. Steinmeyer’s dream is tohave a large, strong and lasting Tauzia.

His innovative hotel conceptdeveloped quickly, because among other things Harris Hotel reflects the newdemocratic era of Indonesia. The father of three and the husband of Zaleha,Steinmeyer has set the following concept for Harris: unique, simple andfriendly, targeting the new middle-class Asians. Everywhere Harris alwaysappears dynamic, youthful, and fresh, with its signature electric orange color.

Albeit a budget hotel, saidSteinmeyer, Harris is more than the usual four-star hotel. Its minimaliststyle, cleanliness, warmth and modernity have become a trendsetter forIndonesia’s hotels. Although he had a concept, Steinmeyer did not have enoughfunds to build Harris, as at least $10 million was needed at the time to builda hotel.

He offered hotels that had gonebankrupt due to the 1998 financial crisis to join as investors. With his extensiveexperience and network during his time in Accor, he managed to find an investorfor the first Harris in Tuban, Bali; Harris Batam Waterfront, now the hotel inBatam with the highest occupancy; and Harris Tebet, which was previously calledHotel Quality.

According to Steinmeyer, hiscredibility and reputation played a bigger role than money although it has notbeen easy to find a suitable partner because the concept for hotel Harris isunusual, like no breakfast or free Wi-Fi.

The name Harris is Steinmeyer’spersonal choice because it is simple, funny, out of the box and popular inIndonesia. “Harris can be pronounced easily by anyone, including by the Frenchpeople,” he added. Harris could also be a name originating from any religion orrace. This kind of diverse meaning is in line with his dream to combine theIndonesian and European mindsets and management style for his hotels.

Tauzia provides technicalassistance for the implementation of the concept and the hotel management.“Tauzia not only acts as hotel operator but fully understands the propertybusiness and while not investing it can provide advice on legal matters and thebest financial institutions,” explained Steinmeyer.

Next to Harris and Pop! Hotels the latest products for theyouth segment or the “smart and eco-friendly traveler”, Tauzia has also startedto manage luxury hotels bearing the brand WorldHotels and Preference.Steinmeyer hopes that soon he can have a hotel of his own, one that he buildshimself.

However, he is conservative aboutthe growth of his business. His target is between five and 10 hotels per yearand that each major city in Indonesia should have Harris or Pop!.

Currently, there are already 56hotels; there will be 60 hotels by the end of 2011 and between 70 and 80 hotelsat the end of 2012. In the future, Steinmeyer wants to focus more and to bemore selective on partners and locations. “Quality is more important thanquantity,” he said.

It is undeniable that for thepast two years his company has built a strong Harris market. “Other hotels arewatching us, following us and waiting for the next Harris,” he said. “That isthe importance of being consistent.”

Today the market is addicted tothe Harris concept, and has started to imitate its system, standard and evenits electric orange color. Steinmeyer is not worried at all, “Competitors arenecessary, it stimulates the fighting spirit!” he stressed.

His principle is to meet themarket demand but to keep Harris and Pop! growing. Tauzia will also expand thesebrands outside Indonesia, especially in Asia. “We have received requests fromChina and India, but I must do things step-by-step,” he concluded. (Lily Glorida Nababan)

The Jakarta Post, November 19, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/19/profile-marc-steinmeyer-building-hotels-with-creativity-and-innovation.html

Prioritizing the strength of a team

2011-11-11T21:50:00.001-08:00

PT Fujitsu Indonesia is veryfortunate to have recruited Achmad Sunuadji Sofwan as Sales Director in 2005,because since Yogyakarta-born Achmad, 54, joined the Japanese IT firm it hasexperienced significant sales growth. So it is not surprising that in 2007 thefather of two was promoted to the position of President Director.

Under his leadership FujitsuIndonesia has grown even faster. “From 2005 until today Fujitsu has grown fourfold or an average of 25 percent per year although the market’s growth is only12 percent annually,” commented Achmad.

Indeed Achmad has a major role inFujitsu Indonesia’s growth as he is given freedom by Fujitsu’s headquarters inJapan to apply his strategy to advance the company. “Fujitsu is quite differentfrom most Western companies. The head office delegates a lot to its offices ineach country so that major initiatives can be made,” he explained.

According to Achmad the freedomallows him to create programs and initiatives for the progress of the companywithout prior approval from the head office. “So our creativity is fullydeveloped,” he said.

In fact Achmad has a differentapproach to his predecessors at Fujitsu Indonesia. For him the duty of a leaderis linked to the formulation of the vision and strategies, but again here heuses a different approach. “We decide everything together with our team,” hesaid.

He said every three months heholds a strategic meeting along with the direct report to formulate thecompany’s objectives or vision to match the market situation at the time.

To create a proper vision thecompany must be aware of the target market, the competitors and their strengthsand so on, he said. “That is why we must jointly formulate the vision, becausethe lower ranking staff may know the market condition better,” he said. Theentire team works on the formulation of both the vision and the strategies.“The strategy should match the set vision,” he said.

He said that he always maintainstransparency during the formulation of both the company’s vision andstrategies, because transparency is extremely important. He added that manycompanies do not maintain transparency which causes a lot of office politicsthat is detrimental to the organization. “I always do my best to maintaintransparency in every initiative and decision, including the performance of thecompany so that all employees are fully aware,” he said.

To maintain transparency Achmadholds many meetings with the employees. Besides the meeting held every threemonths with all the employees he also conducts a program called the birthdaymeeting when every month the employees celebrating their birthdays in thatmonth gather in a coffee session when the performance and objectives of thecompany are also discussed. “All these meetings and programs are to make theemployees have a sense of belonging to the company,” he said.

Although the entire process ofvision and strategy formulation is done as a team, ultimately Achmad, as theleader has to make the decision. “To make a good decision we must fullyunderstand the art of decision making. We can judge someone by the way he orshe makes a decision,” he said.

Besides giving importance to thestrength of the team, Achmad, who is an avid golfer, also applies an open doorpolicy. He gives his staff and employees full freedom to discuss variousmatters with him directly. “They can meet me directly anytime,” he said.

He said that however good thevision and strategy may be, execution is also quite important. He explainedthat Fujitsu Indonesia always tries to get to know its consumers in order tounderstand their needs. So, building a good relationship with consumers isvital. “In Indonesia relationship has a major role,” he said.

According to Achmad one ofFujitsu’s strengths is its complete range of products, not only hardware, but alsosoftware and applications. “Fujitsu has end to end products,” he said. Thismakes the company more innovative in introducing new products.

He said that in the futureFujitsu has a huge potential for continuous development. With its strengthFujitsu can even become one of the IT industry ‘kings’ in Indonesia. “Only afew companies have products and services as complete as Fujitsu. That can beour capital to keep on competing in the industry,” he said.

He said that the IT market inIndonesia will gradually start to shift. While currently most of the market isdominated by hardware products (89 percent), in the future it will shift toservices. As a comparison Achmad mentioned that today in Singapore theproportion of hardware and services in the market is already 55:45. “Thereforewe are strengthening our services division,” Achmad said.

He said that based on hisexperience he can take Fujitsu to even further heights. Achmad explained thatjoining the IT world was initially an ‘accident’ as he had a degree inmechanical engineering from Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). “My dream thenwas to work for an automotive company, such as Astra or an oil company,” herecalled.

But destiny had a different storyfor him. He joined a recruitment test conducted by an IT company, IBM, whichwas doing a presentation and seeking fresh talents at the ITB campus. “I joinedthe test casually and to my surprise I passed,” he said.

As a matter of fact he fell inlove with IT after joining IBM. “I like IT, because it is an agent of change,”he said. He added that for the management and organization IT can help acompany to achieve better performance and competitiveness.

And, moreover initially whileworking at IBM he was provided the opportunity to study IT for almost one and ahalf years. “From a casual start I now like this field very much and until todayI see my career in IT,” said Achmad. (T.Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, November 12, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/12/profile-achmad-sunuadji-sofwan-prioritizing-strength-a-team.html

Saatnya Kaum Muda Memimpin

2011-11-05T01:54:00.001-07:00

DI antara muka-muka lama, nama RizalMallarangeng tiba-tiba muncul dan berniat maju untuk menjadi kandidat presiden.Pria 44 tahun ini memang sudah akrab dengan dunia politik, meskipun selama iniselalu bermain dari balik layar. Tapi yang menarik, ia seakan menggenapi trenglobal saat ini bahwa kaum mudalah yang menggerakkan dunia ini.

PANGGUNG politik Indonesia mulaipanas. Setelah Wiranto, Prabowo Subianto, Megawati, dan Sutiyosomendeklarasikan diri siap maju dalam merebut RI 1, belakangan ini nama AndiRizal Mallarangeng juga siap bertarung menghadapi para seniornya dalampencalonan pemilihan presiden Republik Indonesia 2009.

Iklan-iklan Rizal mulai gencardisiarkan berbagai media, terutama televisi. Ikon "RM 09" pundipasangnya. Sebuah strategi yang mencontek gaya kandidat Presiden AS BarrackObama dengan "Obama 08"-nya.

Pria kelahiran di Pare-Pare,Sulawesi Selatan, 29 Oktober 1964 ini memang bukan bukan muka baru dalamperpolitikan di Indonesia, tapi sebatas sebagai pengamat dan pemikir. Adikkandung Andi Mallarangeng ini menempuh pendidikan ilmu politiknya diUniversitas Gadjah Mada. Setelah lulus, ia melanjutkan pendidikan S2 dan S3-nyadalam bidang ilmu politik di Universitas Ohio, Amerika Serikat tahun 1999.Selama di Amerika, Rizal pernah menjadi asisten dosen dan kemudian menjadidosen (2000-2001) di almamaternya. Setelah pulang dari Amerika, Rizal bergabungke CSIS menjadi staf peneliti.

Pada 2001, ia mendirikan FreedomInstitute dan sekaligus menjadi direktur eksekutifnya. Rizal yang menikahiwanita Jawa, Dewi Tjakrawati itu juga menjabat sebagai staf khusus MenteriKoordinator Bidang Kesejahteraan Rakyat Republik Indonesia, Aburisal Bakrie.

Juli lalu Rizal menyatakan akanmaju dalam ajang Pilpres 2009 sebagai calon dari jalur independen, namun tidakmenutup kemungkinan akan melalui partai. Ia juga menyatakan bahwa metodekampanyenya akan meniru cara berkampanye Barack Obama.

Ditemui di kediamannya yang asridi bilangan Menteng, Jakarta, Rizal menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan yangdiajukan Burhanuddin Abe dari MEAsia. Berikut petikannya:

Mengapa Anda tahu-tahu kok ingin jadi presiden?

Jawabannya bukan soal saya inginjadi presiden atau tidak jadi presiden, ini masalah kepemimpinan. Kita lihatdemokratisasi di Indonesia kan sudah 10 tahun, tapi kok tidak berubah-ubah.Tokoh-tokohnya sama. Gus Dur dan Amien Rais tampaknya masih ingin ikutpemilihan presiden tahun depan, demikian pula dengan Presiden SBY dan WapresKalla serta Megawati. Juga Wiranto dan Probowo.

Saya kenal dengan mereka dansangat menghormati tokoh-tokoh senior tersebut. Tapi apakah pilihankepemimpinan nasional harus berkisar hanya di seputar mereka? Anak-anak mudakok belum ada yang maju. Sayang aja. Biasanya satu generasi itu kan satu tahappemilihan saja, tidak berulang-ulang. Namanya juga demokrasi, sekarang kanbukan zaman Pak Harto lagi. Itu sebabnya, dalam demokasi kan ada pembatasanmasa kepresidenan, cukup dua kali saja.

Sebenarnya bukan hanya itu saja,kalau yang satu mandek, kan gerbongnya jadi nggak jalan. Terjadi penuaanpolitik Indonesia. Bukankah Republik Indonesia sebenarnya dipelopori oleh paratokoh yang saat itu berusia muda? Soekarno menjadi presiden di di usia 40-an,Hatta menjadi wakil presiden 30-an tahun. Syahrir jadi Perdana Menteri 36tahun. Memang cocoknya umur-umur segitu. 50 tahun apalagi 60 tahun, sudahketuaan. Bukan saya meragukan kemampuan Pak SBY dan lain-lain, tapi ini hukumalam saja, harus ada regenerasi. We respect them, but please give some space toour new generation.

Kapan punya niat menjacalonkan diri menjadi presiden?

Desember 2007 atau Januari tahuninilah....

Baru terbersit belakangan saja, bukan dipikirkan sejak lama?

Kalau jauh ke belakang, saya kanaktif macam-macam. Saya aktivis mahasiswa. Artinya, cita-cita ke arahkepemimpinan politik ya sejak kecil. Tapi kali ini ini, timing-nya tepat, jugalatar belakang pemikirannya.

Pemicunya apa?

Apa ya? Mungkin saya lihat,iklannya Prabowo naik, iklan-iklan yang lain juga mulai muncul. Sayang juga nihkalau nggak ada yang baru-baru. Kebetulan saya dalam posisi yang memungkinkanuntuk maju. Mungkin saya juga mampu, paling tidak membuka jalan. Saya tidakberpikir menang kalah memang, apalagi mereka (SBY dan lain-lain) memang masihkuat, tapi saya ingin membuka wacana bahwa generasi muda bisa dan harus beranitampil.

Mengapa nggak ada target untuk menang?

Nggak ada target, paling tidakuntuk sekarang ini. Kita lihat saja apa yang terjadi. Yang jelas buat saya inibagus, setidaknya buat latihan. Kalau tidak sekarang, paling tidak 2014 harusada regenerasi, nggak boleh lagi ada muka-muka lama. Mbak Mega dan Pak SBY kansudah berhadapan tahun 2004, masak nanti berhadapan lagi dan berhadapan lagi.

Kecenderungan di luar negeri juga sama, saatnya generasi muda yangberada di pucuk pimpinan politik?

Saya melihat di AS begitu.Kandidat Presiden AS Barack Obama sekarang berumur 46 tahun, berkulit hitamlagi, minoritas, tapi berani maju. Ia muncul secara tak terduga dan dalam wakturelatif singkat mampu mengubah peta politik, menumbuhkan harapan dan gairahbaru. Di Rusia begitu begitu juga, ada Medvedev yang berusia 44 tahun. DiIndonesia kenapa saya tidak mencoba? Mengapa harus selalu orang Jawa, bukanorang Sulawesi Selatan (tertawa).

Kita kan tidak ingin Indonesiaterjerembab ke dalam gerontokrasi, yakni kepemimpinan orang-orang tua, yangmungkin saja bijaksana, tapi tidak dekat dengan perkembangan dan gerak nadisejarah.

Jadi fenomena ini fenomena global?

Ya, fenomena global. Danperubahan politik di mana-mana memag dimulai dari anak muda. Kalau usia terlalumapan, biasanya hanya megikuti irama yang ada. Makanya, pemimpin-pemimpin besarbukan berasal generasi yang terlalu tua. John F. Kennedy kan muda waktu menjadiPresiden AS. Roosevelt dan Lincoln juga. Memang ada pengecualian, Ronald Reagansudah tua. Tapi pada umumya yang mengubah arus itu kan generasi muda.

Peralihan generasi itu kan sebuahkeniscayaan, hukum alam. Pak Harto lengser itu bukan karena kebijakannya tidakbagus, kebijakannya cukup bagus, tapi problemnya adalah kelamaan. Ini melawankodrat, melawan hukum alam.

Di sini, semua pakai gerbong partai politik. Anda pakai apa?

Saya belum. Kalau nanti sayadites dan dites, terus masyarakat menginginkannya, pastilah saya mencapaipartai politik. Dan saya yakin, setelah terdeteksi oleh survei tentunya, partaipolitik pun akan mencari saya.

Kenapa di sini calon independen sulit sekali muncul?

Ya, peraturannya memang begitu.Partai politik masih mau mengontrol semuanya, ya tidak apa-apalah. Mana adaorang yang mau ngasih kekuasaan secara cuma-cuma.

Dulu Anda seorang pemikir, sekarang akan terjun menjadi praktisi. Peranyang sangat berbeda, kan?

Ya, memang beda, tapi praktisiyang baik itu kan tidak boleh tanpa ide. Saya sekolah sampai doktor di Amerikadi bidang politik, mengajar juga ilmu politik. Jadi, ilmunya, idenya, dasarnyasama. Cuma, sekarang adalah bagaimana mengimplementasikannya dalam praktek.Saya maju bukan tanpa pengalaman, sejak mahasiswa saya aktif di orgaisasi, diSMA juga ketua OSIS, kemudian berpengalaman di birokrasi, jadi staf khusus dipemerintahan, ikut mewakili Indonesia dalam berbagai perundingan internasional.Sebetulnya banyak pengalaman saya dalam tataran praktis.

Kesannya, pengalaman Anda banyak berkaitan dengan kapabilitas Andasebagai profesional. Dulu Anda tidak aktif sebagai partisan, misalnya jadipengurus sebuah partai politik?

Ini kan pilihan hidup saja. Kalaukakak saya (Andi Mallarangeng) memilih aktif di partai politik, dua kali, yangsekarang di Partai Demokrat. Saya memang pernah ditawari di PDIP oleh Bu Mega,tapi hati saya belum bisa sepenuhnya bisa di partai. Saya hormat kepadateman-teman yang bisa aktif di partai, tapi kebetulan saya memilih di lembaganon patai, non pemerintah, tapi membantu pemerintah menjadi staf khusus denganberbagai kapasitas. Misalnya membantu pemerintah menangani kelaparan di Papua,sosialisasi penanganan flu burung dan lain-lain. Begitulah. Tapi basicly saya orang bebas. Saya tidaksuka terikat partai politik atau birokrasi.

Itu sebabnya Anda terlibat dalam pendirian Freedom Institute?

Itu dia, Freedom kan artinya”kebebasan”. Pada dasarnya saya suka dengan kebebasan, agak seniman dikit. Tapibukan berarti saya tidak berorganisasi. Cara saya berorganisasi adalah dengancara itu. Freedom adalah organisasi dan mempunyai jaringan internasional. Sayajuga mendirikan Fox Indonesia, tidak hanya dikenal sebagai konsultan terbaiksaat ini, tapi juga politik Indonesia.

Nggak bias antara Anda sebagai orang Fox yang mempunyai beberapa kliendan secara personal sebagai calon presiden?

Begitu saya mencalonkan sebagaicalon presiden saya langsung mundur dari Fox sebagai CEO. Saya memang masihtetap owner, tapi tidak terlibat dalam manajemen.

Klien-klien Anda tidak bingung, karena Anda mundur dari Fox?

Sama sekali tidak. Yang pentingkan hasilnya. Iklan-iklan yang kami bikin oke nggak, dan hasilnya bagaimana?Bagus, kan? Iklan-iklan Partai Demokrat masih kami yang bikin, tapi yangmengerjakan itu kakak dan adik saya. Kampanye Soetrisno Bachir juga Fox yangbikin, meski sekarang tidak lagi.

Untuk kepentingan kampanye capres Anda, Anda sendiri yang bikin?

Ya. Maksudnya Fox Indonesia.

Ada pertanyaan penting yang sering mengemuka, siapa orang yang beradadi balik pencalonan Anda?

Ya Anda-Anda semua. Untungnya,saya ini banyak bergaul dengan pelbagai kalangan, ya birokrat, ya ilmuwan, yaaktivis, wartawan, dan banyak lagi. Mereka itulah yang support saya.

Dari sisi pendandaan?

Ya, mereka semua.

Siapa yang dominan?

Yang dominan saya, saya kira(tertawa). Ya, sahabat-sahabat sayalah yang membantu.

Anda bisa meramalkan, untuk menjadi capres formal nanti, mulus nggakjalannya?

Nggak bisa diramalkan. Nggak adayang pasti dalam politik.

Dari mana kira-kira dukungan yang membuat Anda bisa berhasil? Andasecara teknis kan bukan bagian dari partai manapun?

Saya sih berharap begini.Dukungan terbesar saya berharap dari Golkar. Tahun 2004 ada konvensi di Golkar,tapi sekarang tidak ada lagi. Kalau Pak Kalla tidak ingin maju jadi Wapres RIlagi untuk Pak SBY atau Bu Mega, dalam arti mundur, nanti kan ada pertanyaan,siapa yang akan maju. Nanti ada mekanisme internal, siapa kandidatnya dariGolkar. Di situlah saya tertarik untuk maju. Kalau pun Golkar tidak tertarik,masih ada partai lain yang beriminat meminang saya. Tapi pemikiran ke arah situmasih jauh. Persoalan itu kira-kira akan mengemuka pada bulan Maret dan April2009.

Begitu Anda maju, pasti ada dua kubu, yang satu mendukung, dan yangsatunya lagi mungkin mencibir...

Dalam hidup, mana ada yang nggakpunya dua sisi itu? Ada yang suka, ada yang tidak suka. Kalau nggak mau itu,jangan masuk politik, jangan masuk dunia publik. Pemerintah pun juga demikinan,kalau membuat kebijakan, pasti ada yang suka, dan ada yang nggak suka.

Tapi yang saya lakukan, setahusaya, jauh lebih banyak yang memberikan apresiasi. Paling tidak, banyak yangmenghargai bahwa ada anak muda yang mencalonkan diri menjadi calon presiden.Toh, saya tidak pernah menyombongkan diri, saya tidak sinis, saya juga tidakmukul-mukul orang.

Kalau ada lihat iklan saya, kannggak ada yang mengejek atau menjatuhkan tokoh tertentu, saya hanya semata-mataingin membuka peluang tentang adanya sebuah perubahan. Memang tidak menutupkemungkinan, ada yang sinis, su’udlon (berprasangka negatif), ’wah ini hanyaboneka’, dan seterusnya. Mereka belum mengerti, pikiran mereka saja yang kotor.

Tapi bekas guru besar saya di Columbus, AS, Prof. William Liddle pun,menurut Anda skeptis dan hanya berkomentar, “the time is not yours yet.”

Skeptis bukan berarti pesismis.Kira-kira Prof Bill bilang begini, ”Aduh, usaha kamu bagus, tapi tidak mungkinmenjadi presiden.” Ini kan semata-mata bukan soal mejadi presiden atau tidak,tapi saya mau mencoba. Mau membuka peluang, membuka jalan, membuka wacana baru.

Kalau tujuannya semata-matamenjadi presiden, ya nggak bisa, ya skeptis. Peluangnya mungkin 10%, ataubahkan 5%. Tapi kan bukan itu dasar utamanya. Saya sendiri akan menjadi orangtolol kalau alasannya itu. Mengalahkan Mbak Mega atau Pak SBY itu kan terlalubermimpi. Tapi alasannya kan bukan itu, masak sih anak muda nggak ada yangberani mencalonkan diri menjadi presiden. Apa sih susahnya. Setiap warganegara, asal mampu, boleh kan menjadi pesiden? Wacana ini yang ingin saya buka,biar ada dinamika, begitu. Bagus kan, buat yang muda yang berminat maju, asalcaranya santun. Jangan ngawur. Sudah saatnya generasi baru kepemimpinan diIndonesia turut serta dalam penentuan kehidupan bersama pada level politik yangtertinggi.

Kalau Anda menjadi pemimpin, apa yang Anda tawarkan? Positoning Andaapa?

Saya menginginkan Indonesia yanterbuka, toleran, menghargadi perbedaan. Oke, mungkin tidak ada bedanya denganyang lain. Begitu pun dengan Mbak Mega atau Pak SBY. Tapi yang saya ingintambahkan adalah saya menerima konsep globalisasi. Lebih mendorong ke arahkemandirian dalam arti yang benar.

Kemudian, karena saya lebih muda,semangat pasti lebih menggebu-gebu. Harapan lebih kental terhadap sesuatu yangbaru buat Indonesia. Mungkin itu.

Ada yang lebih praktis yang Anda tawarkan?

Kaau kebijakan praktis, banyak.Tapi kan nggak mungkin saya paparkan di majalah Anda. Misalnya soal pengairan,soal pertanian, suplai lisrik, jalan tol dan lain-lain. Tapi ide dasarnya sajayang saya sebut tadi itu.

Bagaimana Anda meyakinkan ide-ide dasar serta kebijakan-kebijakan yangsophisticated tersebut kepada orang awam?

Pada orang-orang kebanyakan,mungkin tidak perlu terlalu njelimet untuk menerangkan substansi kebijakan.Tapi yang jelas, politik itu yang penting bisa membangkitkan inspirasi. Memangpenting Anda mempunyai kompetensi, paham masalah pajak, atau masalah keuangan,misalnya, tapi yang lebih penting adalah bisa membangkitkan inspirasi, menariksimpati. Lebih ke masalah itu.

Tagline dalam kampanye Anda There’s will, there’s a way, apa maksudnya?

Itu adalah ungkpan yang gampangdiingat. Semua orang kenal itu. Semua presiden di AS kan punya ungkapan yangkhas, mulai dari JFK sampai Obama. Waktu saya bikin untuk Soetrisno Bachir,ungkapannya ”Hidup adalah perbuatan”. Ungkapan dalam politik itu harus gampangdiingat dan mempunyai moralitas yang kuat. There’s will, there’s a way itu kankuat sekali, cocok untuk semua orang.

Hampir semua capres (juga cagub dalam Pilkada) pakai kopiah. MengapaAnda tidak?

Saya tidak perlu menampilkansimbol-simbol keislaman untuk menarik massa Islam. Apalagi dalam sehari-hari sayatidak terbiasa memakai kopiah. Iklan yang saya ingin tampilkan adalah citrayang modern, dan yang penting jujur. Meski saya Islam, saya tidak pernahmenjual agama untuk kepentingan politik. Meski saya doktor, saya juga tidakperlu menampilkan kedoktoran saya untuk urusan ini.

Sudah banyak dong dana yang dikeluarkan untuk pra kampanye ini?

Belum terlalu besar sih. Iklanmemamg bujetnya besar, tapi ini kan cara paling mudah untuk menjangkau banyakorang. Juga iklan di TV, tidak ada pilihan lain selain cara ini. Kalau dengandiskusi dan seminar, itu juga bagus, tapi kan terbatas, paling banter untuktarget audiens 500 orang.

Bujet iklan bukan dari kocek sendiri kan?

Sumbangan teman-teman. Di manapun di dunia ini tidak ada politisi yang membiayai diri sendiri.

Rizal – yang akrab dipanggilCelli, adalah anak ke-2 dari 5 bersaudara. Orang tuanya selalu menekankan bahwapendidikan sangat penting sebagai bekal dalam kehidupan. Ibunya seringberpesan, ”Jangan takut bermimpi dan gantungkan cita-citamu setinggi mungkin.”

Menjadi orang nomer satu yangmemimpin negeri ini boleh jadi adalah cita-cita Celli sejak kecil. Memang belumterjadi, ”Tapi sebetulnya saya sudah berada dalam panggung politik tertinggi diIndonesia,” kata bapak dua anak itu. Sementara kakaknya, Andi AlfianMallarangeng, yang akrab dipanggil Anto, sudah menjadi selebiriti di duniapoitik alias juru bicara Presiden RI Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Apa bedanya Anda dengan Anto?

Sama tapi beda. Seperti mata uangyang punya dua sisi, berbeda tapi sebetulnya satu. Secara pribadi, dia memanglebih pendiam, lebih moderat. Saya cenderung risk taker, suka mencoba-coba halbaru, dan berani mengambil risiko.

Anto itu dulu intelektual kampus,aktif di HMI (Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam), hidupnya lebih tertib. Kalau saya kanaktif di jurusan, kelompok studi, lebih independen. Saya juga lebih banyakbergaul di luar kampus, kenal Oemar Kayam, Arif Budiman, Ashadi Siregar, danlain-lain. Ini pilihan saja.

Apa kegiatan Anda sehari-hari saat ini?

Membaca. Hobi saya dulu tenis,tapi sekarang saya tidak bisa melakukannya. Ada masalah dengan tulang saya, adasaraf yang kejepit.

Suka kehidupan malam?

Nggak begitu suka. Saya nggaksuka karaoke, menyanyi dalam ruang tertutup, aduh (tertawa).

Akhir pekan biasanya ke mana?

Bersama keluarga saya suka pergike gunung atau ke kebun. Kami suka dengan alam terbuka. Saya suka kegiatan olahraga, apalagi saya dulu kan SMA Ragunan Jakarta.

Wanita ideal menurut Anda?

Cantik, pintar, ramah, dan bisamengerti kita. Katanya ideal, menurut saya itu tidak ada dalam alam nyata(tertawa).

Yang Ada jadikan teman hidup saat ini sudah memenuhi kriteria ideal?

Mendekati. Seperti yang sayasebut tadi, tidak ada makhluk hidup yang sempurna, yang sesuai dengan harapanideal kita.

Siapa orang-orang yang mempengaruhi hidup Anda?

Banyak. Orang-orang yangberpengaruh dalam hidup saya yang pertama-tama adalah ibu saya, watakya keras,dan sangat aktif. Terus istri saya, orang Jawa, halus, pengertian, sayang, danpastinya menarik. Juga kakak saya, Andi Mallarangeng. Sekarang, anak juga ikutberpengaruh.

Itu yang personal, kalau secara profesional?

Saya mengagumi Arif Budiman,Ashadi Siregar, dan masih banyak lagi. Selain melalui pembicaraan dan diskusi,saya juga mengagumi tokoh-tokoh dunia yang saya baca melalui buku-buku. Tapikalu boleh saya sebut, Aburizal Bakrie dan Surya Paloh, mungkin mereka itulahmentor saya yang paling penting. Taufik Kiemas juga. Sepulang dari AS, merekaitulah orang-orang yang menjadi jangkar aktivitas saya.

Tahun 2001 saya pulang dari AS,saat Gus Dur mau tumbang. Pak Surya Paloh meminta saya ke Metro TV sebagairedaktur khusus, saya boleh bikin program sesuka saya. Terus, Pak Ical jugaminta saya untuk jadi staf khusus di Menko Kesra. Sewaktu sama masih di ASbelaiu sebetulnya sudah minta saya, ”Nanti di Tanah Air, kita bikin apa kek,sama-sama yuk.” Kemudian Mbak Mega, lewat Pak Taufik Kiemas, minta dibantuinjuga, menuliskan pidato beliau, bahkan membantu dalam arti yang benar-benardari dekat. Oh ya, saya juga membantu Pak SBY sampai sekarang.

Jadi, begitulah, sebetulnya sayasudah berada dalam panggung politik tertinggi di Indonesia. Cukup lama, sukupmengerti seluk belumnya, dan punya kapabilitas untuk itu. Kalau sekarang sayamencoba maju untuk menjadi kandidat presiden sebetulnya bukan secara tiba-tiba,ada proses yang cukup panjang.

Mereka kaget atau ikut memberi jalan, ketika tahu Anda mencalokan dirimenjadi calon presiden?

Ikut memberi jalan. Mereka jugamendorong. Mereka kan suka kalau ada anak muda yang maju. Pak SBY pun demikian,memberi jalan. Pak Surya apalagi, ”Nih pakai Metro TV.” Jadi, sebetulnya tidakada hambatan, kalau saya maju. Memang tidak hanya saya, mereka juga senangkalau ada anak-anak muda yang lain maju. Cuma, dari banyak anak muda, mungkinsaya yang paling bisa memanfaatkan fasilitas dan kesempatan dalam arti positif,untuk maju.

ME, November 2008

A leader must understand his subordinates

2011-11-05T00:46:00.000-07:00

THE name Rizkan Chandra is notthat familiar in Indonesia’s business world, although Jakarta-born Rizkan, 42,has often been dubbed as the rising star in Telkom group and is a candidate tohold the top position at Telkomsel, which is the largest contributor to Telkom group’srevenue.

During his 18 year career at thestate-owned corporation Rizkan has always been rotated from one position toanother and even to associate companies belonging to Telkom, hence it is notsurprising that he has not gained prominence. “I have never been established atone company or position for long,” said Rizkan. His responsibilities havealways been focused on two things: opening up the market and repairing or‘healing the company’s wounds’. “Once the market is open wide and the problemis solved I am always moved somewhere else,” he added.

Prior to joining Telkom Group,Rizkan worked as a programmer at a private company in Bandung. After joiningTelkom, he was immediately placed in the Research and Information Technology(Risti) division to conduct research on broadband Internet. From here onwardhis career skyrocketed and he was entrusted to do new things in Telkom Group,including the ‘birth’ of a product that was once a phenomenal success,Telkomnet Instan.

Rizkan was also the company’s youngestvice president when he was given the position of VP for Infrastructure in 2006.One of his brilliant concepts was the 5Cs within Telkom Group, namely customerfirst, commitment to the long term, caring meritocracy, co-creation for win-winpartnerships and collaborative innovation.

He introduced this concept as thecorporate culture when he held the position of head of the Learning Center atTelkom from 2008 to 2010. And under his leadership the center has certifiedTelkom employees. “When I left more than 2,000 employees had been certified,”he recalled.

In line with Telkom’s ambition tobecome a world class ICT company in August 2010 Rizkan was requested to head PTSigma Cipta Caraka, a software developer and system integrator company acquiredby Telkom in 2008. “When I was assigned to the company it was in a sickcondition,” he said.

Rizkan found the companyafflicted with three diseases. First it had a large loan. “The loan was Rp 150 billion, while thesales were only Rp 400 billion,” he said. Next there was the burden of 132unfinished projects that had been pending for four years. And the company’srevenue structure was mostly dependent on projects with a 70:30 composition.“Without new projects this company would have soon collapsed,” he said.

He immediately revamped thecompany. Collection was made faster and loans were not permitted to be over 10percent of total revenue. Pending projects were soon completed. The company’sincome that used to be more project based gradually became service based. “Bythe end of 2010 our financial situation was already positive and the incomecomposition was 56:44,” he said while adding that at the close of 2010 Sigmasucceeded in gaining Rp 445 billion in sales.

He said Sigma had huge potentialwith its products and services and could easily be one of the main contributorsfor Telkom. Therefore he slowly rebranded the former family company. “Today weuse the brand Telkom Sigma,” he said.

Currently there are threebusiness pillars relied on by Telkom Sigma, namely software, services (datacenter) and cloud computing. “We are the only player with the most completeservices,” he said.

With its various superiorfeatures Rizkan feels confident that Telkom Sigma can reach the set target ofRp 620 billion in sales. “To date we are still on track with the target,” hesaid.

Rizkan said that one of theprinciples he always applies in whichever company or position he is assigned tois to work in a ‘relaxed’ way. “I am not the serious type,” he said adding thatthe most important thing for a professional is to do his duty well and alwaysbe on time.

Rizkan also applies an open doorpolicy to narrow the gap between superiors and subordinates. “In an organization there is only adivision of responsibility, so the gap between a superior and subordinates mustbe narrowed,” he said. If a leader feels that he or she is the only smartperson in the organization then such an organization cannot stand changes.

Rizkan, who has a Master’s degreefrom National University of Singapore (Management of Technology), believes aleader must prepare systems and human resources. He always applies thisprinciple when assigned to new positions. ‘“I have never found any difficultiesleaving a place, because I have prepared the system and the human resources.So, everything goes smoothly after I leave,” he emphasized.

Rizkan, who admires Steve Jobs,said in any new position he always uses the viewpoint of his superiors. “I tryto use the viewpoint of my superior, so his or her target is also what I haveto achieve,” he said.

Rizkan said he had acquired a lotof leadership skills from his superiors and subordinates. A leader’s main roleis to handle many people, so he has to understand the realities taking place atall levels in the company. “If a leader can understand his employees then thecompany will undoubtedly proceed well,” he said. (T. Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, November 05, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/05/rizkan-chandraa-leader-must-understand-his-subordinates.html

Banking on building green

2011-10-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

HARDJANTO is indeed living thelife he planned years ago. He was bold enough to leave a secure banking career,because he felt it was already time to start his own business. But why did heswitch to the property business?

A career spanning 12 years atBank Central Asia did not change Hardjanto Widjaja’s initial plan. He is todaythe managing director of PT Paramita Bangun Cipta Sarana. Early on in hiscareer at BCA he was asked by his mentor how long he would work for BCA. “And I replied that maybe at the age of35 I will consider whether I will stay on at BCA or move somewhere else,” saidHardjanto. And indeed he kept his word.

Hardjanto, born in Palembang 41years ago fulfilled his dream. “My original plan was that at 35 I would lookfor a new business opportunity,” he added.

However, he missed the targetslightly as became a professional and not an entrepreneur, and it was in theproperty business and not banking. He left his position at BCA as branch deputyhead at Mangga Dua Branch Office and leaped into the property world.

The property business in fact wasnot a total change for Hardjanto, because during his career at BCA he oftenmade a business analysis for clients related to various fields, such as mining,trading, plantations and property. “This is understandable because the BCAbranch I worked for dealt with businesspeople from Asemka and Pluit areas inNorth Jakarta.” So, when he decided to leave his work at the bank one of hisfriends invited him to get involved in the property business and he readilyagreed.

In 2005, Hardjanto, armed with aneconomics degree from Tarumanegara University and 12 years experience in thebanking world, became operational director of a property company that iscurrently developing the first green mall in Indonesia, Pulomas X’Venture Mall.

His first project was theconstruction of 100 townhouses at Pantai Mutiara, Pantai Indah Kapuk, NorthJakarta. Meanwhile, the concept of the mall already existed since 2005 and wasintended to complement and attract business for the horse racing course atPulomas.

However his career path was notentirely smooth as the company’s management faced a number of problems bothinternally as well as from macro economy factors.

In 2008 the company’s financialdifficulties caused the postponement of several projects. But Hardjantoremained loyal. His office, located in the race course area, was not in aluxurious multi-storied, air conditioned building. He stayed on although thenumber of staff was reduced from dozens to a mere eight employees. “The eight persons were those who hadworked with us for a long time since the start of the project and I applied a‘family relationship’ style of management from the beginning,” recalledHardjanto. “I decided to stay on because I was extremely curious as to why thisproject could not continue,” said the father of two with a smile.

For him the situation in 2008 wasnot the most difficult he has faced. “The chaotic situation of 1998 was farmore difficult,” he said. At that time he was head of BCA branch at Kapuk Muara.Hardjanto purposely chose a small branch, because he wanted it to grow underhis leadership. And he succeeded.

The assets of Kapuk Muara branch,which were only Rp 50 billion at first skyrocketed to become about Rp 300billion in five years by April 1998 when the riots broke out in Jakarta. “Thesituation was extremely difficult at the time due to various pressures, such asthe safety of my own house and those of the employees as well as the safety ofall of us, the threat of a rush on the bank and having to convince customersthat BCA will not go bankrupt and so on,” explained Hardjanto.

He also had to disobey hissuperiors who asked him to open the bank on the second day of the riots,because he was worried about the safety of his employees. This is why in facingall sorts of problems in the property business he has always held on to hisconviction that God does not give tests that are beyond his capacity.

After reducing the number of hisemployees he started using consultants for a number of sectors in order to bemore effective and to get the work completed faster, for example publicrelations to promote the new concept of his projects. “If I had stayed on thebank I would have remained an employee,” he said, “it was a risky work anyway,because one can lose control with stacks of money every day … strong selfcontrol is needed, you know,” he continued.

“I always try to get to know myemployees by chatting with them or having lunch with them from time to time,”said Hardjanto, who does not like to wear a suit, which was compulsory at thebank. It is not surprising that he now feels free as he does not have to wear asuit to the office and can work more creatively with his smaller but morecompact team. (Lily Glorida Nababan)

The Jakarta Post, October 29, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/10/29/hardjanto-widjaja-banking-building-green.html

Leading by example

2011-10-22T00:44:00.000-07:00

DISCOUNTS are always attractiveto people. Every time there is a discount program the sales of a shop alwaysincrease. To get discounts many people are willing to stand in line before theshop opens or visit malls at late hours. The success of discount programs isclear from the huge crowds visiting a mall during a promo night sale. “Wesimply view this as an opportunity,” said HB Naveen, CEO of Falcon Interactive.

He explained that Falcon is acompany that focuses on new media business. The company interprets everyopportunity they see into the language of new media. “We always connecteverything with IT and the mobile world,” he said.

That is why in the middle of lastyear Falcon launched a site called www.DiskonGokil.com, which not only containsinformation about discounts but also collaborates with various merchants tooffer products with 50 to 80 percent discounts. It’s real; it’s crazy!

Naveen admits that a discountbusiness like gokil is not the first. In the US there is a much larger player,Groupon which has also entered the Indonesian market via disdus.com. Meanwhileplatform from Germany has entered the Indonesian market much earlier and offerssimilar products.

But the presence of other playershas not discouraged Naveen. He said that DiskonGokil is different. “We not onlysell discount coupons, but we intend to become a discount program catalogue inIndonesia,” he said. “We also offer transactions via Internet, but in the nearfuture we will develop transactions via mobile phones, so apart from e-couponsthere will soon be m-vouchers,” he added.

Naveen further said that he hasalready prepared a range of strategies to turn DiskonGokil.com into the largestcompany in this business. One of his strategies that has already beenimplemented is by collaborating with a private TV station to make a programwith content supported by DiskonGokil. In the near future Naveen plans to makeDiskonGokil as a virtual discount store for merchants that are holdingpromotional discount programs. “Consumers can shop at this store and purchasediscounted items,” he said.

For Naveen the existingcompetition makes him feel more challenged and although he has to compete withworld class players it does not scare him at all. “This is our territory, so weought to understand the characteristics of our local market here,” heemphasized. Naveen is a hard worker and never afraid of taking risks. “If thereis no risk I tend to feel restless,” he said, laughing.

Naveen, born in Jakarta on Dec.12, 1971, has demonstrated he is prepared to take risks. The proof is that in2006 he was reckless enough to leave quite a high position as Director ofBhakti Media to start a new adventure as a businessman on his own although atthe time he was at the top rung of his career and had the full trust of thecompany’s owner.

Naveen also took the daring stepof using all his savings for the investment in establishing Falcon Interactive.“I sold my car and I bought a cheaper one,” he recalled. He also had to discardany attributes associated with a position that he had previously enjoyed. “Ihad to start from the very bottom. I met all the account executives of varioustelecommunication companies,” he said.

Naveen said that he startedFalcon with a high degree of optimism. He believed that mobile technology had avery bright future and no major player had become the king of the industry.“Every company had the same start up status,” he commented.

Falcon made its debut during thelaunching of Hape Esia Hidayah in collaboration with PT Bakrie Telecom Tbk.This handset targeted for Muslim users enjoyed huge success with a sales figureof over one million units. Next Falcon collaborated with Flexi for the launchof Kompas Phone which was also a hit in the market.

Naveen’s consistent determinationhas borne sweet fruit. In just five years Falcon has transformed into the mostrespected multimedia company in Indonesia. It now has a variety of businesses:new media, entertainment and education. “All these business pillars arecombined with IT,” he said.

In new media business, next tomanaging DiskonGokil, Falcon also manages two other portals, namelywww.lipstik.tv (portal for entertainment videos) and www.cekskor.com (portalfor sports). “I strongly believe that new media will become a business withgreat potential,” he said while adding that in the not-too-distant future hewill make some more investments in the new media business.

Falcon has also expanded hisbusiness by purchasing 10 percent of shares at Vuclip, a company based inSilicon Valley — which is applied in lipstik.tv.

In the entertainment businessFalcon is included in the big three labels. This recording company collaborateswith some of the most popular artists, such as Smash, Goliath, Iwan Fals, RhomaIrama, Ridho Rhoma, Briptu Norman and others. “We ‘embrace’ everything that ishappening,” he said while adding that Falcon is active in every businesscategory here, including ring back tones for mobile content, full track up tothe entire physical product.

Starting this year Falcon is alsogoing into the film business. In October 2011 the company will release a filmtitled Mestakung in joint cooperation with Mizan, while in November the latestRhoma Irama’s film titled Sajadah Ka’bah will also be screened. “Next year weplan to make six films,” he said.

Naveen added that one of hisunrealized dreams is to make TV programs, but soon this will come true becauseFalcon has signed a contract with one TV station for the production of 13 TVfilms. “Our struggle in TV stations is still another one or two years,” he saidwhile mentioning that Falcon is looking for a production house to be purchasedto speed up Falcon’s TV program business.

In education Falcon is currentlydeveloping a reading center for the Al Quran with a new method, called QuranLearning Center. In addition Falcon is also developing an English learningprogram using an interactive method via www.carakita.com. “Soon we will connectall with IT and mobile,” he explained.

Falcon, according to Naveen, whois a graduate of Executive Program of Harvard University, will be consistentlyaggressive while ensuring that its core business will always be related totechnology and media. He said that the organization within Falcon has developedin such a short time and now employs more than 200 personnel. “Thisorganization must keep on growing with one commander and until now I am stillthe central commander,” he said.

He said that so far hisleadership style has been based on “leading by example”. Very often he has tocheck that everything is according to plan. “The time has not come when I canbecome like Sir Alex Fergusson who only remains on the sidelines of the field.I still have to play actively for at least for the next 10 years, I think,” heexplained.

While actively “playing” Naveenhas to motivate his employees as well. According to him, as a multimediacompany, Falcon has to continuously innovate to create new products or servicesthat can attract the market. “We have to be able to read the ongoing and futuretrends and turn them into opportunities,” he said.

Unlike other start-ups that tendto make huge profits by selling the company to an investor, Naveen prefers todevelop his business on his own. “We do not believe that there is any foreigninvestor that can help us here. This is our territory and we fully understandthe characteristics of the business and Indonesian consumers,” he concludedconfidently. (T. Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, October 22,2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/10/22/hb-naveean-leading-example.html

The Sampoerna Legacy

2011-10-14T22:31:00.001-07:00

LIVING a privileged life as thedaughter of a billionaire business tycoon is not exactly how one would describethe life of Jacqueline Michelle Sampoerna, the eldest daughter of PuteraSampoerna, one of the richest persons in the world with an estimated wealth ofabout US$1.7 billion. Putera Sampoerna was also the owner of a major cigarettecompany which he sold to Philip Morris for $5.4 billion.

As a matter of fact Michelle wasnot directly involved in the business side of Sampoerna group, but decided toestablish Putera Sampoerna Foundation (PSF), a non-profit organizationdedicated to improving the quality of and access to education in Indonesia, onMarch 1, 2001. “Papa said the time has come for us to contribute to thiscountry,” said Michelle, who had held the position of Communications Manager atPT Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna Tbk.

Michelle is fully aware thatalthough Sampoerna group is behind PSF she wanted the foundation she hadestablished to belong to the public. “We at PSF believe that we cannot simply rely on CSR fundsfrom partners. That’s why we have evolved and become a social businessinstitution. By being a social business institution we can ensure thesustainability of our programs,” she explained.

Today PSF has become one of thelargest non-profit foundations in the world established by a family company. Ithas given thousands of scholarships ranging from primary school up to postgraduate university degrees. PSF has also opened a program to enhance thequality of teachers called Teacher’s Institute and is collaborating withBandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in the establishment of Sampoerna Schoolof Business and Management (SBM-ITB).

Through its United SchoolsProgram (USP), PSF has contributed to the physical improvement of state ownedschools in Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan and Bali and provided teaching equipmentand facilities as well as teacher training and improvement of the curriculum.In the first five years US$4.85 million had been spent while to date the totalamount spent on education aid is estimated to be twice that amount.

“Today, we are more focused. Thisyear — our 10th anniversary — PSF has introduced the Social Business concept.This evolution will ensure the future sustainability of our programs. Otherthan that, we also operate as a CSR operator for many multinationalcorporations who serve as our donors or partners,” said the oldest of foursiblings.

The reason why Michelle becameinterested in the CSR side of the company is also because she and her familyhave experienced a lot of ups and downs in life including failures that havebeen valuable lessons. The cigarette manufacturing plantwhich was first established by her grandfather has been burned down severaltimes, but this has not deterred her from continuing to be involved in thefamily business. “The obstacles were a lesson and a motivation in mygrandfather’s life,” said the great granddaughter of Liem Seeng Tee, thefounder of Sampoerna cigarette company.

According to Michelle the storyof the Sampoerna family, not unlike the story of many other families, containsvalues and traditions that she feels should be inherited by future generations. This is why she has recorded thefamily heritage, including its rituals and traditions, in a book entitled TheSampoerna Legacy. The book is dedicated to the past and future generations ofIndonesia. “My dream is that my family’s story will be an inspiration to otherswho read the book. Most importantly, it will ensure our memories are notforgotten, and that future generations of my family will remember where theycame from,” she said.

PSF for Michelle is also animportant legacy of the Sampoerna family that will remind Sampoerna’s futuregenerations about the importance of sharing and helping others. To foster this outlook Michelleoften takes along her eldest son, Ethan, to meet people who have the spirit anddedication to help others and the commitment to helping the nation as well.“Like my own experiences with my mother at Helping Hands charity, I hopeEthan’s experiences will shape his values, and enable him to maintain ourfamily’s legacy and continue giving back to Indonesia,” she said.

Apart from its similarity withother foreign foundations, such as the Ford Foundation or Japan Foundation, PSFhas created a fresh breakthrough in the world of education here in Indonesiaand at the same time has given a positive image to the Sampoerna brand.

Michelle, who was born and raisedin a Chinese-Indonesian business family with a modern outlook, believes corevalues are instilled from childhood. “I believe a person’s character is shapedby the education and values they learn from their parents. I am fortunate tohave parents who always encouraged their children to appreciate life, torespect others, and to learn from their failures. But the most important lessonI learned was to never forget where you come from,” said Michelle, who has abachelor’s degree in mass communication from St. Mary’s College in California.

Michelle further elaborated thatgiving is part of her family’s legacy. Thus, through PSF, we can encouragestudents as well as businesspeople (the future leaders) to play an importantrole in the public domain. “There is a long tradition of giving in our family,stretching back generations, but my father has always been a great inspiration.During his career, he was fortunate to receive many blessings, despite thedifficult times that he faced. However, he never forgot to share what he hadwith neighbors, friends and with those in need. My father recognized thatIndonesia and its people have shaped all his achievements. It is his wish togive something back,” concluded Michelle. (BurhanAbe & Gita Narasati)

The Jakarta Post, October 15, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/10/15/jacqueline-michelle-sampoerna-the-sampoerna-legacy.html

Leadership lessons from Steve Jobs

2011-10-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

WHEN the first part of thisLeadership Insight featuring Steve Jobs appeared on Sept. 10, the icon thoughailing was alive and it is with a deep sense of regret and loss that this andthe concluding part of this series will be published after his death.

On the day of his death I wasfacilitating a senior management Leadership Offsite for Indonesia’s leadingmedical glove maker, Medan based Medisafe Technologies, in Bangkok Thailand.

The participants found the moduledeveloped around Jobs’ unmatched ability to innovate very inspiring especiallyregarding the mindset required to drive innovation in a competitive sector.

The fact that half way around theglobe an emerging markets company in an entirely different sector was trying toapply best practices in its own business model is in itself a tribute to thelegacy that will endure beyond simply the gadgets produced by Apple.

In this installment we will focuson the customer oriented strategic brilliance achieved by Apple under hisleadership. This was built around three key dimensions.

The first was simplicity. The yinand yang of product differentiation is simplicity versus complexity. Manycompanies believe stuffing in a large number of features is the way todemonstrate value to customers. Steve Jobs took the opposite view believing‘Less is More’ as long as it produced delight on the core needs of thecustomers and wowed them with the elegance and style only simplicity candemonstrate.

And yet complexity was notabandoned it just receded into the interiors of the products to achieve newhighs in speed, convergence, connectivity and quality. Complex inside, Simpleoutside — he had hit on the pulse of a winning product formula that earnedApple millions of new customers beyond the techno geeks — from school childrento grandmas, casual tourists to bureaucrats, nurses to chefs.

He figured that many customersstruggled with post purchase disappointment when bulky manuals and unfriendlypackaging turned product installation and activation into a challenge. ThusApple packaging and product activation set new standards in user friendliness.

The iTunes universe was createdfor seamless navigation, delightful surprises and ease of purchase. While it isstill early days for iCloud Apple has a great opportunity for meeting the needsof hundreds of millions of SMEs across the world who want the benefits oftechnology, access, data security and multiple functionality at reasonablecost. It could be the blockbuster revenue driver of the future for the companyand the company’s millions of loyal fans would certainly give a viable platforma try.

The second was a clear productfocus. Upon his return to Apple at the turn of the century he scrapped severalproducts and projects determined to focus only on a compact suite of productswhere Apple had its best chance of standing out in a crowded marketplace.

This singular focus helped ensurethe ‘zing’ factor in the iMAC, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Unlike other gadgetmakers whose product portfolios resembled those of FMCG makers, Apple had asharper focus. Importantly instead of resting on past laurels like many rivalsApple kept on improving existing products and has made an art of getting loyalcustomers to upgrade.

In this it has cracked a criticalmantra of marketing — rich returns come not just from converting new customersbut more importantly from deepening profitable relationships with existingones.

Many companies, including severalin Indonesia, waste far too much organizational energy and promotional expenseon ‘poaching’ external customers. A classic case in this regard is thetelecommunications sector in which cellular operators have been chasing newcustomers based on price while paying little attention to deepening the walletshare from existing customers who remain prone to swift brand switching.

As a consequence bottom lines ofalmost all players are adversely impacted and overall industry standards aredown as also seen from the recent controversies surrounding non transparentgimmicky sales of add on services.

Steve Jobs often stressed that itwas impossible for companies to know exactly what customers wanted. Evencustomers themselves were confused about what they wanted. So he placed greatemphasis on intuition, gut feel, curiosity, imagination, exploring futurescenarios and spotting trends that were still in the formative stage.

While research, focus groups andmarket feel are valuable Apple has showed that to stay ahead companies mustencourage the ability to imagine how industries and consumers are shaping. It can throw up exciting ideas forinnovation and keep the marketer in pace with customers who have little time orpatience for yesterday’s ideas. At the same time the products need to befunctional and grounded in core needs. As Jobs counseled his innovation teams —“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”

The third was the ability tocorrectly read the buoyancy in emerging markets at the turn of the century. Whilerivals like Research in Motion have been slow to properly service prospectivemarkets like Indonesia, Apple matched the excitement and buzz created byproduct launches in America by ensuring strong distribution and coverage infast growing emerging markets.

Despite its premium pricing itwon acceptance because of the universality of its features, ease of use andappeal to millions of young brand conscious customers. It was seen as thetechnological enabler of fast catching trends in social networking, lifestyleand creativity. Again the company did not over-complicate by trying tocustomize for different markets, build multiple supply chains or send confusingpromotional messages.

A winning stable of products,constant rejuvenation and sales through trained staff in smart outlets wasenough to maintain the momentum which shows no sign of slowing down.

This holistic customerorientation set up the foundation for the next two aspects of Steve Job’sleadership legacy — creating a culture of serial innovation and inspiring highperformance winning teams — which will be examined in the concluding part ofthis series. (Amol Titus*)

The Jakarta Post, October 15, 2011

*The writer is CEO is leading strategic advisory firm, IndonesiaWISEwhich along with its sister EmergingWISE subsidiaries guides companies andmanagements through various key facets of business transformation. He can becontacted at amoltitus@indonesiawise.com

Indonesia, a promising market for E Commerce

2011-10-07T23:29:00.000-07:00

ONLINE business is still amystery to many Indonesians, so it is not surprising that they are oftendismissive when they hear that someone is going into online business. ArnoldSebastian Egg also observed the question mark on people’s faces when he firststarted to seriously pursue the business.

But the man from the nation ofwindmills (Holland) did not give up easily as he was fully convinced of thebright future of online business here in Indonesia, which according to him is apromising market for e-Commerce. His conviction is based on the fact that thearchipelagic nation can be unified through Internet technology.

When Arnold first set up thefirst online shop in Indonesia, TokoBagus.com in 2005 he started his businessfrom the island of Bali. The island of Bali, in his view, is not only a populartourism destination, but also lends much support to new businesses, especiallythose that are technology based. “At first it was only a small office in Bali,”he recalled while saying that the existence of an online shop is not limited tospace as long as it has good infrastructure support.

Toko Bagus is indeed not an onlinestore. “The transactions are still done offline,” said Arnold. He added thatcurrently Indonesia is not ready with a website with a full e-commerce systemas there are still many bugs in the payment system and the level of consumertrust in online transactions is still very low. “These are the reasons we havemade TokoBagus.com more like an online catalog,” he explained.

Arnold has conducted aggressiveawareness campaigns and promotions about TokoBagus.com to get as many membersas possible and to convince them that online business can be profitable. To further convince consumers and thepublic in general TokoBagus.com has also prepared rules and regulations foronline business so that customers feel more secure about their transactions.

Slowly but surely Arnold’sefforts are bearing positive fruit. The popularity of TokoBagus.com continuesto rise and today it is the largest, most complete, most popular free onlinesite in Indonesia. It has various categories of advertisements coveringnumerous products and services. Every day Tokobagus.com receives as many as10,000 new ads. Based on a survey released by alexa.com (for site rates) as perMarch 27, 2011 Tokobagus.com is number 23 among the sites most visited inIndonesia.

Arnold said that Tokobagus.comhas a number of superior features. It is user friendly, has a large variety ofproducts and services and live chat customer service. All these features meetcustomer requirements based on an internal survey.

Tokobagus.com also triedtelevision advertising, however, according to Arnold it was not veryeffective.”To reach the online market our strategy has to be through digitalmarketing,” he explained. And, since 2008 Tokobagus.com has been quiteaggressive in widening its market.

He said another plus point is thefree space given to vendors. “We give them the space free. Their promos areconsidered ads and every free ad is organized according to when it is receivedso that the advertiser of today’s ad will appear before the ad of a vendor thatplaced an ad the day before,” he said.

Tokobagus.com is enjoying rapidgrowth with its current 700,000 plus members. “But that is the total number ofmembers from the start while only 40 percent are active,” he said at HotelIndonesia.

At present the store has 40employees. The office moved from Denpasar to Jakarta in January 2011. “Ourconsideration in moving was easier access,” he said adding that hereTokobagus.com can coordinate more easily with its business partners.

Arnold explained thatTokobagus.com does not share any profits from transactions between the vendorand the buyer on its site.”This kind of website is also free in othercountries,” he said. He explained that transactions take place directly betweenconsumers (consumer to consumer — C to C) or business to consumer (B to C).

For Arnold the high quality ofthe products and customer satisfaction is very important so that he can filterfraudulent advertisers by rechecking first. “What is most important is ourcustomers’ trust in us,” said Arnold who is applying for Indonesiancitizenship.

He said that according to asurvey transaction as per December 2010 were at Rp 300 billion. “This is onlyfor products with a small value and does not include other commodities likeproperty and automotive, because if we include all the results of the surveywould not be valid,” said the graduate of telecommunications from James MadisonUniversity.

He said he has not focused onreturn of investment. “TokoBagus.com is still in the developing stage so profitis not yet our focus,” said Arnold.

However, he said, that althoughmaking profit was not yet the focus TokoBagus.com had a clear revenue source,which was from the numerous ads on its web pages. TokoBagus.com also charges its members who wish to use itspromo points to boost sales. Promo points are sold for Rp 20,000 for 20 points,Rp 50,000 for 50 promo points and Rp 100,000 for 100 points. (T. Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, October 08, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/10/08/arnold-sebastian-egg-indonesia-a-promising-market-e-commerce.html

Determined to advance local products

2011-09-24T10:23:00.001-07:00

PRETTY, smart and expert inbusiness. That describes Medina L. Harjani well. The second child of AbdulLatif, Medina has been entrusted by the father to continue and further developthe business of Pasaraya. Medina, as she is known to those close to her, startedto be actively involved in Pasaraya in February 2011.

According to Medina retailbusiness in Indonesia is growing rapidly and there is stiff competition, asforeign investors are also active players. She said this is an open competitionand only the strongest will survive in Indonesia’s highly promising retailbusiness.

In order to survive and to beable to compete with others a special capability is required according toMedina and she realized that she had to make a number of changes and is also determinedto revive the image of Pasaraya as a retail center of local handicraftproducts. “For local products such as batik, handicrafts, furnicraft and soforth Pasaraya is the largest department store in Indonesia and it has anexpansive reach just like our tagline Pride of Indonesia,” she explained.

The mother of three said thatPasaraya’s previous concept was not changed very much as Pasaraya already had agood position, but it has to be updated continuously, which means Pasaraya mustmeet the market demand and tastes as well as the ever changing lifestyle.

“Next to local products we alsohave products with international brands. However our priority remains localproducts as we want to support the local economy and provide added value tolocal products. This does not mean that we have forgotten foreign productsbecause many of our consumers are still loyal to certain foreign brands, andthat is why at building B, previously known as Seibu, we have built a semi mallarea with store facilities,” added Medina.

Another strategy is developingthe F&B business; because according to Medina today’s urban residentsentertain themselves at restaurants and cafes. Apart from F&B Pasaraya isalso now developing children playgrounds on its 9th and 10th floors as familiesare also its target. “We are currently focusing on family entertainment andfamily shopping, especially younger families, as they require a lot of thingsnot only for the parents but also many items for their children,” said Medina,who has a Master’s degree from Lincoln University of San Francisco, from theschool of international business.

When asked about the strategy ofa number of other malls that are focusing on the youth segment Medina had herown answer. “Today malls are already segmented, so if Pasaraya focuses on theyouth and teenage market I fear our current customers who are already loyalwill leave us. Our young families need a place like ours for themselves andtheir children. Besides, in conducting business we have to be consistent andnot change direction every now and again, she explained.

Medina, who also has an economicsdegree from Trisakti University, has also revamped the human resources byrecruiting young, fresh, and creative employees who are further trained untilthey become expert employees in order for Pasaraya to maintain its position asa top retail store selling Indonesian handicrafts for B class consumers.

Medina consistently supports andmotivates her employees. “I always provide them with positive energy toovercome all sorts of challenges and I always emphasize that opportunities arealways available to realize their wishes and that there is always a solution toevery problem,” said Medina, who is a fan of Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt.

In comparison to other mallsPasaraya can be categorized as a pioneer and it has not only survived but isone of the more successful malls in Indonesia. Age wise Pasaraya is quite ‘old’as it has existed for the past 38 years. It is a mature age in the retailindustry here. Medina said one of the keys to Pasaraya’s success is itsconsistency and priority given to local products and a number of other featuresthat lend Pasaraya a character of its own.

Each company leader has his orher management style. Medina, also has her own style of management. Medina, whowas formerly the marketing director of Lativi, is fully oriented toward the endresult and is fully democratic while relying on teamwork as well.

She has a dream that one day soonPasaraya will become the most modern and the favorite shopping andentertainment complex for Indonesian families. She feels confident that herdream can be realized. Just like most businesswomen her days are hectic, sowhenever she has spare time she spends it with her family. “I spend my sparetime and holidays with my family. I cook for them, have meals together withthem, watch movies and dance with my children,” she said with a smile. Apartfrom being widely known as a successful businesswoman, Medina also has areputation for being a good mother, because however busy she may be she alwaysattends to her children and their needs.

Talking about her hobbies, Medinaloves singing and likes musicians such as Cold Play, Vivaldi, Black Eye Peas,Rihanna, and David Foster. For traveling Medina, who practices yoga andgymnastics has five favorite destinations. The first one is Mecca, where shesaid she always finds peace and enlightenment. That’s why she goes back thereagain and again. Second is Bali, because Bali according to her is good forrelaxation and fun. The third destination is San Francisco, because it isromantic and she had stayed here for quite some time. The fourth one is Paris,which like San Francisco is romantic. And the last is London, as London has anattractive culture and its fashion world is quite unique. (Satria Rangga Fausta)

The Jakarta Post, September 24, 2011

Aspiring to be among the 3 biggest logistics companies

2011-09-17T23:08:00.001-07:00

THE rapid growth of logisticsbusiness in Indonesia has also triggered tough competition among its players.However the opportunities in this business are still wide open as can be seenfrom the fact that many multinational and domestic companies are starting theirlogistics business here in Indonesia.

One logistics company that isseriously developing its business in Indonesia is CEVA Logistics. Under itsprevious name, TNT Logistics, it has been here since 1995. In 2006 the companychanged its name to CEVA Logistics. “New brand with a new spirit,” said DidierChenneveau, President Director of CEVA Logistics for the Asia Pacific region.

But Didier Chenneveau is clearlynot a new face. Before joining CEVA in January 2010 he held the position ofChief Supply Chain Officer at LG Electronics. He started his career in Europefor Caterpillar in Geneva, Switzerland in the treasury department. After threeyears he moved to HP where he spent most of his career; about 17 years both inEurope and in the US, but mostly in the US.

He started in the financedivision, but moved fairly quickly into operation and supply chain managementbefore moving to LG. As the number one person at CEVA for the Asia Pacificregion we asked him where he will take CEVA in the future. “The target in thenext three years is for CEVA to be number three globally,” said Didieroptimistically.

This target does not seem to beout of reach, because at present CEVA considers itself number four with anetwork that covers 170 countries and more than 49,000 employees. In IndonesiaCEVA has more than 1,500 employees with 20 warehouses totaling over two millionsquare meters.

Didier said that the Asia Pacificregion is the right place to help achieve his target as in 2010 the region gavethe largest revenue contribution for CEVA while Indonesia is an importantmarket with a rapid growth. Furthermore geographically Indonesia is anarchipelago with thousands of islands that pose unique and complex challengesfor the logistics business. “Indonesiais one of Asia’s markets that is enjoying a rapid growth and is an importantmarket for CEVA in the Asia Pacific region, which contributed 29 percent ofCEVA’s total revenue in 2010. So it is the region that contributes the largestrevenue for us,” said Didier who is very familiar with the Asia Pacific regionand has visited Indonesia a number of times.

Apart from the large contributionDidier also explained that there is another factor that makes Asia Pacificimportant for CEVA and that is the GDP growth and the growth of logisticsbusiness in the Asia Pacific countries. “China’s GDP is about nine percent,India’s is also growing at a fast speed and so is Indonesia at 6.7 percent. And,certainly the logistics business is growing more rapidly than GDP,” saidDidier, who admires Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Steve Jobbs.

“I like people like Gandhi,Martin Luther King and all those who fought discrimination, oppression and intolerance.On the business side, I think Steve Jobbs, the CEO of Apple is really cool anda great visionary”.

Of course Didier does not fullyimitate the leadership style of these three iconic figures for his managementstyle, but takes inspiration from them in applying his strategies and decisionsin a format that does not deviate from the company’s major vision. To achievethe number three target globally Didier has set up four strategies, namelyenhancing services to existing customers, developing sea freight business moreseriously, taking benefits from China’s conducive economic condition andprovide end to end solutions.

At present the services of CEVAcover two main areas: contract logistics and freight management. Contractlogistics means warehousing and distribution, while freight management is thecoordination of consignment deliveries and movement via plane, land and seatransportation and choosing the best mode of transportation.

At the global level CEVA’sbusiness covers the following sectors: automotive (25 percent), technology (24percent), consumer and retail (20 percent), industrial (15 percent), energy (6percent) and others 10 percent. The company’s revenue in simple percentagescome from the following modes of transportation: land 40 percent, air freight40 percent and 20 percent from sea freight. In relation to CEVA’s internationalcorporate culture CEVA has visible performance management that ensures thecompany works effectively and consistently.

The company’s culture consists ofa lean program (efficiency in waste reduction and management), smart solution(a process that identifies a certain area making it possible for customers tostandardize the core process of their logistics solution), zero defect startups (offers services to companies that are just commencing their projects), aswell as health, safety and environment management programs.

If the Asia Pacific region is themain revenue base for CEVA then what is the future development plan for CEVALogistics in Indonesia? “Now we already have a branch office for freightmanagement in East Indonesia located in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. Thisoffice has been operating since May 2011. In the next half of this year we willconcentrate on opening further branches in West lndonesia, that is in Batam,Medan, Surabaya, and Semarang. The office in Batam is currently in process,” hesaid.

“Indonesia is an archipelagiccountry with thousands of islands, large and small. Compared with Singaporegeographically Indonesia is far more challenging and complex for logisticsbusiness. According to me Indonesia should strengthen its logisticsinfrastructure as one of the solutions to enhance Indonesia’s industry ingeneral,” opined Didier. (Tedy Matondang& Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, September 17, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/09/17/didier-chenneveau-aspiring-be-among-three-biggest-logistics-companies.html

CEO with a dream of becoming a public school teacher

2011-09-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

WITH a 20 year career at PTIntraco Penta Tbk, Fred L. Manibog has demonstrated a strong commitment andloyalty toward the company which is the authorized agent and distributor ofVolvo heavy equipment, mostly dump trucks and excavators with a total salesvalue of US$400,000.

As a country with huge naturalresources, especially in the exploitation of mineral resources or mining,Indonesia is a promising market for the sale and leasing of heavy equipmentaccording to Fred.

More so as the mining areas inIndonesia are often located in difficult terrain with lots of rain forests andthe widespread mining concession areas clearly need the support of heavyequipment companies like Intraco.

In addition the government’sfocus on infrastructure development is another potential segment. However, saidFred, Intraco Penta’s main focus is on sales of heavy equipment to miningcompanies, especially coal mining companies. One of the reasons, he said, isthat coal is a commodity with a high production volume for the world’s energyrequirements.

Another efficient alternative isof course nuclear power, but due to various mishaps, especially the recentaccidents in Japan many countries have turned back to coal due to the risksinvolved in nuclear energy. “Many European countries have applied the free nukefuture program,” he said. Fred added that the global requirement for coalreaches 6 billion tons while today’s supply is hovering at about 60 milliontons.

As of June 2011 Intraco had sold175 units and another 300 units have already been sold pending delivery. In thesame period in 2010 the company sold 335 units. “Intraco’s target for 2011 isto sell about 1,300 units” he said.

As one of the leading players inheavy equipment business with more than 40 years of experience, the key to thecompany’s success, explained Fred, is Intraco’s excellent after sales service,including the company’s prompt response to complaints.

As part of its commitment to theimportance of after sales service 70 percent of its employees are dedicated toproviding service to Intraco Penta’s customers and the company has opened manybranches in areas close to mining locations to ensure that the heavy equipmentused by customers is operating to the maximum.

To ensure a fast response tocustomer inquiries or requests, bureaucratic procedures are kept to a minimum. “Weencourage our branch managers to make fast decisions so they don’t have to reportto the head office every time,” said Fred.

Investment in technology isanother important aspect for Intraco, which applies SAP based InformationTechnology and has installed Manufacturer Managed Inventory (MMI) to speed upthe ordering of spare parts. “This is to meet the customers’ needs for quickservice when there is a problem with their equipment,” he stressed.

Intraco has also introduced theCare Truck System to monitor the movement of dump trucks at the mining locationwithout having to visit the location physically. The monitoring is to ensure that the client’s dump trucks areoperating in a productive way and according to procedures. “The client’s topmanagement can monitor from their office in Jakarta so they don’t have to flyto the location. This is more efficient,” he said. Another method is directconnection with the Volvo manufacturer in Sweden via the Internet.

Intraco also provides itscustomers with various packages of services to meet their needs. “This isbecause our relationship continues because they need spare parts and service,”he said.

That is why Intraco Penta alsomakes available a service that it calls Component Exchange to solve theoverhaul problem, which normally takes over one month. Through Component Exchange programIntraco provides them with a newly serviced engine that is guaranteed as new.“This speeds up the overhaul process; it takes no longer than a week,” heexplained.

A financing company for thepurchase of costly equipment has also been established. It is called PT IntanBaruprana Finance with 100 percent shares belonging to Intraco. Fred has been appointed PresidentDirector of PT IBF. The current total assets of IBF is Rp 900 billion and isexpected to increase to Rp 1.3 trillion by the end of 2011.

IBF is in fact profitable forIntraco because the withdrawal of heavy equipment with payment or leasingproblems can be immediately done and the equipment can be sent to the nearestIntraco branch, while other financing companies consider such action costlybecause most do not have branches to store the equipment in question.

IBF has also received a syariahpermit that makes it possible for the company to provide syariah services toits customers. The syariah service, according to Fred, is very profitable,because of profit sharing (leasing company provides customers with goods andnot with money). Currently, Fred said, 80 percent of IBF funding comes fromsyariah banking.

Born and raised in Pampangga, 80kilometers south of Manila, Fred decided to follow his sweetheart — who laterbecame his wife — who was assigned to Jakarta. Surprisingly he felt at home here. Indeed Indonesia is closeto his home country and he views Indonesian culture and traditions as very muchsimilar to that in the Philippines, such as the close family ties andrespecting one’s parents.

Fred joined Intraco in 1993, andhas worked in almost every position in the company. As a certified accountant(CAP) Fred worked for a long time in the internal audit section, and he laterbecame the SAP Project manager and built a system for the company until beingappointed finance director. In September 2009 Fred was appointed PresidentDirector of IBF.

When his retirement time comesFred plans to become a volunteer public school teacher. He has not decided asyet whether he will teach here in Indonesia or in the Philippines. This,according to him, is his way to inspire poor children so that they can achievethe sort of success he has enjoyed.

Fred acknowledges that he camefrom a poor family but was fortunate enough to leave poverty behind and becomea successful executive. He wants to share his life experience with hisstudents. He believes that life is full of choices. “Many choices are in frontof you. It is just how we pick and choose the opportunity to advance,” saidFred, whose favorite Indonesian dishes are fried rice and pempek (fish cookedin batter) and whose favorite fruit is duku. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, September 10, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/09/10/fred-l-manibog-ceo-with-a-dream-becoming-a-public-school-teacher.html

Diana’s Midas touch

2011-09-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

ONE of the most rapidlydeveloping creative industries is interior design and this development iswelcomed by creative business people, including Diana Nazir, one of the mostsuccessful interior designers in Indonesia today.

For interior design work Diana isno newcomer. Before establishing her own interior design company in 1991, Dianahad the opportunity of working as a professional interior designer at PTHeritage Indonesia.

After working for one year at PTHeritage Indonesia, she decided to establish her, own interior design company,Artura Insanindo. According to her having her own company meant more creativefreedom.

Since then she has been involvedin many projects, including the Hotel Grand Kemang, in South Jakarta. BeforeDiana took over the project, the hotel had an unattractive appearance andthrough her golden touch the Hotel Grand Kemang was immediately transformedinto a more attractive and elegant hotel based on her eclectic concept whichharmonized a number of styles.

Apart from the Hotel Grand Kemangshe has also handled Villa The Edge at Uluwatu, Bali which became moreenchanting and sellable. At Villa The Edge, Diana focused on the traditionalBalinese concept for its interior design. ”The strong elements of the Island ofGods are the plus points here at Villa The Edge,” she added.

This goes to prove thattraditional interior design has its own strength and for Diana both traditionaland modern designs have their own benchmarks, while some people are oftentrapped within such concepts and misunderstand or misinterpret them. Many viewtraditional or local designs as archaic and consider contemporary or moderndesigns more beautiful. This is surely a misconception.

As a shrewd business woman, Dianaunderstands how to manage her business, and one of her strategies is beingtotally different. This is the key to her success. “I have only one basicprinciple, that is being entirely different from the other designers. There arealready many good designers and design consultants in Indonesia, so when one isclearly different then customers will certainly seek us out,” she explained.

Diana also conducts variousactivities that are in line with the company’s vision and mission in order tosurvive and to have a competitive edge. One such activity was an event thatbrought together people in various creative disciplines, the IndonesiaContemporary Art & Design (ICAD) 2011, themed Escapology Crowd Lite whichtook place at Hotel Grand Kemang from May 6 to June 17, 2011.

ICAD is also an outlet for hercompany’s corporate social responsibility program for the nation’s furtherprogress. “As one of the country’s citizens I have to make a contribution andmost of us had the same idea as mine, so ICAD was created,” she said.

ICAD 2011 is a combination ofdesign, art, hotel industry, entertainment and technology with the objective toinspire many people, such as students, industrialists, art lovers, designersand other communities so that they become more creative.

Diana explained that while suchevents have little business value, they have a positive impact on the survivaland image of the company, because at least more people are now more familiarwith Artura Insanindo. Compared with other similar events, hers is quite uniqueas it applies trend forecasting and trend decoding as well being is acollaboration of many creative disciplines.

Through ICAD, Diana wants toconvey that art is not merely art and design is not purely design as they donot have to exist by themselves but can come together with technology and thehotel industry and blend into one activity.

Another of Diana’s plus points isthat she has made her own mark on the history of design as she has received theHDII Award 2010 for commercial retail category. In the competition she workedon the interior design of Garuda Terminal II airline lounge at Soekarno-HattaInternational Airport. “I gave the Garuda lounge a contemporary but stillIndonesian touch. I included local elements from Ambon and Papua so that theIndonesian nuance is quite clear, and I created a new Indonesian look for thelounge,” said Diana, who graduated Trisakti University in the faculty ofinterior design in 1990.

According to Diana, the HDIIawards and events should continue to boost local interior designers in creatingmore brilliant concepts and ideas to compete with foreign designers, as sheconsiders them equally skilled.

Actually, local designers aremore creative but their weakness lies in implementation and quality control.They are also talented in their creative imagination and new ideas. The localgraduates here are just as good as those educated abroad. “Foreign graduatescannot even draw in detail, while local ones are more capable in such things,so we know the precise measurements of the wood and nails to be used. Of coursethere are some plus and minus points because clearly those educated abroad aremore fluent in English,” said Diana, who was born in Jakarta on Sept. 27, 1966.

When asked why she is interestedin interior design, the mother of two said, “My education background isinterior design and from childhood I had a dream of becoming an architect and adesign interior consultant.”

Diana fell in love with interiordesign in her childhood years when she liked playing with toy houses anddrawing houses or simple architectural designs. (Faisal Chaniago)

The Jakarta Post, September 03,2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/09/03/diana-nazir-diana’s-midas-touch.html

Marrying oriental and modern living

2011-08-28T02:08:00.000-07:00

IN a bustling metropolitan city such as Jakarta, it is vital to have a comfortable home with as many facilities as possible for a convenient life. Now there is a new residential complex that offers such living. It is Green Central City on Jl. Gajah Mada, West Jakarta.

This 14,000 square meter superblock consists of two towers of 844 units of apartments plus penthouse, commercial area, skypark and a very spacious parking area. “We have combined both comfortable living and highly profitable investment return for tenants, because this superblock is located right in the heart of Jakarta’s economic center, as a matter of fact also the center of Indonesia’s economy. Here every requirement in life can be easily fulfilled, including of course residential, business, socializing and relaxation as all are blended in one complex with easy access,” explained Martono Hadipranoto, chief operating officer of Green Central City.

What is interesting about the complex is the presence of Candra Naya, a heritage building. The 200-year-old building is the main icon making it the landmark of Jakarta Kota as this section of Jakarta is called. “Although physically it will be Green Central City, the soul within is Candra Naya,” said Martono, who was born in Cirebon, West Java, on March 2, 1964.

In the early 1800s, Candra Naya was in fact the house belonging to a Chinese major who was assigned to take care of the Chinese residents’ needs in Batavia, the former name of Jakarta. “The building is estimated to be built at the beginning of 1800s during the Ming dynasty period and very much influenced by Mancu architecture,” said Naniek Widayati, a senior architect from Center of Architecture Conservation.

Candra Naya, which is a protected building under Law No. 11 issued in 2010 on Cultural Heritage Preservation, is very attractive due to its unique Chinese architecture and layout complete with numerous ornaments that had a special meaning for its owner.

For Martono, who has been actively involved in the property business, the project this time poses a unique challenge of its own. “Indeed it is not easy to maintain the existence of Candra Naya in the midst of modern property development,” he commented.

The main objective of PT Bumi Perkasa Permai as the developer of Green Central City is to present a property of the very best quality. “We will do this by preserving the historical asset and maintain the harmony with the environment to provide the best and most healthy, comfortable living for the tenants,” explained the civil engineer who graduated from Tarumanegara University in 1990.

Martono first started his career in the property world in 1996 when he joined Dharmala Group, or more accurately at ERA Indonesia, Franchise Real Estate Brokerage. His position was franchise sales & marketing manager. He enjoyed his job immensely and has never left the property industry since. He even studied further about property three years later at Indonesia Property Institute of Technology, Jakarta and received a Certified Property Analyst (CPA) in 1999.

During his extensive career he worked for three brokerage companies. After leaving ERA, he worked for Century, which is under the umbrella of Ciputra Group, from 1999 until 2001 and then for Coldwell Banker Indonesia where he held the position of vice president of franchise development from 2001 until 2002.

Martono felt that at Coldwell he gained a lot of knowledge on property as the world class company gave him the opportunity to enhance his knowledge through a number of trainings. At New Jersey, United States, he undertook three courses, namely Coldwell Banker System Orientation, Master Franchise Orientation and Franchise Sales.

Equipped with such extensive experience and knowledge Martono was no longer in doubt when a developer offered the position of marketing director. The name of the company is PT Marga Giri Kencana and its phenomenal project was Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, Bali. He worked on this prestigious project for three years (2002–2005), but the experience here strengthened his experience in the property industry.

Then he also made his mark by working for a major developer in the country, Agung Podomoro Group (2005–2007) to build Braga City Walk project, which is a shopping center and apartement complex in Bandung, West Java, as well as Lindeteves Trade Center in Glodok, Jakarta.

Next, with another developer, IKI Group, he was involved in the construction of The Fame Citywalk project in Palembang, South Sumatra for one year (2007–2008). “Any project I do I always do it with complete passion,” he said.

Then came a bigger challenge. It was from PT AKR Land Development in July 2008 and he was given the position of a general manager. The company’s core business was various chemicals, but he had to open up “new territories”.

He was assigned to handle three extremely large projects: Grand Kawanua International City in Manado, North Sulawesi, Gateway West/AKR Plaza, Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta as well as Ubud Royale Chateau, Bali.

Grand Kawanua International City is a satellite city in Manado consisting of condotel, housing, shop and house buildings, citywalk, land for residential areas, office building, water park, wedding chapel and so forth, including conference hall.

AKR Plaza is a mix use development with office tower, hotel, apartments, retail area and so on while Ubud Royale Chateau comprises of a hotel, villas and condotel in Ubud, Bali.

All three projects are still running, but in February 2011 Martono shifted to PT Bumi Perkasa Permai to work on Green Central City project. “Each project has its own unique points and challenges,” said Martono, who has been a member of the Indonesian Society of Appraisers (MAPPI) since 1999.

According to Martono, Green Central City will not be only a complex of massive buildings but will have green surroundings even in this busiest part of Jakarta, which is often called Kota, Jakarta’s authentic Chinatown. This superblock will have apartments, a hotel, office buildings and a Skypark which is a 0.6 hectare environmentally friendly park.

Plus, as mentioned earlier, Green Central City will also keep the cultural heritage building, Candra Naya, as a famous tourist destination in Kota representing a richly historical three century old building reflecting the values of Chinese community in old Batavia. “In short, Green Central City offers the most sensational residential area in Jakarta that is not available anywhere else, because it is the only place that preserves and maintains so many values in harmony with complete facilities, including entertainment and things that are important for good health physically as well as for the soul,” concluded Martono.

Bringing together the oriental with the modern is indeed not easy and this is Martono’s next challenge in the property world. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, August 27, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/08/26/profile-martono-hadipranoto-marrying-oriental-and-modern-living.html

Still in love with original passion, aircrafts

2011-08-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

AS the son of a former president of Indonesia, Ilham Akbar Habibie opted to start his business from zero rather than benefitting from the various privileges of the status that has followed with him for years.

With persistence and perseverance, Ilham, the oldest son of Baharudin Jusuf Habibie and Hasri Ainun, has been striving to reestablish PT Ilthabi Rekatama, a family company that had not been managed very well. “I had to decide whether to become an entrepreneur or remain a professional,” he recalled.

He said that in 2001 rather unwillingly and with a heavy heart he had to leave PT Dirgantara Indonesia (previously PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara — PT National Aircraft Industry).

According to him, although the company was not in a very good condition PT DI still had a reasonably good future. “At least PT DI has succeeded in manufacturing products that have been used by consumers,” he said.

What PT DI needed at that time, continued Ilham, was research to add to the portfolio of its products. “It is impossible for an aircraft factory to survive by relying on the production of only one type of aircraft,” he said while adding that at the time PT DI was conducting a research for the production of a new variant but unfortunately the project had to stop due to an agreement between the government and IMF.

Ilham who was then the company’s commercial director decided to leave PT DI. He said when he decided to return to Indonesia he had an important ambition; to enhance the nation’s image. On top of everything, Ilham also has working experience at the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. “I want to dedicate my capabilities and skills for the benefit of my country,” said Ilham who has lived in Germany since birth.

During his career at Boeing, Ilham, who was born in Aachen, Germany on May 16, 1963, worked as one of the wing designers for Boeing 737. This was the experience he took with him to PT DI. At DI, which was established based on his father’s initiative, Ilham did not start in a top position, but started working from the bottom up. “First I was assistant to the Project Head, then Division Head until finally I was appointed as one of the directors,” he said. “Until such a time when I couldn’t see further career prospects at PT DI. Then I had a talk with my father and I told him that I had decided to leave PT DI,” he added.

It was not an easy decision, because the aircraft engineering world had been his passion from childhood. “I left PT DI with a weeping heart,” he said.

After leaving PT DI the father of three actually had not decided what he planned to do next. In his mind there were two options, to be an entrepreneur or to remain a professional.

However, he turned to the business world and became an entrepreneur. But Ilham was aware of his shortcomings in management and financial matters so he took the required MBA program. “As a matter of fact becoming a businessman had never been in my thoughts before, but the situation prompted me to make that decision and I had to do my MBA as my background is engineering and I saw the need for learning about finance and economics,” said Ilham while adding that from 2001 until 2003 he gained further knowledge at Chicago Booth School of Business (formerly Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago), Singapore Campus.

During the time he was pursuing further education, Ilham enjoyed a lot of benefits, not only did he gain the knowledge he needed of finance and economics for which the University of Chicago is one of the best, but also by being able to network extensively.

While continuing his further studies Ilham had already started the initial steps to become an entrepreneur. Ilham, a PhD holder from Technical University of Munich, Germany, started to reorganize the family company which had been not managed properly.

The focus of the company’s line of businesses was narrowed down. “At first we tried to concentrate on property, but later had to abandon this sector,” he disclosed. “Our main focus was then on three sectors: natural resources, manufacturing and technology,” he added.

For natural resources Ilham established a company called Sound Oil, an oil and gas exploration company that is already listed on the London Stock Exchange. Sound Oil has offshore oil and gas concession in West Java, gas concession in Bangkanai, Central Kalimantan. The company also has a project in Italy.

Besides Sound Oil, Ilthabi Rekatama also has a coal mining company that is not yet in production, PT Ilthabi Bara Utama (IBU). The company has a 35,000 hectare concession in East Kalimantan which is estimated to be able to produce 3.3 billion tons of coal. “We have just sold IBU to Bayan Resource,” he acknowledged. “Currently we are developing Coal Bed Methane (CBM) as an alternative energy,” he added.

In manufacturing Ilthabi Group is still focusing on two sectors, namely foundry and refrigeration while for technology Ilthabi Group currently manages a website called www.orbit-digital.com which is a continuation from Orbit magazine that was published by his mother, Hasri Ainun Habibie.

Apart from these three businesses Ilthabi also manages a financial service company, Asuransi Wuwungan (Wuwungan Insurance). According to Ilham this company has been maintained because it was the family’s very first company. Another reason is that the company is a joint venture between the family and other relatives.

Ilham, who is also the chairman of ICMI presidium said that so far he is quite satisfied with the performance of Ilthabi group and that he will always strive to improve the welfare of the 2,000 employees within the group. Therefore further developments will be made so that the group of companies earn the respect of other companies in the country. “Another project in progress is herbal plantations,” he revealed.

He said that to succeed one has to be focused as well as being realistic and flexible in facing various situations. These are all important, he added, because it is quite often that what one plans cannot be realized. Another important thing, Ilham said, is discipline.

One dream is still linked to his first passion, aircraft manufacturing. “That dream of mine has never died,” he said. He said he still has a very serious desire to go back to the aircraft business. “But maybe not the manufacturing aspect,” he admitted.

Ilham said that lots of luck would be required to go back into the aircraft world. “In life luck is when preparation is in synchronization with opportunity,” said Ilham quoting what was once said by the famous Roman philosopher, Seneca. (T. Hidayat & Burhan Abe)

The Jakarta Post, August 20, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/08/20/ilham-akbar-habibie-still-love-with-original-passion-aircrafts.html

A banker’s golden touch

2011-08-13T02:58:00.000-07:00

OUT of the many bankers in this country Maryono is one who cannot be underestimated or ignored as he has succeeded in turning Bank Mutiara into a major bank. In view of the background of the establishment of this bank many people did not think that the former Bank Century would become a major bank. Before being taken over by the Institute for Guaranteeing Deposits (LSP) the bank was called Bank Century.

Based on its progress Bank Mutiara’s performance continues to improve. In the first quarter of this year Bank Mutiara earned a profit of Rp 40.2 billion. Its assets at the end of March 2011 amounted to Rp 11.658 trillion, a growth of 41.43 percent compared to the figures in the previous year: Rp 8.243 trillion. These assets have automatically positioned Bank Mutiara in the ranking of major banks with assets of 10 trillion and above. Meanwhile the bank has given out loans totaling Rp 7.257 trillion as per March 2011.

When interviewed recently at his office located at International Financial Center Building on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Maryono explained one of his strategies in creating the growth and progress of Bank Mutiara, that is, transforming or revamping the bank in its corporate culture, system as well as IT.

Referring to corporate culture he changed the attitude of the human resources and made them self confident, a solid team and a fostered a positive working spirit. Maryono is fully aware that the bank’s human resources have an important contribution in its successful performance. During the changes in corporate culture Maryono did not adopt external values; on the contrary he garnered inputs from the employees and loyal customers which were then combined and formulated into the bank’s own corporate culture.

According to him had he adopted values from other banks or companies there could be rejection, while internal values are accepted more easily. For the system he changed all internal regulations, standard operating procedure, authorization and work system to create a better integrated system. “However, all this is not enough because for Bank Mutiara to become a healthy bank it has to be fully supported by an excellent IT infrastructure and stronger internal control,” he added.

Maryono is also very much aware that banking in Indonesia is one of the fastest growing industries and that Bank Mutiara has to compete with local as well as foreign banks. However, he has no doubts and feels very confident that Bank Mutiara is capable of facing such competition. “We have reliable manpower and their attitude and service have passed the test,” he said.

Apart from enhancing the quality of the bank’s human resources the market segments are also deciding factors. Bank Mutiara focuses on the retail segment because there are big opportunities here. “We are concentrating on small and medium sized businesses; we call it a combination of UMKM segments,” said Maryono, who graduated from Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java with a degree in economics.

The reason for focusing on micro, small and medium sized enterprises (UMKM) is its rapid development and growth in Indonesia and its resilience against turbulent economic changes. Micro businesses can provide a good margin to banks.

For loans Bank Mutiara is creating a loan product called Loan without Collateral (KTA), Home Loan or Financing (KPR) that is quite different from other banks’ KPR products. For KTA Bank Mutiara will collaborate with various major companies. The bank is attracted to KTA because it is an excellent mass product which can produce a good margin.

Maryono explained that banking is a business based on trust. So however strong the bank’s performance may be it will be difficult to transform it into a major bank once the image is tarnished. The key to a bank’s success, he said, also lies in its image. And, Maryono has succeeded in maintaining the bank’s image after Bank Century’s collapse and deteriorating reputation. Many customers have maintained their trust in the bank and he even managed to retain 60 percent of the customers who initially wanted to withdraw their money from the bank.

With various innovations he feels optimistic that by the end of 2011 the total third parties’ funds at Bank Mutiara will reach Rp 10.8 trillion, which means a growth of 21 percent compared to the previous year’s figure of Rp 8.9 trillion. The customers’ savings accounts will also grow by 100 percent, from Rp 378.6 billion to Rp 756 billion.

As of May 2011 Bank Mutiara has served 48,583 customers’ accounts and the total third parties’ funds entrusted with Bank Mutiara reached Rp 10.141 trillion. “All these figures show that our customers keep increasing and Bank Mutiara is now enjoying more trust from the public,” said Maryono, who is an avid golfer.

On top of everything Bank Mutiara always does its best to be close to its customers by opening more branches in various regions. On June 15, 2011, for example Bank Mutiara opened a branch on Jl. Tebet Raya No. 26 D, South Jakarta.

Maryono, who was formerly Head of District One for Bank Mandiri in Medan, the opening of many branches is part of Bank Mutiara’s strategic plan in contributing to Jakarta’s economy by maximizing the bank’s intermediary function in collecting funds and providing loan facilities.

In the near future Bank Mutiara plans to launch Internet banking as well as join the 21,000 ATM Prima network. Bank Mutiara also has its own ATM network and its ATM cards can be used to withdraw cash or make other transactions at 17,000 locations with ATM bersama. “This means that our customers can use Bank Mutiara’s ATM cards everywhere for convenient cash withdrawal or other transactions,” he explained.

When asked about his first step when he was appointed to manage Bank Mutiara, Maryono replied: cut off or replacement of old management with a new one, because the previous management of Bank Century left a negative legacy, including the assets and the people.

Maryono’s achievement in overcoming Bank Century’s crisis is closely related to his career experience. His first career as a banker was at Bank Bapindo. During the emergence of golden key problem associated with Edy Tansil, a notorious big-time fugitive, still on the wanted list by the country’s police force, Bapindo later got into a merger with a number of banks to become Bank Mandiri. Here, he also handled a crisis that cropped up due to the replacement of the bank’s president director. He had to consolidate all Bank Mandiri’s branches throughout Indonesia. He also had to tackle a major demonstration by the employees. All these experiences in handling such a crisis became very useful when he was appointed president director of Bank Mutiara. (Satria Rangga Fausta)

The Jakarta Post, August 13, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/08/13/maryono-a-banker’s-golden-touch.html

Trained champion in blending finance and business in Indonesia

2011-08-06T03:30:00.000-07:00

A proud smile was clearly written on the face of ANS Kosasih when he was named one of the Top Ten Indonesia Best CFO 2010 by SWA magazine. It is the second time the financial director of state-owned Perhutani has received such worthy recognition in finance management in Indonesia. Moreover, this year Kosasih came in second, which is an improvement on the previous year.

Such an achievement for Kosasih, who was born in Jakarta in 1970, was no easy feat. One of his greatest achievements has been to build an integrated financial management system that meets the standards of good corporate governance from previously BBB (not healthy) in 2007 to AA (very healthy) in 2008, 2009 and 2010. As a result, since the finance management was entrusted to him in 2008 and 2009, the company’s net profit increased 400 percent from 2007, and in 2010 recorded a sevenfold increase from 2007.

Kosasih is certainly the key figure for Perum Perhutani’s successful financial engineering. Although there has been no significant revenue increase yet, net profit has gone up drastically. In 2007, when Perum Perhutani’s revenue totaled Rp 2.16 trillion, its net profit was only Rp 39 billion. In 2008, when its revenue increased slightly to Rp 2.31 trillion, its net profit increased fourfold to Rp 164.14 billion. The year 2010 was an even better year, with revenue being Rp 2.79 trillion but net profit Rp 275.76 billion. “The profit increased because we improved the exchange value, the company’s business transactions and the financial management system,” he explained.

The alumnus of Gadjah Mada University’s School of Economics in Yogyakarta further added that one of the keys to his success as finance director is his ability to harmonize the thoughts of the finance people with those in other divisions, especially the business division.

He said that previously a chief financial officer (CFO) was merely an accountant and someone in finance did not have to understand the business side and vice versa. “The financial department used to be filled with accountants. But today a CFO is also a chief investment officer and chief business strategy officer. The bottom line is profitability. While a CEO has many goals and has to take care of many matters, a part of his role is now played by a CFO. So, the CFO has actually been upgraded in a sense,” he emphasized.

According to Kosasih, if one does not understand anything about finance in this day and age, the business of the company would head south. On the other hand, if one is good at finance but mainly unaware about the direction of the business or has no business sense, it would be difficult to realize the company’s plans and it would disrupt the financial plans.

Therefore, when he was appointed CFO of Perum Perhutani, one of his main programs was to disseminate information about finance to non-finance people and provide business training to the finance people. “Accounting knowledge is very good to have, but don’t become mere accountants as we need those who understand business too,” said Kosasih, a former employee of Bahana Sekuritas.

Above all, Kosasih also strives to solve problems so that there is no centralized authority and financial supervision, such as inconsistencies in the management of foreign exchange by providing a single treasury accounts system. Inefficiency in cash flow management was eliminated by introducing the integrated cash management system. “During the first year, I was like a campaigner disseminating information and making everyone aware about the company’s financial situation and telling them that if we did nothing, Perhutani could close down,” recalled Kosasih, who also actively participated in implementing good corporate governance (GCG) within Perhutani.

Kosasih introduced many changes at Perum Perhutani. Previously there was no financial engineering or financial restructuring or even bank loans. Perhutani was established in 1934 during the Dutch colonial era and in 1961 became PN Perhutani. In 1973, it became Perum Perhutani. For a short time it was a limited liability company, but in 2003 it reverted to a being state-owned company. In 2010, the government announced that Perum Perhutani could expand its business.

The transformation within Perhutani, enhanced by the government’s role, put the state-owned company back on its feet. “I have informed the government that the assets of Perhutani are definitely large,” he said.

Kosasih took quite a number of years to acquire the required experience for his financial position. For 20 years of his career, most of the time was not spent in finance. In fact he started off in sales. For three years he worked in sales and distribution of Vicks candies produced by Procter & Gamble. He also worked in the business development division of PT Inforindo, the exclusive distributor of PT Digital Astra Nusantara. In 1997, he joined PT Nestle Indonesia and handled the company’s confectionary, such as Kit Kat, Polo and Fox candies. He also got experience in managing Dancow.

He held the position of category leader at this multinational company and was tasked with taking care of every phase of the product, from raw material sourcing, labeling, branding, marketing to distribution. “Nestle trained me for actual business. We were taught to manage financial matters, starting from the cost of production, marketing and distribution, the cost of human resources and finally total costs, including sales volume. “So, when Dancow made a profit, and the profit was on target, only then was my salary increased or I was given a bonus from the profit percentage,” explained Kosasih.

From Nestle Indonesia he moved to Citibank, which offered him the position of strategic business unit (SBU) head responsible for the entire business. He was then drawn to the financial department at Citibank. After two years there, he joined a financial institution, Bahana Sekuritas and its holdings. “I worked for eight years at Bahana,” said the 41 year old. (T. Hidayat)

The Jakarta Post, August 06, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/08/06/ans-kosasih-trained-champion-blending-finance-and-business-indonesia.html

Riding on a growing market

2011-07-30T02:22:00.000-07:00

THE Asian Pacific property market is indeed an interesting one. At least it is for this year and will continue to be such in 2012, said Sanjay Verma, CEO, Asia Pacific, Cushman & Wakefield. It has become attractive since the significant turning point in 2010 in a number of Asian cities, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing and Bangalore. “The strong leasing demand from occupiers will encourage investors to acquire commercial buildings with medium to longer term potential across Asia Pacific,” he commented.

Meanwhile the retail and hospitality sectors are also enjoying lucrative growth along with increased consumerism and tourism business in Asia. How about Jakarta?

“The Jakarta office property market will continue a phase of rental growth in 2011 and 2012. The continued rental recovery will strengthen investors’ confidence in Grade A commercial properties. The rental movement will be backed by an overall expected promising economic growth in 2011 and 2012, of 6.3 percent and 6.5 percent respectively, even after achieving 6.1 percent growth in 2010,” explained Verma in Jakarta recently.

Verma is optimistic that the property sector, especially the retail one, in Indonesia is still going through a honeymoon period both in terms of quantity and the customers’ purchasing power. “Prospects for retail properties are favorable with the continued growth in the size and purchasing power of the population, setting the basis for new foreign retailers to be attracted to Jakarta and selected existing retailers to expand,” he said.

Cushman & Wakefield, a global property consultant, was established in New York in 1917 and currently has more than 13,000 employees in 234 offices in 61 countries including in Indonesia. The company offers an integrated solution in the property sector, including consultancy and property management, representing landlords, developers, tenants, lessees and investors in every real estate process.

Verma feels fortunate to be part of Cushman & Wakefield. In his capacity as CEO for the Asia Pacific, Verma, who was born on June 16, 1971, is responsible for the company’s growth in the region, both through the enhancement of service quality and the expansion of the market.

With 14 years experience in real estate services and important roles in this field in Asia and India Verma is fully equipped to manage Cushman & Wakefield’s interests in the region. Verma, who was also a founder of Cushman & Wakefield India where he held the position of Managing Director, produced a significant market share and high level of profitability for the company.

Under his leadership Cushman & Wakefield has more than maintained its position in the market as it has expanded to all lines, increased the range of clients and also diversified the company’s expertise by opening up new services and expanded geographically. “A greater responsibility has given us more challenges for further innovative steps,” said Verma, who holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and an MBA in finance and marketing.

Verma is not a new face in the property world. He had previously worked for Colliers Jardine, India as well as Voltas Ltd., which is a major company in India under the umbrella of Tata Group. He has brought with him international clients, such as Thomson Reuters, GE, Nestle, IBM, Ericsson, Gillette, Freescale, Adobe, Bharti Group, GSK, Unilever, JPMC and many more.

The property sector has slowed down for the past few years especially in the United States and European countries, but according to Verma, it has had no impact on growth in the Asia Pacific region. Recovery in 2009 and 2010 were indeed turning points here. “However, the growth of the Asia Pacific region is fundamentally due to stronger underpinnings especially strong domestic growth, sustained by growing employment and rising incomes speeding up the pace of economic recovery,” said Verma who is a fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The Asia Pacific, said Verma, has become an important area in contributing to the growth of Cushman & Wakefield. “These are very exciting times for our Asia leadership team and me to be at the forefront of this growth plan,” said Verma who is married to Ritu and is the father of Anishka (3) and Anvita (5).

In 2010 Cushman & Wakefield set a five year plan along with its formulated targets. “As we implement our new strategic plan, we are attracting talent (in Asia alone, we have hired a little over 250 new staff in the first five months of 2011) in all markets and have also significantly increased our business win rate by demonstrating our new and client focused globally integrated services platform. Globally, we have had six consecutive quarters of double digit revenue growth and the same indicates the changes we are implementing across the firm,” said Verma, who loves travelling, cricket, squash, golf, table tennis and badminton.

Verma believes in a combination of delegation based and collaborative ownership style of management. Having a talented leadership team is not enough unless there is empowerment. Empowerment is not enough unless there is accountability. This is where delegation is the key, but at the same time, it’s critical that the leadership group collaborates and there is collective ownership.

“I also believe in the power of communication. If a business leader creates the practice of transparent and frequent communication, the organization can achieve great results. Transparency and regular communication also helps in developing an environment conducive for attracting and retaining talent,” said Verma who lives in Shanghai and very much enjoys the cultural diversity that the city offers. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, July 30, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/30/sanjay-verma-riding-a-growing-market.html

Life can change at any moment

2011-07-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

BECOMING a successful businessman at an early age is certainly everybody’s dream. But there are those who become businessmen unintentionally and achieve success. One such example is Ario Pratamo, director of PT Unique Kargonize, a General Service Agent (GSA) responsible in preparing available cargo space in aircrafts while acting as an official representative of airlines.

Ario started his own company at age 23. “At first, I didn’t have any desire or dream of becoming a businessman. However, my father was preparing me to continue managing his company. And after giving it a try I found that I liked it, choosing to open my own business instead,” said Ario, who is a graduate of Interactive Multimedia from Edith Cowan University, Australia.

The beginning of Unique Kargonize began when Ario was still working at Speedmark Indonesia, his father’s freight forwarding company. He did not hold a managerial position from the start. His father purposely made him an operator and later moved him to a managerial position so that Ario could understand the work flow.

Not too long afterwards he fell in love with the business and thought of starting his own. His wish came true when the Saudi Arabian airline Etihad set up its route to Indonesia. “Etihad opened a tender to sell its cargo space to local companies; I made a bid and won the tender. We got Etihad for all areas throughout Indonesia and about 50 other countries with the frequency of four flights per week using an Airbus 330. The total capacity reaches 50 tons per week,” he explained.

After his success in developing Unique Kargonize, he was named Business Week Asia Under 25 Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006. Yet, the achievement did not mean that he did not experience a young businessman’s “trying moments”.

Clients often underestimated him at first. Ario also had moments when he lacked confidence, like when he had to pay his manager a higher salary than his own to help him find clients. There was a time when there was no consignment for the cargo space available, but his strong desire to learn and strive allows him to pass through those difficult moments.

His consistent perseverance and desire to keep learning enhanced his skills. After working at his father’s company, he studied management at the Indonesian Institute of Management Development (IPMI) and joined with young businessmen’s organization HIPMI and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin) to learn more about business from other young businessmen. “I am lucky because I am the second generation of my family in this business and because my father is my mentor. But still, I also need to learn from others’ experience, that’s why I am involved in HIPMI and Kadin,” said Ario, currently entrusted with the position of HIPMI’s head of Publication and Media Division.

Ario’s business continued to grow. In 2007, he established another company, PT Swift Kargonize, soon appointed GSA for Qantas Freight, Jetstar Airways (Bali), Air Mauritius, Fin Air, Lion Air (JED Destination). Through his two companies, Ario now holds almost all the destinations in the world.

One could only wonder Ario’s winning strategy in a business that heavily depends on peak seasons. “Never chase an airline principal with the same destination, for example Etihad with Qatar. The same destination could mean the same services, which is pointless. The combination among our principals must be matching so as a group of companies we can become a one -stop shop,” he said.

“When the market was down sometimes I experienced zero cargo, so it is better to have loyal customers who have lots of consignments, but during the peak season we should not raise the rate or our price,” he added.

Despite his overwhelming achievements, Ario doesn’t think that he has reached the state of success yet. “For me success means being happy. But it is impossible to be consistently happy. Life changes at every moment and it is up to us to make ourselves feel happy,” he explained.

At first Ario’s business began with one airline and a frequency of four flights a week and 50 Tons of cargo to 57 destinations. Today the two companies are entrusted by six airlines with a capacity of 700-800 tons of cargo per month with hundreds of destinations. Even so, highly calculated expansion is important to help any company to grow. “I am still looking for the most perfect airline for a mix and match combination in my cargo business covering inter-Asia and the United States. Perhaps also to diversify my business by adding a freight forwarding company or an entirely different business, maybe retail or energy,” explained Ario who is also the Vice President for the Transportation & Logistics division at Kadin for East Jakarta.

To develop his business further Ario believes he needs people with passion and bright ideas. Although Ario realizes that he comes from a well-to-do family he emphasizes that an idea is the key point. According to Ario, entrepreneurship is not just a dream. It is, in fact, the soul of business that will take form by itself. “An idea is important and it is more expensive than capital. Don’t be scared if you don’t have the capital to fund your business, but be scared if you don’t have any ideas. Like I always say, people will invest in you if you have an idea that is unique and good,” he concluded. (Tedy Matondang)

The Jakarta Post, July 23, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/23/ario-pratomo-life-can-change-any-moment.html

Indonesia important target market for Wing Tai

2011-07-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

INDONESIA holds an important role for Singapore. At least Len Siew Lian, general manager of property of Wing Tai Holdings Limited, a Singapore stock market-listed company, is convinced of this. “Most of our property customers are from Indonesia,” she said during the launch of the company’s two newest products, Helios Residences and Le Nouvel Ardmore on July 4, 2011.

Indeed Indonesia is an important target market for Singapore. According to Len Siew Lian only 45 percent of Singaporeans purchase properties in the city state while 55 percent are foreigners. Out of the 55 percent about 60 percent are Indonesians.

However these foreigners, including Indonesians, prefer extraordinary or superior products that have a unique concept and strategic location. Helios Residences, for example, is located at Cairnhill Circle, which is very close to Orchard Road, Singapore’s most prestigious area for first class malls and entertainment centers. The recently revamped Orchard Road has a number of new malls and an integrated resort at Marina Bay. Among the new malls are ION Orchard, 313@Somerset, Paragon and Orchard Central.

Helios Residences is a two tower condominium each having 20 floors and a total of 140 units, covering a total area of 80,000 square feet. Helios Residences has been designed by Harold Guida from Guida Moseley Brown Architects, Australia. “If I may say so this is one of the most prestigious projects at the right location with a freehold ownership status,” said Len.

Another property developed by Wing Tai Asia is also just as unique. Belle Vue Residences is a five floor condominium designed by Toyo Ito & Associates of Japan. It stands on an area of 250,000 square feet and its organically-shaped unit layout offers more windows and natural lighting.

Meanwhile Le Nouvel Ardmore is a 33 floor condominium having 43 units with free hold ownership. This property is located at Ardmore Park, the classiest location among upper class Singaporeans. The architect is Jean Nouvel of France who won the Pritzker Prize Laureate. “This condo is a combination of natural greenery and city life, education and entertainment, the past and the future,” said Len Siew Lian.

According to Len, Wing Tai is always keen on using world class architects for its properties. Based on its collaboration with leading architects and designers Wing Tai is famous for its unique architectural designs and breakthroughs as well. Next to Jean Nouvel, Toyo Ito and Harold Guida the company has also collaborated with a number of other renowned architects and designers: from Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and also Pritzker Prize winner from the United States I.M. Pei (for The Tomlinson, Singapore); Arquitectonica International which is based in Miami (for W Square, Hong Kong); an architect company Foster + Partners in London (Tai Po project, Hong Kong); lighting and design consultant L’Observaitoire International in New York; and a famous interior designer Atelier Ikebuchi.

With the company’s various hi-end properties Len feels confident that many investors will be naturally drawn to Wing Tai’s products. “Our customers always seek Wing Tai’s products due to their strategic location, high quality and timeless design,” said Len, who started her career in the property world at Jones Lang Wootton in 1988 as a property officer.

After only one year at this property consultant company in 1989 she moved to the property division of Wing Tai. Wing Tai was established in 1955 in Hong Kong and has been operating in Singapore since August, 1963. Wing Tai Holdings Limited itself is a leading property developer in Singapore.

This company, which has been listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange since 1989, is a parent investment company that focuses its business on Asia’s growing market. The main business of WingTai Asia Group, which is comprised of Wing Tai Properties Limited in Hong Kong and Wing Tai Malaysia Berhad in Malaysia, includes property development and investment, hotels and lifestyle retail. Wing Tai’s total assets are over S$3 billion and its property products are in strategic locations.

Len Siew Lian indeed started her career at Wing Tai from the bottom rung of the ladder as she was involved in office leasing and retail. Due to her dedication and perseverance she rose through the ranks and today she is General Manager for property. “I have always liked properties. And, during all these years I have enhanced not only my experience but also my knowledge,” said Len who has a Bachelor of Science (Estate Management) degree from National University of Singapore as well as Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Prior to her current position Len was General Manager (Marketing) at Wing Tai Property Management and she had to supervise the company’s marketing and product launches. At present her duties are indeed not easy because she is responsible for sales and marketing of properties. “I am also responsible for business expansion as well as investment management in this group of companies,” said Len.

Indonesia is not yet Wing Tai’s expansion target, at least not in the near future. “But by continuously monitoring market trends and demands as well as the various available opportunities we have strategically spread our wings in Asia,” said Len Siew Lian. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, July 16, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/16/profile-len-siew-lian-indonesia-important-target-market-wing-tai.html

Building capacity and competitive edge through entrepreneurship

2011-07-08T22:05:00.000-07:00

SHINTA Widjaja Kamdani is fortunate because she was born and raised in a family with a solid business background, so she did not have to start her career at the bottom rung of ladder.

In 1987 at a young age Shinta, who was born in Jakarta on February 9, 1967 was appointed as the director of the family’s company PT Tigaraksa (TIRA). This group of companies established in 1980 has interests in the sale, distribution and manufacturing of consumer products, manufacturing, import and direct sales of gas stoves and various kitchen appliances as well as gas refilling and import and direct sales of school text books for children.

To equip herself further to hold such a high position she studied psychology and dance at Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, graduating in 1989. From 2000 until 2002 she continued her studies at Harvard Business School for Executive Education, Boston. “If one does not deepen one’s knowledge he or she will be left behind,” said Shinta.

Apart from being a director at the holding company, Shinta was previously National Sales Manager and Promotion & Purchasing Manager at one of the affiliate companies, PT Tigaraksa Satria (1989 – 1991), and later director of another affiliate company, PT Dirsa Ulitra Kosmetika (1991-1993).

Shinta is fully aware that many people assume that she holds such a strategic position because she is working in the family business. However, Shinta aims to demonstrate to her family and the world her real potential as a woman who is capable of continuing the family business. “Passion and a sense of responsibility are the two balancing factors to achieve success,” she explained.

“Most success comes from positive thinking. Sometimes we have to take a certain route to arrive at our intended destination. The key is positive thinking based on passion and a full sense of responsibility,” added Shinta who views life and her career as a learning process.

This is her main asset in leading Sintesa Group which was established in 1992. The Sintesa Group has investments in many companies, including companies within the TIRA Group and other independent companies. Two of the companies are listed at the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

Sintesa succeeded in convincing renowned international companies to invest in companies under the Sintesa Group, creating a powerful domestic-international bond. Sintesa is recognized as a group that understands Indonesia, which is often seen as a country with manifold intricacies that present difficulties to foreign investors.

As it has done with its international business partners, Sintesa has been able to guide companies, in which they have equity, through the complex Indonesian business environment and see them thrive. “Sintesa is always looking for synergies in developing a business. The best way to merge businesses is to have a merger of minds,” said Shinta, Managing Director of Sintesa Group.

While in her career Shinta could be said to have reached the pinnacle she is now starting to expand her vision about enterprising. Together with 13 other Indonesian entrepreneurs she set up Global Entrepreneurship Program Indonesia (GEPI) in January 2011. Among the founders of GEPI are Ciputra and Jacob Oetama, who have an excellent record and experience in their efforts to support the achievement and development of entrepreneurship here in Indonesia.

According to Shinta, who has been entrusted as vice chair, GEPI is set up to strengthen the growth of entrepreneurship in Indonesia and to act as a catalyst in the entrepreneurship strategy in the country. “The objective is to make global opportunities available for Indonesian entrepreneurs in collaboration with ongoing programs and connect the Indonesian entrepreneurs with global investment prospects,” she said.

In any country, she added, it is proven that the people become prosperous when its government prioritizes entrepreneurship in the country’s main development agenda. “Take Singapore and Malaysia for example, they have become progressive nations and their people are now prosperous because their governments are extremely serious in developing entrepreneurship,” explained Shinta.

Shinta, whose husband is Irwan Kamdani, also a businessman, is of the opinion that if Indonesia wishes to solve its poverty and unemployment woes the most accurate solution is to create many successful entrepreneurs. Therefore the government must change the current mindset that formal education is merely for getting a job, but rather there is a better choice than simply working: opening up a business opportunity, that is.

“The Indonesian government and the private business sector in collaboration with the United States is developing GEPI to opens up further opportunities for young entrepreneurs in creating their bright ideas,” said the mother of four.

The entrepreneurship program at the global level was originally the initiative of the President Obama and now has become the main program of US State Department, implemented directly by Secetary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. This is done to promote entrepreneurship as the main pillar of economic growth for developing countries.

According to Shinta although it has shown some bright signs entrepreneurship in Indonesia still has a long way to go because capital and funds are still a constraint. That is why she relentlessly campaigns for GEPI which actively participates in acquiring the required capital and funds. “We have to walk the talk,” she emphasized.

As an umbrella organization GEPI collaborates with its partners in building entrepreneurship here through a number of activities, such as: 1. Developing further awareness regarding the importance of entrepreneurship and various innovations in Indonesia; 2. Together creating a conducive ecosystem for the development of entrepreneurship; 3. Collaborating with groups of entrepreneurs and the Indonesian government in improving the environment for the creation of entrepreneurship; 4. Together creating the certainty for the availability of funding access at the national as well as global levels for new entrepreneurs; and 5. Assisting the entrepreneurs and innovators to go international.

One of the objectives in the establishment of GEPI is to turn the challenges into opportunities for the Indonesian entrepreneurs and innovators. “Of course hard work and serious efforts are needed to build the capacity and the competitive edge and to give the entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete at the regional and global levels,” said Shinta.

On July 23-24, 2011 GEPI will hold Regional Entrepreneurship Summit (RES) in Bali with the Trade Ministry as the organizing host. “The event will be attended by entrepreneurs, experts and investors from 10 ASEAN countries as well as China and India to discuss the theme about the importance of building entrepreneurships and the efforts to map out the strategy in boosting entrepreneurship in a country,” said Shinta who loves choreography, skiing and reading. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, July 09, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/09/shinta-widjaja-kamdani-building-capacity-and-competitive-edge-through-entrepreneursh

Unveiling the next chapter

2011-07-02T05:02:00.001-07:00

ALTOUGH many vendors have launched tablets so far Nokia has consistently focused on its mobiles and smart phones. Even during Nokia Connection 2011 Nokia kept concentrating on the launch of its mobiles and smart phones and there was no sign of the release of a tablet. “We are very careful about how we treat our market,” said Nokia president and CEO Stephen Elop at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on June 21.

According to Elop in many countries including Indonesia tablets are still too elitist. There are only a few brands of tablet that are quite solid while many consumers have not responded to the rest. Nokia itself has opted for other marketing strategies, one of which is to develop affordable mobiles that have added value.

So far Nokia is still focusing on technology innovation for these devices. In this grand event Elop was present along with his team to show Nokia’s commitment to Nokia’s three pillar strategy: creating smart phones, technology innovation and connecting the next one billion people to the Internet.

During this occasion Nokia introduced its dual SIM card C2-03 mobile and touch screen smart phone Nokia N9 which is Nokia’s first MeeGo based smart phone. Both will be marketed after July 2011. Nokia also stated its commitment to develop Symbian based smart phones and plans to launch 10 Symbian based devices in the next 12 months.

The duties of Stephen Elop, who has been CEO at Nokia since Sept. 21, 2010 are indeed not easy. Nokia is known as the market leader in the world and although at top position there is serious pressure from competitors.

Stephen Elop, born on Dec. 31, 1963, is a Canadian, and the first non Finn to hold such a high position at Nokia replacing Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. Elop now has quite a difficult task ahead. He is applying a number of management strategies and one of them is for Nokia to focus on a three pronged strategy in order to produce the best products for consumers.

There are three pillars in the current Nokia’s strategy. First is its strategy that draws much attention, the smart phone strategy. Nokia is collaborating with Microsoft to develop its Windows Phone platform for smart phones and is also collaborating to build a Microsoft-Nokia ecosystem.

The second strategy is to provide devices for the next one billion people to access the Internet. Nokia views this as its area of responsibility. The third strategy is to prepare technology for the future or disruption technology and one of the technologies is the development of MeeGo, which is a collaboration platform between Intel and Nokia.

Nokia N9 is one such product that utilizes disruptive technology. This smart phone has an elegant design and it is easy to use as you only have to touch softly. It is wrapped in poly carbonade, which is light, flexible and highly durable. Nokia now seems to be bold in coming up with different materials for casing which used to be stainless steel or plastic.

After collaborating in Nokia N8 once again Carl Zeiss is taking part in Nokia N9. The resolution is still 8 MP, but the audio has made much progress due to Dolby Digital Plus decoding technology. For music lovers and headset users Dolby Headphone post-processing is available for your enjoyment.

Another superior feature of Nokia N9 is Near Field Technology (NFT) as using this technology you just have to tap your mobile for payments, information access and other applications.

Meanwhile, said Elop, the strategy to reach the next one billion people so that they can access the Internet is via the mobile’s features that are directed toward the lower and middle segment. “We have an integrated strategy to enhance the capacity of our devices at affordable prices so that we can bring the Internet to our new consumers,” explained Elop who received his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering and Management from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.

As announced by Marko Agenti, senior vice president, developer & marketplace Nokia, the Finland based mobile company will launch the Windows Phone by the end of 2011.

According to Elop Symbian the present focus is on the company’s smart phones, however when the technology is possible it will most probably be adapted for feature phones. “Earlier this year, we outlined a comprehensive strategy to change our course. Innovation is at the heart of our strategy, and today we took important steps to demonstrate a new pace of innovation at Nokia. It’s the beginning of a new era for Nokia,” said Elop, the father of five and an active pilot. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, July 2, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/02/stephen-elop-unveiling-next-chapter.html

SITTI: Love, Trust and Respect

2011-06-27T03:39:00.001-07:00

KALAU dulu para pengguna Internet lebih banyak bersikap pasif, kini di era Web 2.0, yang ditandai dengan hadirnya social media – sebutlah Facebook, Twitter, Kaskus, Plurk, Koprol, Foursquare, dan lain-lain, pengguna Internet makin interaktif saja. Apalagi pemakaiannya tidak sebatas via desktop dan notebook saja, tapi juga perangkat lain yang lebih mobile, mulai dari BlackBerry, iPhone, hingga iPad.

Fenomena social media di Indonesia, bahkan sempat menempati peringkat ketiga negara dengan jumlah pengguna Facebook terbanyak di dunia, di bawah AS dan Inggris. Indonesia juga menduduki jumlah pengguna Twitter terbesar di Asia. Jakarta ibukota negara Indonesia bahkan telah diklaim sebagai ibukota Tweet di Asia, bukan karena jumlah penggunanya tetapi juga kontribusi trending topic di Twitter dari Indonesia.

Andy Sjarif, Group CEO SITTI, menggambarkan fenomena gaya hidup digital, terutama kehadiran social media yang menghebohkan ini. “Banyak perubahan dramatis yang menyentuh setiap aspek kehidupan manusia telah, masih dan akan terus dikontribusikan oleh dunia digital, termasuk social media di dalamnya. Google tumbuh dari perusahaan berpendapatan Rp 2 miliar menjadi Rp 230 triliun dalam waktu 10 tahun. Facebook adalah ‘negara’ terbesar ketiga di dunia dengan 500 juta lebih ‘penduduk.’ Twitter adalah ‘rumah’ yang dihuni jutaan broadcasters dengan jutaan aspirasi dan opini,” katanya.

Social media bukan saja jejaring sosial, tapi juga bisnis. Tidak heran, berbagai perusahaan dan individu menggunakan media ini sebagai alat untuk meningkatkan pertumbuhan bisnis dan popularitas. Penggunaan social media secara efektif merupakan strategi yang ampuh untuk strategi pemasaran dan public relations.

Fenomena social media dan keberhasilan Google di dunia maya telah menginspirasi Andy Sjarif mengembangkan SITTI (Sistem Iklan Teknologi Teks Indonesia), yakni iklan konstektual berbasis teks berbahasa Indonesia.

Mesin SITTI alias Google ala Indonesia mampu membaca dan memaknai lebih dari 600 juta halaman web berbahasa Indonesia. Dengan software itulah Andy Sjarif berani menantang Google Inc, penyedia search engine paling populer di dunia. “Bukan layanan search engine yang dilawan, namun platform iklan kontekstual seperti AdSense dan AdWord,” kata pria 39 tahun ini.

Mungkin terlalu arogan kalau menantang Goggle, yang kini mengembangkan berbagai bahasa, termasuk bahasa Indonesia. Ia menceritakan, algoritma system SITTI hanya dikerjakan oleh lima orang dalam waktu dua tahun. Adapun algoritma Google dikerjakan oleh ribuan orang. “Ibaratnya, modal kami hanya nekat dan teh botol,” jelas peraih Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) dari University of Missouri at Kansas City (1993) dan Masters in Business Administration (MBA) dengan spesialisasi di Direct Marketing and International Business dari University of Missouri at Kansas City (1995)

Andy mengatakan, keunggulan SITTI terletak pada penggunaan bahasa Indonesia. Google tidak bisa mengaitkan dengan bahasa Indonesia. Buktinya, SITTI mengalahkan Google dalam klik, click through rate (CTR), impression, dan semua kategori. “Kami mengalahkan mereka dengan algoritma dan tentu lebih baik dalam hal bahasa Indonesia,” kata cicit pujangga besar Marah Roesli yang terkenal dengan karyanya “Siti Noerbaja” itu.

Pada tahap awal, SITTI memberlakukan pemasangan iklan gratis untuk mempromosikan diri, tapi sekarang dengan tarif yang normal pun, peminatnya makin lama makin bertambah, sekitar 900 klien. “Sekitar 60% adalah UKM – usaha kecil menengah,” ujar pria berbadan subur ini.

Bagi perusahaan besar, iklan kontekstual bisa menjadi solusi untuk mendukung bisnis mereka masuk ke dunia digital sekaligus bisa mengubah paradigma tentang dunia digital itu sendiri. “Karena di digital, yang telah dibuktikan Google, yang penting adalah relevancy and context, sedangkan dalam traditional market, recent frequency yang penting,” kata kelahiran 11 Juli 1971 ini.

Namun, menurut Andy, SITTI lebih memfokuskan diri untuk menggarap pasar UKM. Ia berani menggaet UKM sebagai pasarnya karena sebagian besar UKM sekarang sudah melek digital.

Sejak di Amerika

Tapi mengapa Andy tertarik ke dunia internet? Menurutnya, tepatnya bukan internet, tapi ia tertarik pada data analitik. Semua hal bisa dianalis dengan data, baik dengan survei besar atau riset kecil-kecilan. Dan untuk kasus riset di internet, metodenya bukan sampling, tapi sensus. Itu yang dilakukan Google, juga SITTI.

Menurut Andy, yang membuat SITTI berbeda adalah passion, gairah para pekerja di belakangnya. Semua orang yang bekerja di SITTI, dikatakannya, memiliki tujuan yang sama untuk menumbuhkan “ekonomi Internet” di Indonesia.

SITTI adalah perusahaan start up yang ia rintis setahun belakangan. Tapi ide dan gagasannya bukan semalam dua malam, tapi sejak 13 yang lalu ketika ia masih bermukim di Amerika Serikat. “Saya banyak melakukan eksperimen, dan banyak melakukan kesalahan juga,” kenangnya, sebelum menemukan SITTI dengan model bisnis yang sekarang ini.

Sejak pertama kali menginjakkan kaki di AS, dalam pertukaran pelajar Indonesia – AS pada masa SMA, Andy langsung jatuh cinta. Bukan karena tidak nasionalis, tapi ia ingin merasakan atmosfer kehidupan modern. Itu sebabnya ia memilih meneruskan kuliah di Negeri Paman tersebut.

Di Kansas City, kota sebesar Jakarta tapi dengan jumlah penduduk yang hanya 2 juta jiwa, ia bisa bergaul dengan manusia berbagai etnis. Tidak hanya kuliah, ia pun sempat beberapa tahun bekerja dan bergaul dengan para profesional global.

Akan halnya kehidupan percintaan Andy mengaku pernah beberapa kali berpacaran dengan cewek-cewek bule, meski ia enggan dicap playboy. Bagaimana tipe cewek idamannya? “Secara fisik, kalau banyak pria menyukai seputar paha dan dada, saya mungkin penggemar betis indah,” katanya sambil tertawa.

Mungkin itu salah satu sebabnya, ketika pulang ke Indonesia sepulang dari AS, ia menjatuhkan pilihannya kepada Tiara Lestari. Banyak teman-temannya yang kaget, bahkan keluarganya sendiri waktu itu. Maklum, Tiara yang model itu pernah menghebohkan karena berani tampil telanjang untuk sampul majalah Playboy (Spanyol) edisi Agustus 2005. Andy mengaku cinta kadang-kadang tidak rasional, dan ia pun berani mengambil keputusan menikahi Tiara dengan segala risikonya, pada 1 April 2006.

Wanita cantik menurut Andy bukan semata-mata fisik, tapi ia harus punya sense of purpose. Meski dia seksi, tapi kalau tidak punya tujuan hidup yang jelas, serasa kosong. “Berumah tangga itu pada dasarnya ada tiga; love, trust dan respect,” kata Dr. Utami Roesli itu.

Andy sama sekali tidak menyesal dengan pilihannya, apalagi pasangan yang berbahagia itu dikaruniai seorang anak yang lucu, yang diberi nama Rania Kancana Tadya Dalima Sjarief, yang lahir pada 20 Juli 2007. “Ini adalah berkah terbesar dalam hidup saya,” katanya.

Kalau Rania berkah, SITTI adalah harapan. Boleh dikakatan SITTI adalah perusahaan start up dengan ide yang brilian. Andy tidak keberatan kalau ia dicap sebagai penentang arus, apalagi dalam sejarah keluarga, sejak buyutnya Marah Roesli yang berani berbeda, pamannya Harry Roesli yang nyeleneh, bahkan ibunya, Dr. Utami Roesli yang dikenal sebagai penganjur pentingnya ASI (faktanya ASI eksklusif dapat mencegah 30.000 kematian balita) – yang banyak ditentang perusahaan susu formula pastinya.

Jadi, tidak berlebihan kalau Siti Noerbaja adalah “penentang arus” abad 19, maka SITTI adalah fenomena abad 21! (Burhan Abe/Photo: M.I. Mappasenge)

Majalah ME, No 119, 2011

Toward the sovereignty of natural resources

2011-06-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

HERMAN Afif Kusumo is a senior figure in the mining business in the country. After having achieved success in the coal business he then stepped into a new zone; the geothermal business.

His company’s two geothermal plants are located in Tangkuban Perahu, West Java (about 80 megawatts) and another in Baturaden, Central Java (approximately 380 megawatts). According to Herman, who is chairman of Trinergy Mandiri Internasional, his geothermal projects are in the exploration stage, with a targeted completion date of 2014.

Geothermal is an extremely clean and energy saving natural resource business and Indonesia as a country with abundant energy resources should optimize the benefits of such energy for its people, he asserts. “I want to optimize the national power supply. Next to oil, coal and gas Indonesia is very rich in geothermal resources,” he said when The Jakarta Post met him at his office at Global Tower on Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jakarta.

Herman explains that the Indonesian government has not maximized the benefits of the available energy resources to make the nation independent or self reliant in energy resources. Based on this viewpoint Herman is concentrating on further developing the potential of geothermal energy, which he says if used properly can provide all the power needs of the nation. When asked why energy has become the main pillar of the country, he explained that the country management is inseparable from the energy sector. This sector has a strategic and important role in the development of a sustainable economy, he added.

The country’s resilience in energy is an important element for its further development. And, he said, there are three factors to support such resilience: a guaranteed energy supply, affordable rate or price and available infrastructure to access the supply. Once the supply is guaranteed and the rate or price has been set then the infrastructure has to be developed further.

Based on this reasoning Herman established Trinergy Mandiri Internasional, a company working in the field of geothermal development, hoping that one day soon it can assist the government in tackling the national energy supply problem.

Indeed Herman could be described as a nationalist. He has a clear cut vision for his business: having independence in natural resources. For Herman, who was born in Bandung on June 16, 1949, the management of the country’s natural resources should enhance the welfare of the people and provide added value to the nation’s development to make the people prosperous.

Such a dream, he said, can be realized only if Indonesia has sovereignty or independence in regards to its natural resources. “The key is we must have sovereignty or independence in regards to our natural resources and a law abiding management related to environment preservation; sustainability as well as mutual benefits for both parties,” said Herman, who is graduate of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), School of Mining.

According to Herman, who is also chairman of the Indonesia Mining Society (MPI), the management of natural resources must be conducted by a responsible, trusted and professional institute in order to benefit the people. And this means a strong government, he said. We must demand that the government use an “iron fist” to ensure that the natural resources are used for the benefit of the people or otherwise the government should forbid management of natural resources that disadvantage the nation.

“The government is not firm enough. That’s why our own natural resources do not enhance the welfare of the people. Secondly, we have no sovereignty or independence in managing our own natural resources as the current business opportunities make it possible for foreigners to dominate or control our natural resources. Our position is like being on mortgage and borrowing funds from them. If the government is willing actually the government can control the business portfolios,” he explained.

On top of this, based on the existing law, the government should be bold enough to take action against companies that do not benefit the people or the country, because greed is inherent in human beings character and in their eyes a mine is simply a treasure trove. One of the weak points of many companies dealing in natural resources is that they are less concerned about the environment, acknowledged Herman.

That is typically Asian, said Herman. Before becoming smart they are somewhat careless. They have a low level of awareness and concern about the fate of others, more so about the environment. The owner and the employees are not sensitive to environmental issues. So the government must take firm action against such companies.

“I am one who is very much concerned about the environment. I say don’t do any mining if you can’t give something back to the environment. And, let’s not forget to share our profits, because there are many people that are still not prosperous. As a businessman I am very much concerned about the environment and the fate of others,” he added.

When asked about his hobbies, Herman said he loved playing golf. He plays golf with friends during his spare time. Next to playing golf, the father of three is also fond of listening to music, especially songs by Michael Buble. For Herman, Michael Buble is a great young singer. Apart from being an active businessman he was also head of a number of organizations: deputy chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce for Human Resources, and chairman of the Indonesian Association of Mining Professionals (PERHAPI). (Satria Rangga Fausta)

The Jakarta Post, June 25, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/25/herman-afif-kusumo-toward-sovereignty-natural-resources.html

Developing human resources based on career opportunities

2011-06-18T00:20:00.000-07:00

TODAY the hotel industry is becoming more competitive as indicated by the rapid growth of hotels and tourism around the world. This development is not only taking place in European countries and the US but many hotel owners are also focusing on Asia which is the new gold mine for the industry especially as many people now travel to various Asian countries.

Asia has now become a flourishing market for hotels, so it is not surprising that the global hotel industry is also focusing on Indonesia which has many attractive tourism sites.

Michael Issenberg, chairman and chief operational officer of Accor Asia Pacific, agrees that there are great opportunities for the hotel business in Asia, including Indonesia. Indeed while the recent natural disasters had a somewhat negative impact on the region’s economy the increased mobility of travelers has made the hotel business in Asia quite promising.

According to Issenberg the growing Indonesian economy has triggered more business and leisure travelling. “In my opinion the hotel industry in Asia including in Indonesia is developing rapidly and especially in Jakarta and Bali it is quite solid. However, in the next five to 10 years I am sure Indonesia can compete globally. Accor with its expansive and wide ranging hotel network in Indonesia strengthens the brand Accor while all available significant resources in Indonesia help develop Accor’s business further. Accor in Indonesia gives a unique experience to its customers so that they are attracted to come here again,” he said.

In view of the business opportunities available Accor plans to open 34 new hotels nationwide in Indonesia with a total number of 4,526 rooms within the next four years starting from 2011 and to be completed by 2014.

Some of the names of the hotels that will be built are as follows: Pullman Jakarta Central Park, Novotel Jakarta Gajah Mada, The Kuta Beach Heritage (McGallery), Ibis Bandung Supermall, All Seasons Bali Nusa Dua and Benoa, Novotel Banjarmasin, Mercure Palu, Mercure Serpong Alam Sutera, Ibis Makassar Losari, Ibis Jakarta Senen as well as Formule 1 Semarang. The huge number of hotels to be built by Accor in Indonesia highlights the promising market for the hotel industry in the country.

“I visited a number of cities here in Indonesia, such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali and Yogyakarta before deciding to open more hotels. What I see is a solid market and good business opportunity for hotels, so the Accor hotel network in Indonesia is to fulfill both business and tourism segments,” said Issenberg.

As COO of one of the world’s largest hotel operators Issenberg emphasized that he is ready to take his team to the global competition in the hotel industry. The key, he said, is the uniqueness of Accor as a European company that incorporates European culture amid the mushrooming of hotels originating from US or having an American style. By European culture he means the unique French elegance, which albeit luxurious can be targeted at different market segments. This can be clearly seen from the wide range of Accor hotels that cater to the upper, middle as well as lower segments. “Although we have various classes the unique European design is the main key of Accor hotels,” he explained.

Issenberg, who is a graduate of Cornell University, acknowledged that he fell in love with the hotel industry during his university days. After graduating he worked for Westin Hotels & Resorts, Laventhol and Horwath & Horwath Services, Merlin Properties, Mirvac Pty Limited and finally Accor. He first joined Accor as general manager Accor Asia Pacific. “I found my true heartfelt desire for the hotel industry during my university days and I put into practice what I learned there which turned out to be very useful for my work,” he said.

One thing is really important in the service business, said Issenberg, and that is human resources. Human resources, he explains, is a vital asset and must be taken care of. He has one principle or philosophy for his work: enjoy your work. And this is what he transfers to Accor employees. “If you enjoy doing something the result will certainly be good and if you enjoy doing it you can also influence others to work seriously as well,” he explained.

Issenberg said at Accor it was not only this principle or philosophy — enjoy your work — but career opportunities or promotions were wide open and fast. So it is very possible to be promoted to a different hotel or to another country. “These opportunities make the employees feel better and more secure. They also come to realize more about themselves, their work and their purpose in work. All these things motivate them further,” he said.

Although having achieved quite an important position in his career Issenberg, who loves to swim and work out at the gym, is very much a family man and loves his family and leads a simple life. His busy schedule at the top position in the hotel industry does not make him forget his family. His children are a source of inspiration and he gets lots of knowledge and lessons in life from them. “I have two teenage kids, one is a boy and the other is a girl. I learn a lot from them and see points of view that I never thought of before. My son teaches me about current technology which he loves, while my daughter gives me lessons about femininity,” he said.

When he has the time he takes his family abroad for a quality vacation. As they love to ski there are a number of favorite places for Issenberg’s family like Colorado and Japan. Other favorite places are Bali, Sydney and Paris. Bali is a very special place for him because he was married there. Bali, especially Seminyak, is also a favorite place for his children as they like to do their shopping there.

However Issenberg acknowledges that his success as chairman and chief operational officer is possibly due to his sense of competition. For him success means winning in a match or competition.

However to win everyone must set a benchmark, but that is not easy, he said. It is the individual’s experience that takes him or her to success, he added. “But I don’t use my competitive trait in human relations. Winning or losing is not valid here. I only tell many people that I hope they can enjoy what they are doing and be happy,” he said in conclusion. (Isabella Jong)

The Jakarta Post, June 18, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/18/michael-issenberg-developing-human-resources-based-career-opportunities.html

Underwater businesswoman

2011-06-13T22:18:00.000-07:00

PERSEVERING and never giving up. That is how one would describe Maya Aprilia after meeting her. For Maya every breath is valuable. She enjoys every minute of her life engaging herself in meaningful pursuits, not only for herself, but also for her family and company, PT Cakra Bhasa (Cahaya Karya Bhakti Samudra).

PT Cakra Bhasa is a company involved in underwater assignments, such as survey, maintenance and all kinds of underwater repairs namely of offshore rigs, quay masts and the bottoms of damaged ships.

Actually there are many companies doing such work here which means that there are plenty of opportunities in underwater survey and maintenance work especially in an oil and gas producing country like Indonesia. There is in fact a huge potential in this sector but unfortunately the government is not paying enough attention so there are many constraints although this sector can make a significant contribution to the sustainability of the country’s mining industry.

“Not only foreign companies but many local ones are also involved in this business although unfortunately the government is not paying enough attention, ” explained Maya.

PT Cakra Bhasa is one local company that has been quite successful in underwater survey and maintenance business. Maya said that the company has served a number of major clients, such as PT Freeport, PT Arutmin, PT Cnooc and Condrore Petrolium. ”We have also repaired the offshore rig of CNOOC for example,” she said.

From the point of view of the nature of the business underwater survey and maintenance is actually a very masculine type of business. The work is full of challenges and definitely appears to be a man’s world. However, for Maya the existing challenges do not hamper her in any way. In Maya’s opinion women are equally capable as men in any field of work. So, there is no more division of labor or restrictions for women nowadays.

The same is true for this type of business, she added. Maya, who is the company director, said that the challenges were certainly tougher than normal office work as she had to be professional both in office management and in field work at sea.

Such knowledge is not derived from text books as it is only available in field work, so nature is her real teacher, said Maya. She acquired her knowledge about the sea by getting directly involved in the underwater work herself. “One has to have knowledge about the pressure of the waves, currents, rocks and the various types of underwater species, while by contrast I studied administration at the university and not anything connected with marine science,” Maya said, smiling.

However she commented that underwater work gives her a unique type of enjoyment. ”Apart from expanding my business I can also enjoy the beauty of the underwater world and travel to many parts of the country. Just imagine if I worked in an office I could not enjoy the beauty of the Indonesian underwater world and you know Indonesia is famous in the world for its beautiful seas,” said Maya who is an avid photographer. “I have to know my own business completely and directly,” she said.

Maya added that a diver must have professional skills besides physical and mental strength. Prior to being allowed to dive he or she is given the required training. Besides swimming and diving a diver is taught about the conditions and ecosystem of the sea including knowledge about the underwater creatures that can or cannot be touched.

To develop her company further clearly professional skills and qualified management are required, because the majority of clients are foreign companies, because as is commonly known, the country’s mining, oil and gas sectors are dominated by foreign companies.

The main key to PT Cakra Bhasa’s success is providing satisfactory service to its clients. Maya’s principle in this case is working for clients means working for one’s own company. “When a client is satisfied it automatically has an impact on the sustainability of our company,” said Maya.

For her human resources Maya always strives to enhance their skills by providing them with further training while for the divers internationally acknowledged certificates are given. Maya, who is a mother of two, also pays great attention to her employees’ welfare. According to her they will not work to the maximum if they receive low or below industry standard salaries and on the contrary they would be lazy and keep complaining or even lodge protests with the company.

“It is only natural that they will protest if their salaries are not commensurate with the job requirements and with what they have contributed to the company. I learned this kind of human resource management from my parents. My father has always taught me to treat them well because obviously they are the spearhead of the company and they are the reason for the company’s success,” she explained.

In her free time Maya pursues her hobby. She is often accompanied by her children when she goes photo hunting to Bali, as the Island of Gods is full of natural and cultural beauty. Although she is passionate about photography she tries to keep it in balance with her work. “I don’t go too far for photo hunting,” Maya said.

Although she often dreams of visiting unique and far away places for her hobby she tries to restrain herself and chooses areas that are not too far from Jakarta. (Bintang Ladia Jasmine)

The Jakarta Post, June 11, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/11/maya-aprilia-underwater-businesswoman.html

Partnering with Microsoft to build ‘ecosystem’

2011-06-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

THERE was a time when Nokia had achieved phenomenal success in its marketing in Indonesia. In the early 2000s the Finnish mobile phone manufacturer launched the 5110 series which was very popular here in Indonesia and was dubbed as the “Cell phone of One Million Users”.

Another achievement was via its Communicator series which was mostly used by government officials and executives, raising the cell phone’s prestige. At that time Indonesia had the most users of Communicator in the world.

However, recently Nokia’s domination seems to be overshadowed by other brands. At the global level Nokia’s position has been taken over by Apple and the interest of consumers in major cities in this Canadian manufacturer with its smart phones and the onslaught of local mobile phones at the low end segment have also had an impact on Nokia’s domination. Or is that really the case?

Bob McDougall, Country Manager of Nokia Indonesia, denies such an assumption. “In the matter of market shares both in Indonesia and also in the world we are still number one for mobile phones as well as smartphones,” he asserted.

He added that the battle is no longer in the hardware but also in a wide range of supporting services and the use as well as the benefits of such services for the consumers. “In the past we used to have many types of cellulars because the only facilities available were voice and SMS but nowadays consumers always inquire whether Facebook and chatting facilities are available as well.” he emphasized.

In line with the changes in the marketing warfare McDougall explained that on Feb. 11, 2011 Nokia Global announced a new direction for its strategy that includes changes in leadership and operational structure in order to expedite the execution of various decisions within a dynamic and competitive environment.

One of the main elements in the latest strategy of Nokia Global is its strategic collaboration with leading software company Microsoft to develop a new ecosystem for a global mobile phone Windows Phone, which will function as a platform for Nokia’s smart phone.

Next Nokia is also developing new approaches in order to be connected with the Next Billion Consumers via the Internet in its efforts to boost market development. Lastly Nokia is also focusing on investments for the development of future technologies.

There are many logical reasons behind selecting Microsoft as a partner in the collaboration for the development of Nokia’s smart phones. The partnership with Microsoft, explained McDougall, will make it possible for the creation of a more expansive “Ecosystem” in the future development of smart phones by involving many parties, namely the manufacturer, distributors, operators, applications makers as well as consumers.

Therefore Nokia and Microsoft are planning to provide a combined service portofolio that include applications for locations, searching, entertainment, social media, advertising and trade which will give a new experience to user through an integrated combination of the main service.

Although Nokia is entering into a collaboration with Microsoft for the development of Windows Phone, Nokia, said McDougall, will continue developing the Symbian operation system. “In many markets Symbian is our main platform and Nokia views this fact as an opportunity to grab a larger market share and more segments,” he said.

Nokia, according to McDougall, has not decided the delivery date of the latest Symbian products but will release more products and continue modernizing this platform based on the company’s extensive experience. “We believe Symbian will offer beneficial values for the operators, partners, developers and consumers in the coming years,” he said.

Nokia also sees that there are a lot of opportunities available to provide web and many other application based services to the “Next Billion Consumers” as there are 3.2 billion people in the world who still do not have mobile phones. Apart from that out of 3.7 billion users in the world there are 1.2 billion users who have mobile phones but only use the SMS service and are not yet connected to the web, so the remaining 2.5 billion are not connected to the web at all. About 75 percent of these 3 billion people live in countries with rapid economic growth such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and Indonesia.

McDougall emphasizes this fact as the biggest challenge. “How to make them connected and help remove the obstruction that stops users from getting the maximum advantage in this information era,” he added. He further said that Nokia is making innovations through the existing cell phones like the 40 and 30 series by expanding the data service including browser, applications and map.

He said that Nokia also has another superior application, Nokia Life Tools (NLT). After the company’s success with services in education, farming and entertainment Nokia has again launched a new feature included in Nokia Life Tools: a health service that provides tips on pregnancy, child care and general health and fitness topics. Nokia is working in collaboration with Parents Guide Indonesia magazine, Gama Techno and the Faculty of Medicine of Gadjah Mada University to provide the health feature in its NLT service. Currently in Indonesia two million users have accessed this NLT with most of them accessing the education service while the rest are accessing the information on farming and entertainment.

McDougall becomes very animated when he talks about the mobile phone industry perhaps because he has worked in the field for quite a long time. He joined Nokia in 2003 as Business Development Manager for Southeast Asia. Later he moved up to Business Development Manager for CDMA cellulars in India, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

In 2004 he led Nokia Thailand and in October 2007 he was appointed as Sales Director for Customer and Market Operations for Nokia India. The experience he obtained in these countries had him well prepared for his appointment as country director of Nokia Indonesia, a position he has held since March, 2009.

He admitted that there are basic differences in marketing Nokia in the three countries, India, Thailand and Indonesia. In India, McDougall said, the influence of Bollywood film industry and cricket are quite dominant, while in Thailand cell phones are inseparable from fashion and lifestyle. In Indonesia communities have a great impact on the way the product is marketed and developed.

This situation plays an important part in how Nokia communicates with its users in Indonesia. Promotional campaigns in the social media now get a large portion next to promotions via conventional media. Nokia has also opened a fun page of Nokia Indonesia in Facebook and is interactive with its followers on Twitter through its account @nokiaindonesia.

In matters of leadership and operations McDougall is glad that Nokia as a global company has values that can be adopted worldwide. In Indonesia one of the things McDougall has done is to lead the employees of Nokia Indonesia to become more responsible in a wide range of fields, not only in sales and marketing but also to foster trust and cooperation between one another.

This is what he has also implemented with the distributors of Nokia in Indonesia. “Every year we hold a mutual business planning meeting to decide our strategy and objectives,” he said. Every six months McDougall and the management staff of Nokia Indonesia evaluate these together with the distributors. “Hence this way we can set our target and focus on our planned strategy,” he explained.

“We must also continuously convince our distributors and our other partners to keep striving and focus on efforts to achieve the set target for intended results” concluded McDougall, who was born in Scotland but raised in Australia. (Maulana Yudiman)

The Jakarta Post, June 04, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/04/bob-mcdougall-partnering-with-microsoft-build-‘ecosystem’.html

Boosting local casual wear brand Logo to compete with foreign brands

2011-05-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

HUNDREDS of Logo stores are available in high class malls in numerous major cities in Indonesia. For the past three decades this brand has become a sort of reference or icon for the youth here.

What is the secret ? Besides its up to date designs and prime quality the passion of the brand owner is the key to Logo’s success in the market.

When Andrio Suhendro, or Abeng as he is known to his friends, launched Logo in 1980 he was determined from the start that his brand would soon stand equal to foreign brands.

Abeng, who was born in Gombong, Central Java on May 27, 1957, always had the ambition and passion to produce Logo products with international styles. This means the designs and quality are equal to jeans and T-shirts imported from other countries. So he went all the way and used material exactly the same as used for DKNY. “I just wanted to build a perfect image for Logo,” he explained. Of course the margin was reduced, but it did not matter for Abeng.

In Abeng’s opinion Indonesian human resources are equally to those from other countries and this is proven by the fact that many garment manufacturing companies here get lots of orders for making quality products for international brands. So, technology wise the domestic garment industry can meet the international specifications.

This was the reason behind Abeng’s daring move to start a garment company that produces jeans, T-shirts and shirts. “Well, I said to myself why not good products with a local brand,” said Abeng, the father of two, a boy and a girl.

He also focused on the teenage market. “Teenagers usually like to wear unique clothes and they always like the challenge of new things,” he said. Abeng himself is fanatic about jeans and shirts which he wears every day. Even at his age, he still wears youthful clothes. As wearing jeans is his passion he definitely knows a lot about jeans and the comfort of wearing jeans. So he is also very concerned about the comfort that his products can provide. “The fitting of Logo is just right, so it is comfortable to wear.”

To find out the newest designs he often browses through foreign magazines and also flies to Hong Kong twice a year to check out the latest developments in fashion. He keeps up with the latest manufacturing techniques, raw material, designs and colors. He also makes use of the Internet to keep up with trends, especially related to teenagers. In addition, he frequently conducts local market research to find out what designs are in. According to him all this is important to find out the market demand.

For teenagers and university students Logo products are identical with their daily wear jeans and T-shirts. Yurika, a student of Communication faculty at one private university in Kebayoran Baru area said that she fell in love with this brand in her secondary school days. “Logo is comfortable and up to date,” said Yurika. A small scale research on the brand among the youth will certainly position it as Top of Mind. For three decades not only teenagers opt for Logo but also young mothers and those who love fashion as well.

Next to Logo there are other successful brands in the market launched by Abeng, such as Bomb Boogie targeted at men and Ninety Degrees for female teenagers as well as Body Talk, which is a new brand for young mothers.

Apart from the up to date designs the products are easy to find. Just go to any Matahari Department Store, Galeria, Centro, Metro and of course Logo stores available at malls. Currently more than 100 Logo stores are available in malls in various major cities in Indonesia.

The success of Logo certainly did not come easily but due to hard work, so it is not a gift from heaven. “I started from zero, not like what you see today,” explained Abeng. Not having a university diploma Abeng chose to sell a number of products. “I was not born into a well to do family,” said Abeng who went to elementary and junior high school in Bandung and graduated from high school in Jogjakarta. “I used to be a naughty and stubborn boy,” he recalled.

However he was determined to change his life and secure a better future and this determination guided his every step. Initially he started his business with whatever amount of money he had for capital and he rented a small shop in King shopping center. He sold T-shirts and supplied T-shirts to other shops. He saved the small profits he made. Soon he had the inspiration to order several dozen T-shirts he had designed and besides selling them at his small shop he also sold them to other shops who were already his clients. Slowly from an order of five dozen it became 10 dozen and then increased to 15 and the orders kept going up.

Abeng was delighted to find out that the market liked his taste. In 1980 with the motto “I certainly can” he launched his own brand: Logo. Initially the products were just T-shirts and shirts, but soon jeans were also included. His market was limited then, just a number of shops in Bandung. It was understandable because at that time there were no malls. To expand his market he inserted a catalogue in the teenage magazine Gadis which was a trendsetter. The insertion of a catalogue was in fact a brilliant strategy. The magazine’s large readership in major cities here automatically boosted Logo’s sales and when malls started to be available Abeng made good use of the opportunity.

He admitted that Logo did not immediately perform like a rising star in its sales. There have been many factors hampering the marketing of Logo, he recalled. At first the market rejected his brand but did not give up. He educated the market through promotions in teenage magazines and placed large photos of top models wearing logo in numerous stores and gradually the market accepted his brand. It was in fact an enthusiastic welcome from the market by then.

“Well there were many risks, but I had to take those risks to achieve success,” he said. According to him one of the keys to success is daring to take risks and at the same time having a keen sense of ‘smell’ for the right opportunities. “We must be courageous in facing the risks and keep fighting, but not all business people dare to take big risks,” he said.

Right from the very first day in business Abeng already had a dream that some day Logo would transform into a major brand. “I have always been determined to build this brand and make it equal to foreign brands,” said Abeng.

He said that the success of Logo was very much based on his determination and passion. Of course everyone has a dream to achieve success. “If one has a dream then hold on to it every day in fact every moment,” he said.

Abeng’s dream is now a reality: Logo is not only well accepted in the market but is able to stand equal to any foreign brand! (Budiman Sendjaya)

The Jakarta Post, May 28, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/05/28/andrio-suhendro-boosting-local-casual-wear-brand-logo-compete-with-foreign-brands.ht

Creating innovations, enhancing quality

2011-05-13T23:45:00.001-07:00

THE maternal mortality rate in Indonesia is currently the highest in the world at 300 deaths per 1,000 deliveries. One of the causes is almost no access in the regions and remote areas to USG equipment to detect any physical defects or abnormal condition in the fetus during pregnancy as such equipment is only available in large hospitals and modern clinics in the country’s major cities.

This situation has inspired multinational electronic company General Electric (GE) to develop the usage of mini USGs nationwide. The US$7,000 (about Rp 53 million) per unit gadget is only as large as a mobile phone.

“Apart from detecting physical defects of babies this device can also be used to detect a number of other internal diseases such as of the liver and heart,” said president and CEO of GE Healthcare System Omar S. Ishrak, 54, in Jakarta. Albeit small in size, Omar said, the mini USG is just as accurate as the larger one. “This gadget is suitable for doctors in remote areas,” he added.

Omar Ishrak feels proud because the division he leads manufactures this highly innovative product. And it seems that GE demands such creative innovation from Omar and his division. He has worked for the company for 14 years now. According to Omar innovation is simply a must or a necessity for this legendary company. GE Healthcare always makes available the latest technology and medical service in creating a new era for patients’ care.

“Our extensive experience in medical imaging, information technology, medical diagnostic, patient monitoring system, pharmaceutical discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technology, performance enhancement and providing solutions to our consumers provide better care to more people in the whole world at a lower cost. We also collaborate with leading players in health care and strive to contribute our best efforts for changes in global policy required for sustainable health care,“ he explained.

Having its headquarters in England GE Healthcare has over 46,000 employees working for the company worldwide who are fully committed to serve medical professionals and patients in more than 100 countries.

GE Healthcare consists of Surgery, Healthcare Systems, Life Sciences, Medical Diagnostics, Healthcare IT and Performance Solutions. Healthcare Systems itself is a $12 billion division of GE Healthcare and includes development business and has the mission to develop innovative technology for better clinical performance and patient access in a global way.

Healthcare Systems, which is headed by Omar for the past two years is the largest division of GE Healthcare is comprised of various technology business including computerized tomography, magnetic resonance, ultrasonography, monitoring solutions, molecular imaging, X ray, interventional, life aid and other health related technology.

Indeed Healthcare Systems makes available a wide range of technology and services for doctors and healthcare administrators to assist medical professionals in improving their consistency, quality and efficiency for patients’ health care anywhere in the world.

All such technologies provide a quick and non-invasive method for doctors to see broken bones, diagnose traumatic cases in the emergency ward, to see the heart and check its function or identify the early stages of cancer and brain dysfunction. Using the X-ray technology, digital mamography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance and molecular imaging, GE’s leading products enable doctors to see the internal organs more clearly than ever before.

The company also makes available other high-tech devices such as ultrasonography, ECG, densitometri for bones, patient monitoring, interventional imaging,, incubator and baby warmer, respiratory aid, anesthesia and so forth. “GE Healthcare Systems makes it possible for doctors to provide better health care for millions of patients worldwide every day including check up, latest diagnostic and aid in the emergency ward,“ said Omar.

Although only two years as president and CEO of GE Healthcare Systems Omar has given a strong foundation for the division he is leading now. Moreover, Omar, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from King’s College, London (1977) and a Ph.D in electrical engineering is indeed a familiar face at GE, therefore he understands the company‘s culture, tradition and management style.

His leadership and business expertise in technology is an important factor to position GE as a leading global provider of ultrasonography services. Under Omar‘s leadership the division has created various sustainable innovations and it has expanded to a wide range of new clinical applications and also has dramatically boosted its global distribution for a two digit growth annually since 1995.

In 1999 Omar was promoted to become officer and vice president of General Electric Company. He was appointed as President and CEO of Clinical Systems in January 2005 and has held the position of president and CEO of Healthcare Systems since January 2009.

Before joining GE Omar brought with him 14 years of experience in business management and technology development while having held a number of high ranking positions, such as senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing and Product Development at Elbit Ultrasound Group and various positions in product development and technical departments at Phillips Ultrasound.

According to Omar GE is innovation. The company‘s tradition of innovation has continued since the lamp innovator Thomas Alva Edison established the modest beginnings of GE in 1878 and the company‘s innovative products have had a huge impact on our lives.

Many of GE‘s innovations help us see the world better and more clearly, such as fluorescent lamp (neon), X-ray, Ultrasound and television broadcasting network as well as the radar that enables us to see up to 30 km even at night.

The company‘s innovations have continued in numerous fields. In the medical field, for example, GE has created V-scan, a revolutionary organ scanner as small as a cellular phone, so it is portable and practical to carry and use anywhere including in remote areas. “At GE Healthcare we always try to understand life better. Based on our vision called healthymagination we invite the world to join us in our continuous efforts for developing innovations that reduce cost, expand access and enhance quality and efficiency in the whole world,“ said Omar who is also a member of the board at The Blood Center of Wisconsin as well as member of Health Management Board at Save the Children Foundation. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, May 14, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/05/14/omar-s-ishrak-creating-innovations-enhancing-quality.html

Targeting opportunities in a growing market

2011-05-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

FOR most people cellular phones have become an inseparable part of their daily activities. In Indonesia the total number of cell phones is already 225 million, half of which are smartphones.

According to research company Nielsen Indonesia, the ownership of cell phones in Indonesia has increased three fold in the past five years. From 2005 until 2010 there has indeed been a significant increase in cell phone ownership. Just compare it with fixed line telephones which have gone down by 50 percent.

The increase in cell phone ownership may be caused by the current low prices as well as its practical usefulness.

In response to this rapid growth in 2011 Global Teleshop has made preparations to add 100 cell phone stores in a number of cities in the country. The additional stores are aimed at supporting sales that are predicted to increase by 25 percent compared with last year. “We have selected the locations for 50 stores while for the rest we are making the necessary preparations,” said Andreas Thamrin, 34, operations director of PT Cipta Multi Usaha Perkasa, the owner of a retail network for telecommunication products, Global Teleshop.

Currently Global Teleshop has 387 stores spread in various locations in 124 cities in Indonesia. Andreas further said that the smartphone market has enjoyed rapid growth in the past few years and last year the increase was more than 100 percent although the conventional cell phones suffered a slight decrease in sales of about 15 percent.

Andreas said the high demand for smartphones was simply in line with the lowering of their prices and the increased purchasing power of consumers, including those in the regions. “The technology of smartphones has also developed rapidly as can be seen from the numerous launches of new products. This year the market is predicted to grow further because a number of manufacturers are ready to launch new products in the second quarter,” he said.

Most of the new products are Android based tablet cell phones, some of which are as follows: Samsung Galaxy II, Samsung Nexus (Google) S, LG Optimus Me and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc.

Research In Motion (RIM) will also launch its Blackberry PlayBook in June while iPad II Apple Inc. is expected to introduce its products here in Indonesia in the not too distant future.

In 2010, added Andreas, the market growth of smartphones in the domestic market was largely due to the sales of Blackberry mobile phones. “Blackberry has dominated the cell phone sales here last year beating Nokia’s 12 year domination,” he commented.

Based on this situation, continued Andreas, his company has anticipated the change in the smartphone market by transforming the company’s business from a single brand store (Nokia) to selling a number of other brands starting from early 2010. “In this business transformation we are focusing on the sales of smartphones and we have trained our employees to adjust to the change,” explained Andreas.

Next to Nokia, Global Teleshop now sells Blackberry, Apple iPhone, Samsung LG, Sony Ericson cell phones as well as its own brand, G-Mobile. All these brands, he said, form 95 percent of the cell phone market here in Indonesia. Andreas went on to say that the target market of Global Teleshop is middle up so its stores are in strategic locations and also in malls.

The company has also opened Apple Store Global in Karawaci, Tangerang after opening similar stores in Semarang, Central Java, Surabaya, East Java, Bali, and Medan, North Sumatra.

Andreas is the second generation owner of PT Cipta Multi Usaha Perkasa. The company was established by his father, Hermes Thamrin, in 1995 and initially was the distributor of Ericsson cell phones but later went into collaboration with GSM operator Satelindo to set up Satelindo Direct, which is a distribution network for Satelindo sim cards.

In 1996 Hermes set up Graha Nokia (Nokia House), which is the first Nokia Professional Center (NPC) outlet in Asia and from here soon grew Global Teleshop. Andreas does not mind it when people say that his current success is largely due to his father’s reputation in the mobile phone business. But actually, Andreas, who has a Bachelor of Business degree from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is in fact not without extensive experience in the business world.

In Sydney, Australia, Andreas set up Eshop Direct Pty. Ltd. in May 1999, which he later sold in June 2006. Eshop Direct (Games Market) was one of the first online stores in Australia. The company sold PCs and console games direct to the public through a secure website. Starting from scratch, the website went up to 4,000 users a day before he let go of the business.

He was also the founder and operations manager of Digitone Pty. Ltd. in Australia, from January 2004 until June 2006. Digitone is the biggest Hutchison “3” network dealership in Australia. It was awarded “3 Dealer of the Year” in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Currently the company has 18 stores in Sydney, Perth, Gold Coast, Brisbane, and Canberra.

His responsibilities were to manage the day-to-day operation of the business, comprising of 18 stores and over 90 employees, overseeing total annual commissions of $2.5 million. He developed and implemented marketing plans to increase the number of mobile phone contracts through retail stores and developed an outbound sales team to obtain non-retail and corporate customers.

These are the experiences that prepared Andreas to take over from his father at PT Cipta Multi Usaha Perkasa (now called PT Global Teleshop) in Indonesia in December 2006.

Global Teleshop is the authorized distributor for Nokia products, Telkomsel and Telkom Flexi and it is also the retail partner for Apple, LG, Samsung and Research in Motion.

For many years Nokia dominated the market here and contributed 95 percent of the company’s revenue. As mentioned earlier Andreas said Global Teleshop has to move on and not only rely on one brand. “Therefore in 2011 I plan for the company to carry other brands that are flourishing in the market as well as products that are selling like hot cakes,” he concluded. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, May 07, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/05/07/andreas-thamrin-targeting-opportunities-a-growing-market.html

From garage hobby to successful entrepreneur

2011-04-30T03:45:00.000-07:00

IF it were not for the Internet and various social media Barack Obama would probably not have become the US President and he may not have even gained a nomination for the Democrat Party. One of the reasons, this “Menteng boy” is now in the highest political office in the US at a relatively young age is because he made good use of various social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, hi5 and so on during his election campaign in 2008.

Such an achievement inspired business woman Fahira Idris. This entrepreneur who has a parcel business was even selected as “The World’s Most Inspiring Tweeter” in August 2010.

Fahira, who had 8,780 followers at the time of selection and now almost 27,000 and has posted 28,448 messages, was selected out of 16 nominees from the United States, the UK, India, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Based in a poll called The Most Inspiring Tweeter, Fahira, 43, was duly selected as The Most Inspiring Tweeter for other users because her tweets gave them lots of inspiration. “I always make time to tweet because I find it as an effective communications media for speaking out about peace,” said Fahira, who after having succeeded in having a dialog with Islamic hardliners, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) is now pursuing her personal dream to form the Movement for a Peace Loving Community (Gerakan Masyarakat Cinta Damai — GEMA Damai).

The organization set up by Fahira now already has more than 8,000 members nationwide. What is its objective? “I intend to create a peaceful Indonesia, but I don’t want to position myself as a heroine that settles conflicts. That is not my part. Every time there is a conflict we always try to find ways to help for example by donating blood,” said Fahira.

That is the other side of Fahira – some people call it corporate social responsibility — who is a self-made business woman. Although she is the daughter of Fahmi Idris, who himself is a successful businessman and the former minister of industry, she is against taking advantage of her father’s name and she never even requests or thinks about asking for special facilities or privileges.

Fahira Idris started her parcel business in 1988 at the age of 20, along with 11 university friends from the School of Economics of the University of Indonesia.

Her first office was in her grandmother’s garage. The 24 hour parcel delivery service was soon transformed after her friends left her one by one. “My friends got jobs after graduation, so I was left alone to carry on my business. But I was determined to continue it,” she said.

The company, previously called Bella Parcel, was then renamed Nabila Parcel as Fahira was the sole owner. The parcel and flower delivery business grew rapidly not only in Jakarta but it also spread its wings to many other provinces. As sales figures went up Fahira’s name turned into a quality guarantee for the parcels and flowers sold and delivered by Nabila Parcel Flowers International Ltd.

Ira, as she is often called by those close to her, started her business from a garage in Kalibata area, on Jl. Haji Samali, South Jakarta. The name of the company in those days was Nabila Parcel and Florist. She did not expect that her business would inspire many neighbors to set up a copycat business. “For me they were not competitors, in fact I was proud that I could inspire them and move the local people’s economy,” said Fahira, who is currently chairwoman of the Indonesian Association of Parcel Companies.

Indeed there is competition in every business but in her opinion competition is healthy as each company strives to be the best both in its products and services. Nabila’s customers are wide ranging just like its various products and prices from low cost and middle to the most expensive ones. Nabila’s regular customers are corporate. “The plus point of my company is its 24 hour delivery service. In the early days I used to receive the orders by telephone,” she recalled.

To deepen her business knowledge Ira went to study further in the United States. Her business after being successful here in the domestic market spread its wings to the export market. “My clients have been sending flowers to the United States, Australia, Great Britain, Japan, China and India. I also collaborate with the FTD (Flower Trans Delivery) network with headquarters in the United States,” she explained.

When she opened her business in 1995 Nabila was practically the only florist in the country with a 24 hour international delivery service. “There are some clients who make specific requests such as a delivery at exactly 12 midnight for the recipient’s birthday,” said Ira who is now head of the Minangkabau Young Merchants’ Association for entrepreneurs who are native to the West Sumatra province of Minangkabau.

Ups and downs are a normal part of business and Ira has often experienced such periods. A government regulation in 2004 prohibiting government officials from receiving parcels had a negative impact at the time. Not only Nabila but all parcel and florist companies were affected as they had already completed production and each company experienced hundreds of millions in losses as sales dropped by 40 percent, she recalled.

Fortunately, the regulation was recently revoked although the parcels sent to officials have to be adjusted in accordance with the more lenient rules. “It is normal to be hit by a storm in any business, but we should be able to find solutions so that the wheels of business keep turning and turn out to be the best in the end,” said Ira.

Fahira not long ago turned to new business activities, as the parcel and flower business is going well. “I along with a few friends am now a supplier of industrial diesel fuel in Indonesia. The fuel comes from a company in Singapore,” she said. As the fuel business is no longer monopolized by Pertamina, Fahira thought of doing this business which has a lot of potential. “However it is extremely competitive because a difference of one cent is a lot and no one will buy our product,” added Ira who also loves shooting.

In addition to her parcel and flower business which is growing rapidly Fahira is on the management board of the Shooting and Hunting Club of Indonesia (Perbakin). Fahira has also established the Aries Shooting Club, which now has over 1,800 members.

She is also busy in her position as chairwoman of the Minangese Young Merchants (Saudagar Muda Minang), an association with members from West Sumatra with offices in many provinces nationwide. The association motivates the young people from Minangkabau to be entrepreneurs. “Now we have more than 5,500 members spread not only in Indonesia but also abroad,” said Ira. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, April 30, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/04/30/fahira-idris-from-garage-hobby-successful-entrepreneur.html

Maintaining the market leadership position in Indonesia

2011-04-24T01:20:00.000-07:00

KOREAN brands have for quite some time been doing very well here. LG is one such example that is extremely aggressive in marketing its electronic products in Indonesia. Indeed, said Kim Weon-dae, president director of PT LG Electronics Indonesia (LGEIN), the electronic market in Indonesia has grown significantly, but at the same time competition is becoming tougher. “The surviving manufacturers are those that can meet the consumers’ demands with innovative products.”

According to Kim, who has worked for LG Electronics (LGE) Inc. since 1984 in various locations globally, LGE, the subsidiary of LG Corp., is quite solid as last year it was ranked number 67 in Fortune Global 500.

LGE designs and produces TVs, home appliances and telecommunication devices. The company also owns Zenith Electronics and controls LG Displays, a company in collaboration with Philips Electronics. One can safely say that LGE is South Korea’s second largest electronics company and the world’s third largest in the same sector. The company has its headquarters at LG Twin Towers in Yoido, Seoul and LGE is the icon of LG Group. Meanwhile in Indonesia the total sales of LGEIN is US$2 billion for 2010, which ranks its sales as number seven in the 120 countries where LGE products are marketed.

Currently LGEIN is the market leader in electronics products in Indonesia, while in 2010 it dominated award achievements in eight product categories out of 17 awards namely for its LCD TV, Plasma TV, Refrigerator, Washing Machine, AC, Blu-Ray ™ DVD, Home Theatre System and LCD Monitor. Since 2006 LG Electronics Indonesia (LGEIN) has succeeded in winning most awards from Growth from Knowledge (GfK) which made its position as the number one company in consumer electronics more solid than ever.

Starting its business in Indonesia in 1990 LGEIN has now become one of the leading electronics companies here. One of the keys to LGEIN’s success is in its consistency in producing products that adopt local values while at the same time having the latest technological innovation and stylish design as well as customer oriented service in each transaction.

Kim, 53, said that to maintain its market leader position LGEIN would continue to produce sophisticated and innovative products that could become trendsetters to meet consumers’ needs as well as enrich their lives. He added that LGEIN always targets a 30 percent annual sales increase. In 2011 the focus is on three categories: television, mobile phones and home appliances. The company will also launch new products with the latest technology featuring the Green Health Plus concept. It will also launch 3D TV Cinema, Smart TV and Washing Machine with the Green Health Plus concept, energy saving AC and a range of Optimus mobile phones using Android technology. “We will build a couple of leading brands in each category,” he emphasized.

To achieve the target LGEIN has taken a number of steps, such as developing innovative products and increasing the company’s investment here. In Indonesia at present LGEIN has two manufacturing plants, in Cibitung, West Java and Tangerang, Banten province.

Today LGEIN has 21 branches throughout Indonesia and will soon add a number of stores as well as employees for the marketing and service divisions. The company will also continuously increase its distribution and servicing network. Currently LGEIN has 109 authorized service centers, 11 mobile exhibition outlets and service centers, six mobile service, one technology store, 24 service branches, 12 service stations and a call center.

Regarding the human resources LGEIN trains its employees so that they meet the company’s business requirements especially in manufacturing, marketing and servicing. “Many will be sent to South Korea for further training and to a number of other countries to get them involved in LGIN’s projects over there,” said Kim, who received his MBA degree from McGill University in May 2008.

According to Kim LG strictly adheres to three key factors in running its business. “Consistency in high quality, transparency in product specifications and last but not least maintaining the consumers’ trust,” he asserted.

There is something else, said Kim, that makes LG unique and different from the rest of electronic manufacturing companies. Although it has its headquarters in South Korea, he said, LGEIN strongly feels a part of Indonesia. Hence the products marketed here have gone through a thorough research on Indonesian consumers’ tastes and needs. “The research, I am confident, makes it easy for our products to be well accepted by Indonesian consumers,” he explained.

As a token of the company’s gratitude toward its consumers LGEIN has developed Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program with the theme “LG Loves Indonesia” which has four sub programs namely LG Loves School, LG Loves Children , LG Loves Green and LG Loves and Cares.

In his position as president director of LGEIN Kim has a proactive leadership style and says that he spends a lot of time with the staff and employees and provides them with full support. For a multinational company like LGE a multi and intercultural approach is important. “That’s why I prioritize transparency for better communication. I do not apply a top down style, because the bottom up one that I use gives me lots of ideas,” he said.

Kim himself has the goal of ensuring LGEIN remains the number one player in the industry. “The ‘tradition’ is not merely about market share and profit orientation, but above and beyond that, to become Indonesia’s number one national brand,” he said in conclusion. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, April 23, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/04/23/kim-weon-dae-maintaining-market-leadership-position-indonesia.html

Staying ahead of the competition

2011-04-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

WHO hasn’t heard of Procon. The property consulting company has been around for 30 years now in Indonesia. “One can say that it is the first and until now the largest when compared even with similar foreign companies set up here,” said Lucy Rumantir, chief executive officer of Procon Group of Companies, Indonesia.

However, what is obvious is that the property sector is still an attractive business in Indonesia. With a population of 234.2 million in 2010 clearly there is an increasing need for homes in the country. Not only conventional homes, but also residences that can enhance one’s quality of life.

Modernization seems to be unavoidable in all sorts of development including in properties. It is here, said Lucy, a property consulting company like Procon plays a major role. Procon, Lucy explained, was established in 1980 based on the mission and vision of the company founder, the late Budi Moeffreni, who saw great opportunities in the services that could be provided by a property consulting company.

Initially Procon served clients in the oil and energy business whose employees resided in Jakarta. But in line with the country’s rapid economic development the small team at Procon soon became a pioneer in the business of property consultancy in Indonesia.

In the early years Procon was in a partnership with British property consulting company Jones Lang Wotton, and the company’s business became more solid supported by local and foreign experts. With its rapid progress and aggressive activities at that time Procon soon had 15 divisions and about 200 employees. The company provided services for all types of commercial properties and also opened branches in Surabaya and Bali.

Due to its solid existence in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta, almost all major commercial projects along the city’s main streets, such as on Jl Sudirman, Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Rasuna Said, were handled by Procon. “We handled all aspects, such as the feasibility study, marketing and property management as well,” said Lucy who has a Master’s degree in Business Administration majoring in marketing, from Hawaii, the United States.

Among the long list of prestigious projects handled by Procon are: Plaza Indonesia, Plaza Senayan, Plaza Lippo, Ratu Plaza, Bank Danamon Building (now Sampoerna Strategic Square), ATD Plaza, Graha Aktiva, Setiabudi Building I & II, the Indonesia Stock Exchange building and many more.

In the early 1990s Procon enjoyed further business opportunities one of which was pioneering the Occupier Advisory Services, representing the client in fulfilling requirements for offices and residences.

Procon was appointed by major multinationals for this service, such as Shell, Nestle, Conoco Philips and BCA for their office space. This service also triggered the development of Jl. TB Simatupang in South Jakarta into an area that is now filled with office buildings that have been built to suit clients’ needs.

After 20 years Procon and Jones Lang Wotton, which changed its name to Jones Lang LaSalle, parted ways. Procon now makes available services that are divided into four main categories: Strategic Advisory Group, Occupier Services Group, Markets Group and Property Management Services Group. Each category is handled by a department that provides specific services as required by Procon’s clients. A new category and department has been recently launched early this year, the International Group.

This department provides services for customers and sellers of properties both in Indonesia and in selected international markets. “Procon also helps foreigners to purchase properties in Indonesia with more focus on Bali, such as resort properties in Jimbaran-Uluwatu areas,” explained Lucy.

Meanwhile Procon also assists Indonesians who wish to purchase properties in foreign countries, such as in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, England, among other countries. “For the foreign sellers Procon provides them with Indonesia Property and International Residential services,” said Lucy, who was appointed as the company’s CEO in April 2010.

Although only one year in the top position Lucy is actually not a new face in Procon. From 1994 until 2002 she held the position of director of PT Procon Indah. When the company’s partnership with Jones Lang LaSalle was discontinued Lucy took the position of chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle from 2003 until 2010. Lucy worked for a short time in Australia before she was reemployed by Procon.

The year 2010 was a difficult one because a number of professionals left Procon and the company experienced slow growth. Lucy was responsible for raising Procon’s performance to former heights. She is primarily responsible for carrying out strategic plans and policies, overseeing the company’s operations and providing leadership to position the company at the forefront of the industry. She is also responsible for providing strategic consultancy advice to the private and public sectors in Indonesia.

Lucy Rumantir brings to her position 16 years experience in the property industry, from marketing residential, commercial and industrial properties to providing strategic consultancy advice to investors and developers. In November 2009, Lucy was listed as one of 99 most powerful women in Indonesia by Globe Asia Magazine.

Sitting on 84th position, she was the only one listed from the property consultancy business. After operating for three decades Procon’s position is now more solid in property consultancy services. The company now has no less than 18 divisions with 250 professional staff. “We are ready to develop further for the next 30 years by maintaining our high quality service and continued positive relationship with our clients,” she said.

“Our short term plan is to ensure that Procon remains a sustainable and profitable company and keeps its market leadership position,” added Lucy who is also chairperson of the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Property Service Department.

The Jakarta Post, June 16, 2011

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/04/16/lucy-rumantir-staying-ahead-competition.html