type here...
Home Blog Page 323

Mukiat Sutikno: Martial Art Lover Leads GM Indonesia

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Mukiat Sutikno: Martial Art Lover Leads GM Indonesia

For Mukiat Sutikno, being appointed managing director of General Motors Autoworld Indonesia (GM Indonesia) may be likened to a homecoming. After having no top leader for about six months, U.S. car manufacturer GM Autoworld Indonesia appointed Mukiat its managing director this month.

Mukiat is no newcomer to Indonesia’s automotive business world. He has been in this line of business for quite a long time. Prior to leading GM, he worked for PT Astra France Motor (Astra International Group), with his last position being sales and marketing division head. To be appointed GM Indonesia’s managing director is quite an achievement for Mukiat as he is the first local to earn the trust to lead this company, the sole agent for Chevrolet in Indonesia. In the past, the position of GM Indonesia chief always went to an expatriate.

Mukiat started his career in the automotive business at GM Indonesia. He worked for the company from 1997 to 2000 in various positions. He was one of the people who helped promote the Opel Blazer in Indonesia, which was later renamed the Chevrolet Blazer. “It is interesting, like nostalgia,” Mukiat said of his return to GM, although he acknowledged that a difficult job awaited him.

This U.S. carmaker will soon introduce the Chevrolet Captiva. It is, of course, the task of Mukiat to make the Captiva and other Chevrolet products achieve marketing success in Indonesia. This goal seems to be the background for the recruitment of Mukiat by GM Indonesia top officials, who obliviously believe that Mukiat has the competence and experience to do the challenging job. It is felt that Mukiat has a good understanding of the Indonesian market and the public’s taste and culture. The presence of Chevrolet Captiva is expected to lead to fiercer and exciting competition in the medium SUV segment, which includes the vehicles Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail and Suzuki Grand Vitara.

“Later, the Captiva will be the backbone of the marketing of Chevrolet products in Indonesia,” he said

Regarding the trust given to him to lead GM Indonesia, Mukiat stressed that he would make every effort to improve the role of Chevrolet in the Indonesian automotive market, and hoped that in the next few years Chevrolet would be one of the five best-selling brands in Indonesia. This effort will begin with the intensified introduction of the Chevrolet brand, improvement of after-sales service, expansion of its dealerships and the introduction of several new car models.

On after-sales activities and services, Mukiat is lucky as Chevrolet has a program called Chevy Care. Under this program, owners of Chevrolets can enjoy free checking and maintenance of their cars. The program has been held twice in Jakarta and Bali and has had a favorable impact on GM. “In future, a similar program will be held in Jakarta and Medan,” he said.

The automotive industry is like a lifeline to Mukiat, a true car lover. Perhaps he is one of the few people who has successfully combined hobby and business. The spectacular development in the design and performance of automobiles in the last few years, which he calls a revolution, is one of his main reasons to be involved in this business. The young executive decided to work in the automotive industry after he completed his studies in Australia in 1997.

In leading a company, Mukiat applies the principle of open communication and tries to make sure that everyone knows the vision of the company and its targets. “I always try to ensure that everybody can talk openly about various problems they face and that solutions can be found jointly,” he said. In addition, he tries to persuade GM employees to come up with ideas for the development and marketing success of GM products. “For marketing activities, for example, the ideas may come from other departments. The ideas should not necessarily always come from the marketing department,” he stressed.

In Mukiat’s view, the automotive business in Indonesia has a bright prospect even though there has been a drop in car sales over the past three years. However, to ensure that the automotive industry continues to grow, he said, there are several things that the government and automotive business players should do.

First, improve infrastructure; afterall, the automotive industry relies on the availability of good infrastructure. Second, compliance with regulations, for example in applying and following the Euro 2 emission standard to reduce air pollution.

Born in Jakarta on Nov. 13, 1972 as the eldest of five siblings, Mukiat spent many years abroad getting an education. He went to elementary school in Singapore. In 1989, he moved to Australia and attended Taylors College Melbourne, Australia. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne and his master’s degree in international marketing from Bond University, Queensland, Australia.

During his student years, despite moving from one country to another, he always devoted himself to martial arts. For example, at the age of eight Mukiat studied kung fu. Then while studying in Singapore, he learned tae kwon do and eventually earned a black belt. Besides keeping him fit, martial arts taught him discipline, which has helped him in his work.

Even though he lived abroad for much of his youth, Mukiat always wanted to return and work in Indonesia. His former employer in Australia had offered him the chance to handle his business in Semarang, Central Java. Instead, Mukiat decided to join General Motors in 1997, but stayed with the company for just three years then moved to Astra,” he said.

In his personal and professional life, there is one philosophy that he adheres to. “Pursuing results is important, but if we do everything correctly, results will follow,” he said.

He learned this philosophy from his tae kwon do instructor in Australia, who told him to start training again from the white belt level (beginner level) even though he already had a black belt, reasoning that Mukiat had not trained for quite a long time. Initially Mukiat was a little disillusioned by his instructor’s advice. However, after returning home from training one day, his instructor explained to him about getting results and made him realize that it was a good philosophy to adhere to. (Maulana Yudiman)  

The Jakarta Post, May 02, 2007

Adrie Subono: A Rebellious Figure Turned Successful Promoter

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Adrie Subono: A Rebellious Figure Turned Successful Promoter

His name came to the fore in the Indonesian music industry following his success with bringing noted international musicians to Indonesia to perform. Indeed, music promoter Adrie Nurmianto Subono deserves kudos for his keen instinct and hard work, which also promotes Indonesia.

Born in Jakarta on Jan. 11, 1954, Adrie started to work in 1978 when he joined Klockner, a German company. “I started as an ordinary staffer in the administration department,” said Adrie in his residence in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta. There he learned a lot even though he stayed with the company for only two years.

In 1980, Adrie, who is of the opinion that one does not need vast capital to become an entrepreneur, decided to be an entrepreneur. In Adrie’s view, a true entrepreneur is an individual that can invent or create something new. And Adrie’s notion has proven right. In a span of 20 years, the medium built man has tried his hand at various businesses, ranging from trading, telecommunications to shipping and many others. His involvement in various kinds of businesses helped hone his instinct in recognizing new business opportunities.

In 1994, for example, he set up a company that promoted world-famous musicians as in his eyes showbiz is a lucrative business. Four years later, he devoted himself fully to the entertainment industry under the flag of Java Musikindo. At that time, nobody seriously took up the profession of a promoter. “In those days there were perhaps two concerts a year. But now … well, you can see for yourself.” he said.

The success of a promoter, said Adrie, depends on a strong network. If someone works professionally, this network will form by itself. When all this is done well, a promoter will have a good reputation and good references. “We nurtured these references little by little and Java Musikindo became what it is today,” he said.

Java Musikindo has successfully organized in Jakarta over 60 concerts by top international musicians. Great artists that Java Musikindo has invited here include Saigon Kick, Foo Fighters, MR Big, Alanis Morissette, Westlife, The Corrs and Maksim, to name just a few.

According to Adrie, a promoter usually establishes contact with international artists through their agents. To contact these agents, a promoter can find their addresses on various websites, which gives information about artists and their agents. Then communication is established by e-mail. One such website is www.celebrityaccess.com.

There are just nine people on the core team of Java Musikindo. However, when a concert is organized, his company involves personnel from outside Java Musikindo on an outsourcing basis. If a rock concert is held outdoors, this may involve 300 to 400 people, depending on the size of the area. When a concert is held indoors, relatively fewer people are needed to handle it.

There are many norms to heed in the music promoter business. The first step that Java Musikindo usually takes when it organizes a concert, Adrie said, is to find a suitable building for the performance. If the artist is very popular, the building must be big enough to accommodate a large number of people.

As for the tickets, the number of tickets sold should not exceed the capacity of the building in order to prevent chaos or violence from occurring. If a building has a capacity of only 10,000 people, a promoter must not sell, for example, 15,000 tickets.

“The calculation is simple. To ensure safety, one square meter can hold four people. If one square meter is occupied by six people, the place will be overcrowded,” he said.

In this case, Adrie said, a promoter must be honest when reporting to security sources. “If, for example, a promoter plans to organize a concert with an expected audience of some 10,000, he should not tell security sources that the audience will be about 4,000 people,” Adrie said.

Security sources, he went on, deploy personnel in conformity with the request of the organizing committee. If the audience is bigger than that reported, security personnel will find it difficult to handle the situation. In addition, a promoter should have a reference hospital in case there are casualties during a concert. In this way, casualties can easily be handled in the reference hospital. In the field, a promoter must also prepare enough paramedics.

Few would realize that this successful promoter was quite rebellious and obstinate when he was young. His parents sent him to Germany to continue his studies after he dropped out of senior high school. “In Germany I went to school only to take up sports such as karate and the like,” he said, chuckling.

Adrie stayed in Germany from 1970 to 1978 and became acquainted with B.J. Habibie, who become his role model. B.J. Habibie had a strong influence on Adrie. “He educated me. Even though it was not in a school, the education I got from him was quite academic. He taught me everything through practice and I understood it well,” he said.

Life is not always plain sailing, though. There were occasions when he felt down. One such time was after the JW Marriott bombing, of which he was almost a victim as the room he was in was only 15 meters from where the bomb exploded. “Luckily I was in the bathroom, otherwise I could have been killed. When I emerged from the bathroom, I found everything destroyed. The concerts scheduled then were all canceled. I was shocked and traumatized. It took quite a long time to overcome it,” said Adrie, who is married to Chrisye, an ex-model. (Iwan Suci Jatmiko)

The Jakarta Post,  April 25, 2007

Samudra Sukardi: Success with the Tiger Claw Concept

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Samudra Sukardi: Success with the Tiger Claw Concept

What’s in a name, asked William Shakespeare. To most people, however, a name can be very meaningful. Samudra Sukardi, CEO of Pelita Air, is an example. “‘Samudra’ means an ocean with a lot of waves,” he said, explaining the reason why his parents gave him the name. Therefore, he says, in life I always want to see something from a broad viewpoint.

He said his younger brother, Laksamana Sukardi, former state minister for state enterprises, was always a leader, something that suits the meaning of his name. “Laksamana” means admiral.

Samudra has also proven himself a successful leader of men during his career. When Garuda was looking for a new CEO, most Garuda employees backed Samudra, although in the end he failed to land the top position at Indonesia’s largest airline. Still, Samudra remains magnanimous. “For me, working anywhere is just the same. What matters to me is how to show the best performance to the company.”

In the airline sector, Samudra, a father of two, has climbed the career ladder quite fast, member in Garuda’s technical division. As the years went by, he moved from one section to another in the division. He started at the power plan section and then became an avionic engineer and after that was transferred again to the system development section. Finally, he was entrusted as the technical representative of Garuda in Los Angeles, the United States. He spent five years there and was also assigned to develop Garuda’s Overseas Purchasing Offices for Asia and the Pacific.

In the United States, he began to build relations with large airline companies such as Boeing & Douglas, as well as vendors and forwarders. “My horizons were opened and I found that to be successful you need business knowledge and sciences. So after completing my electrical engineering studies, I took up business administration and management,” said Samudra, who is married to Poppy Filsafah.

Samudra also took two master’s degrees from West Coast University in the U.S.: a Master of Management and Master of Science in Information Systems. Returning from the U.S., Samudra was named head of Garuda’s procurement division and was responsible for the procurement of all spare parts for the aircraft and engines, and fuel and ground handling equipment. Later, Samudra was named Vice President for Information Systems and was directly under the board of directors. In later years, Samudra climbed higher up his career ladder and became Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President Director of Garuda.

Then, after failing to be named president director of Garuda, PT Garuda assigned him to head PT Abacus Indonesia, a subsidiary of Garuda dealing with the ticket reservations for travel agents, and PT Wahana Garuda Purnakarya, Garuda Indonesia’s pension fund. All in all, Samudra, 51, has spent 29 years at Garuda Indonesia.

Today Samudra is the head of another airline, Pelita Air, which is also owned by the government. He assumed this position on Nov. 1, 2005. When Samudra joined Pelita Air, the company was financially bleeding. In the previous five years, it sustained losses of billions of rupiah.

In 2006, Samudra said, Pelita Air made a profit of about Rp 20 billion. “After being audited, with a number of corrections, the profit may amount to only about Rp 10 billion,” he said.

This still would exceed the target, he said. Samudra set a profit target of Rp 4 to 5 billion. The target was so low because when he joined the company, Pelita Air had sustained losses totaling Rp 41 billion. “So, actually, at the beginning my target was that I would thank God if the company could just have a positive financial condition. In fact, the target was exceeded.”

This achievement is proof that Samudra is not a sham leader who relies on the prestige of a younger brother who was once a minister. This nation should learn to view someone not for “who he is” but for “what he has done”.

Even when he was head of Abacus Indonesia, Samudra created what a One-Stop Solution for the Airline Industry. Under this scheme, travel agents and airlines can be interconnected through computers (on an on-line and real-time basis) for ticket reservations, making it easier for prospective passengers to get tickets.

All this is rooted in a concept that Samudra calls the Tiger Claw. The Tiger Claw concept is a graph that resembles a tiger claw. There are five fingers, with the little finger as the shortest. This little finger is located below the other fingers, and this illustrates the correlation between the effort made and the progress of the company in the future.

In this tiger claw graph, a newly set up company is in the position of the little finger (the shortest in length and the lowest in position). This illustrates the concept of “as is”. Then the company must continue to move up to the next finger, which is higher, by upgrading its products.

The stage of the next finger is the innovation stage. Without innovation, Samudra noted, a company will remain at the “as is” stage. Then the next finger is the portfolio. This means, he said, “The company must continue to diversify its products. This will certainly be achieved because the previous stage was the stage of innovation. Innovation will surely bring about new products.”

In the last finger, the fifth and the highest in position, the company reaches the out-of-the-box stage. At this stage, he said, a company should not concentrate only on one type of business. “We must have the courage to get out of the box to make a new line of business.”

However, he added quickly, the new line of business should still close to the nature of the company. “If the company is an airline, for example, it should not make a new line of business in music. If this happens, this is not what I mean by being out of the box,” he said. However, he also said that the airline world is not confined only to aircraft. “Building an exclusive airport is still a line of business in the business nature of an airline.”

Samudra said communication was very important in a company. “We may apply various theories and concepts of management in a company, but if the communication does not run smoothly, the company will never be successful.”

In his early days as head of Pelita Air, he said, he always held workshops with his employees as part of his communication strategy. The purpose was to obtain input from the employees. “We discussed many things, ranging from the existing problems and their solutions to the dreams of the employees. We took the gist of all these things and turned it into our common vision, mission and goal.”

Uniquely, although there are a lot of experiences and achievements to his credit, Samudra only has a simple wish for his old age. “I just want to be an ustadz (Muslim cleric),” he said, chuckling. He said there are two advantages for someone deciding to be an ustadz: safety in this world and in the next.

So, Indonesia will some day have an ustadz with a broad horizon of mind, in religious knowledge, in leadership skills and in the business science. This is not because he happens to be called Samudra, but because he used to be the CEO of various companies. May your dream come true, Pak! (Arif T. Syam)

The Jakarta Post, April 18, 2007

Michael D. Ruslim, Captain of a Huge Ship: Astra Group

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Michael D. Ruslim, Captain of a Huge Ship: Astra Group

Looks can be deceiving, so never judge a person from their appearance, such as from their clothing, footwear, glasses or hairstyle. Many important and powerful people dress simply, just like regular people. This applies to Michael D. Ruslim, chief executive officer of the Astra Group, one of Indonesia’s business giants in control of dozens, if not hundreds of companies, ranging from automotive companies to oil palm plantations and employing no fewer than 120,000 people.

The figure could be three or four times more than that if vendors of vehicle components, authorized workshops and retailers selling Astra’s products were taken into account. Thus Michael could be considered the captain of a huge ship.

Despite his high position, Pak Michael, which is how his employees and fellow directors address him, remains modest in fashion and in word. “I’m but just one of Astra’s components,” said the executive, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, U.S., and an MBA in finance and operations research from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, U.S.

Upon the completion of his MBA program in the U.S., Michael returned to Indonesia and worked at Citibank NA, Jakarta from 1978 to 1983. His last position at the foreign bank was Investment Banking Division head. Then he moved to Astra and was placed in the company’s finance division. Michael said, however, that he never dreamed of being appointed the top gun in this highly diversified business group.

His observant mind, perseverance and agility were already apparent early in his career. While he was at Citibank, for example, Michael, who was born in 1953, already had a far-reaching vision about his future. If he remained at Citibank, the highest position he could possibly attain would be the second position as the top position would always go to an expatriate. “And at that time I wanted to work only in Indonesia, so I looked for opportunities outside of Citibank,” he said.

His decision to move to Astra proved wise. The finance division where he was placed was directly involved in the restructuring of Astra in the early 1980s. Om Willem, then the owner and top leader of Astra International (AI), was developing his business in the financial, agricultural, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. “I was part of this business development,” Michael said.

Michael dealt well with every challenge that came his way. He felt at home at Astra despite the many challenges he faced because of a favorable working environment and strong teamwork. One of the major challenges that AI faced during the financial crisis of 1997-1998 was mounting debts of US$1 billion while the sales of motorcycles and automobiles dropped substantially. “But with our strong fighting spirit as a solid team, we continue to overcome adversity even today,” he noted.

Another thing that has shaped Michael into the person he is today is the corporate values of this group. He has carefully observed the ups and downs of AI’s business over the last 30 years, during which the company’s shareholders have been replaced several times. “This experience shows me that Astra has a good working pattern, cultural foundation and philosophy,” said Michael, a father of two and an avid reader.

Michael was referring to the company’s Sapta Dharma philosophy. AI used to run various types of businesses but later decided to focus on just four areas. The first area is the automotive chain, from the upstream part of the business to its downstream part, namely from auto parts to auto finance and insurance, including Toyota Astra Finance and Astra Buana. “AI’s business in automotive is focused on distribution and manufacturing. There are no automobiles with an Astra trademark, though,” said Michael.

The second area is agribusiness, with Astra Agro Lestari as the spearhead. The third area is mining, spearheaded by United Tractor, which sells tractors and heavy-duty equipment for the mining, forestry and infrastructure industries. It also sells mining services. Under the flagship of Pama, this mining part of the group controls a major share of the Indonesian market (40 percent). “Pama does not control any mining sites but if there are opportunities, AI could buy them,” Michael said.

AI is also involved in infrastructure such as toll roads and water. In this respect, AI is motivated by a desire to help the government build the country’s economy. AI’s involvement in infrastructure is relatively recent, though. “We try to learn from the Tangerang-Merak toll road, which is operational, and also from Palyja clean water,” said Michael. “We have bought both in the context of preparing our competence in infrastructure and gathering experience in this field.”

This year AI celebrates its golden anniversary but the group did not go all out to celebrate owing to the occurrence of various disasters, such as floods and earthquakes, for example. When asked in what direction he would take AI in the future, Michael said, “I don’t have any personal ambition but as a CEO, basically I will try to honor the trust given me. I will try to build Astra just like Om Willem did before.”

On his management style he said, “I would like to see continuity but certainly it is not a status quo. When there is continuity, we have to keep abreast of changes. I have the responsibility to bring AI to the next stage so that AI can quickly develop and be something like a banyan tree that shelters many people.”

AI principles, he added, are supported by the 3 Ws, namely a winning concept, a winning system and a winning team. To make all the plans come true, Michael stresses the significance of communication, especially two-way communication. Communication is important in social and organizational relations as well as in relations with fellow principals. “Communication allows us to understand the other party. It helps us understand why someone asks for this or that. Perhaps we won’t come to an agreement but at least we understand each other,” Michael said. “Understanding leads to trust,” he added.

Aminuddin, senior vice president and corporate secretary of AI, confirmed that Michael always stresses the significance of communication. “He always says ‘If our employees do not understand, how can we reach our target?'” Aminuddin said, quoting his CEO.

To ensure there is two-way communication, Michael holds a meeting of the AI board of directors twice a week. These meetings discuss things related to business strategies. Michael also tours the regions, visiting AI’s branch and sub-branch offices, two to four times a year. In his regional tours, Michael, who takes along a core team of directors, meets employees and conveys to them the company’s vision, mission and plans.

Another principle that Michael strongly adheres to is that he always works under one system. “This principle also conforms to the Japanese culture, which believes that plans are important and can be implemented,” he said.

Michael maintains that there are problems with any position but it all depends on the attitude of the individual coping with the problems. When the government decided to raise fuel prices, for example, the public’s purchasing power became weaker. Then there were also problems when the Toyota and Daihatsu principals opted for restructuring. However, nothing specific has caused difficulties for Michael. He faced all these problems unwaveringly and resolutely.

“We must try but we also must let God decide. That’s why I try not to get stressed or I could make the wrong decisions,” said Michael, who, regarding this principle, acknowledged the influence of Subagyo Wiroatmodjo, his first superior. Michael learned how to analyze a problem from Subagyo so that other people could understand it and help solve it. In the 1980s, Michael used to exchange ideas with Edwin Soeryadjaya, one of the children of AI’s owner, Om Willem, who was also his friend and partner.

Michael also specifically mentioned Teddy P. Rachmat, former AI president director, who always stuck by him whenever they had to agree on an important step to take. From someone far senior to him in Citibank, he learned about the courage to make a decision or take a stance. (Lily G. Nababan and Ardimas Sasdi)

The Jakarta Post, April 4, 2007  

Orie Andarie Sutadji: Taking Care of 35 Percent of the Population

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Orie Andarie Sutadji: Taking Care of 35 Percent of the Population

PEOPLE should never be judged by their age but in a holistic manner — spirit and mental agility. Orie Andari Sutadji, the president director of PT ASKES (Persero), is a striking example of this. It would appear that Orie never runs out of energy. She is seen as being so determined that colleagues have nicknamed her the “Iron Mare” after Britain’s “Iron Lady”, Margaret Thatcher.  

Luckily Orie is fond of horses and horse ornaments of various sizes and materials are scattered throughout her spacious office. Her stamina makes it apparent that the Ministry of Health made no mistake in appointing Orie to manage state-owned PT ASKES health insurance firm. The company provides health insurance to around 14 million civil servants, pensioners, members of the Indonesian Military/Police Force, veterans and 1.5 million private sector workers and their families.  

Today PT ASKES, which has millions of participants, needs someone not only knowledgeable about health matters and insurance but who is also reliable and has strong leadership skills. The giant task became even greater recently when the government assigned PT ASKES to handle health insurance for the country’s 60 million poor people.

Therefore, Orie could be viewed as the CEO of an insurance company with the biggest number of participants in Indonesia (over 74 million people or about 35 percent of the country’s population.)  

All these health insurance participants are served by just 2,300 employees in 12 regional offices, 92 branch offices and 204 offices in regencies all over Indonesia. To overcome the shortage of human resources, PT ASKES recruits temporary employees, especially to deal with the poor.  

How does Orie deal with this challenge? “Initially, honestly speaking, I was worried,” said Orie, a mother of three, when reminiscing about her first days as director of general affairs of PT ASKES. She was worried not because she was afraid but because, “I was worried I would not be able to meet the government’s expectations.”  

Her worries were understandable because how pensioners fare lies in her hands. If she were to fail, it would affect millions of people. Her concerns were even more understandable given the fact that she was just a bureaucrat and PT ASKES had just been transformed from a state corporation to a limited liability company. “To manage a limited liability company, you need the spirit and enthusiasm of a professional, just like leading a profit-oriented private company,” she said, explaining that the greatest challenge was to transform her own paradigm and that of the people around her.  

To this end, as her initial step, Orie revamped the human resources system in PT ASKES. First she changed the human resources assessment system usually adopted at government ministries and state-owned enterprises. The assessment method, which used to be based on rank or position, is now more complex as it encompasses an employee’s competence and performance.  

This system helped Orie decide which people would remain at PT ASKES and who would be returned to their former ministries or accept early retirement. A number of employees protested her new policy, but Orie was firm in her decision. “I solved this problem by means of a golden shake hand,” said Orie, a 1974 medical graduate from Semarang’s Diponegoro University.  

Thanks to her perseverance and other basic changes — Orie later received the Prof. AM Kadarman Award (in the category of Strategic Leader of Change in Market Development) from her alma mater, the IPPM institute of management, in 2006. She also introduced a new salary system at PT ASKES. “Competence helps determine a person’s salary, meaning that salary is no longer based on position alone,” said Orie, who was born in Purwokerto on Oct. 29, 1947.  

Employees of PT ASKES now also have the opportunity to join a number of educational institutions. Under the new scheme, employees are paid according to competence and performance. This has borne fruit for Orie, who is still full of optimism and enthusiasm, and has seen her remain at the helm of PT ASKES for over 14 years, even though she should have retired in 2005 when she was 58.  

Orie, who is married to Sutadji, said music brought balance to her life, which is filled with routine activities. “Sometimes I have missed things, like the times when I should have been with my children when they needed me,” she said.  

However, she says it had a positive impact as it also made her children independent and they learned to solve problems on their own. Orie is successful in managing not only the company but also her family. She said she learned a lot from her mother, Soejati, in matters related to family management and firmness, and carefulness in taking action from her father, Soedirman Partosoepeno, a police officer who became a businessman later in life.  

Regarding corporate management, Orie, who loves reading, said she did not adhere to any particular method. “I admire Steven R. Covey with his 7 Habits and 8 Habits or Philip Kotler, the world’s marketing guru, but still we have to adjust these theories with the real conditions in Indonesia and with the character of Indonesians,” she explained.  

When asked for her opinion on how Indonesians view life, she said she was concerned that Indonesians did not pay attention to health and insurance matters. She is also worried about the lack of standardization in medical services, medical therapy and hospital rates. “This absence of standardization has led to high costs in the health sector as an unnecessary examination, for example, can be forced upon a patient. Some doctors write a prescription for expensive drugs even though cheaper drugs are available,” she said, partly blaming poor public awareness about health matters.  

Orie expressed hope that PT ASKES would lead to the emergence of national health insurance in Indonesia. “I hope health insurance for all will one day no longer be a dream,” said Orie, a lover of light jazz.  

As to her retirement years, Orie said she plans to continue contributing her ideas about health and health insurance. “Perhaps I will teach,” she said, adding that she had never aspired to be in the health or medical sector. “I used to dream about being an architect!” said Orie.  

What about a president director? “I was born and bred in the small town of Kebumen in Central Java. I didn’t even dare dream about going abroad, let alone of being a president director!” she said. C’est la vie, Madame! (Arif T. Syam)  

The Jakarta Post, March 28, 2007

Hendy Setiono: Successful Entrepreneur at 23

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Hendy Setiono: Successful Entrepreneur at 23

Being rich and successful at a young age is everybody’s dream. For Hendy Setiono, however, it is no dream. At the age of 23, Hendy owns and leads a very successful company that he established three and a half years ago. The young executive, who takes his laptop with him wherever he goes, is the owner of Kebab Turki Baba Rafi (Baba Rafi Turkish Kebab), a franchise-based Middle Eastern fast food business. Today Kebab Turki Baba Rafi has over 100 outlets in Indonesia (either owned by Hendy or by franchisees).

The idea of starting this business struck Hendy while in Qatar with his parents. “I often bought kebab there. One day I asked myself why not introduced this delicious food to Indonesians,” said Hendy, explaining that his father is an engineer who works for an oil company in Qatar.

Hendy made a business plan. “Something I always remember from seminars featuring Mr. Tung Desem Waringin, which I often attend, is that we must have the courage to start a business even if it is only small, in line with our capability,” he said.

So, in mid-2003 he hired one person and opened his first kebab outlet — a cart — on the roadside of Jl. Semolowaru, Surabaya. The out was named Kebab Turki (Turkey Kebab) not Kebab Qatar. “In Qatar it is kebab from Turkey that is famous and delectable.”

The name Baba Rafi? Well, Rafi is the name of Hendy’s first child. The word baba is Arabic for “father”. “So Baba Rafi means Rafi’s father. I didn’t call it Kebab Pak Hendy because that doesn’t have a nice ring to it,” said the elder of two siblings, who not only started his business at a very young age but also married at an age considered too young for the average Indonesian. He already has three children.

Recalling the early days of his business, Hendy said that one day his sole employee fell ill and so he had to man the cart himself. “Thank God, there was heavy rain that day. And I only earned a small amount of money as I closed earlier than usual! So small were the earnings that day that they was not enough to pay for a seafood dish at another restaurant,” he reminisced.

His story is part of the ups and downs that he went through in the early days of his kebab business. “In the early days, employee turnover was very high. Some of our franchisees did not comply with the agreement signed and started their own system so that we eventually canceled our contract with them,” he said.

However, owing to perseverance and consultation with Tung Desem and Purdi E. Chandra, a franchise expert and owner of the Primagama educational institution, as well as thanks to discussions with friends at the Entrepreneur University and on the Tangan Di Atas mailing list, Hendy went on to open six more outlets in the first year.

Today, Kebab Turki Baba Rafi can be found on almost every major island in Indonesia, with some 110 outlets and 250 employees. But he has yet to open an outlet in Jakarta, usually the yardstick for every businessman. “Jakarta is my last target. I’ll be opening an outlet in Jakarta in March,” he said, arguing that it is not easy to conquer Jakarta.

Nevertheless, Hendy said that over 30 investors had expressed interest in being franchisees of Kebab Turki in Jakarta. Will Hendy be satisfied after opening an outlet in Jakarta? “I also aim to open an outlet in Malaysia and Thailand this year,” he said confidently.

Does that sound a little too ambitious? Perhaps do not. Hendy has been named one of Asia’s successful businessmen under 25 years of age by Business Week. Following an interview with a television station in an Asian country, many expressed interest in a franchise in his kebab business. “I have even received e-mail from people living in countries I have never heard of, such as Malta,” he said candidly.

However, Hendy said that, “Indonesia is too vast an area for a business opportunity to be left untapped.” He cited the successful franchise businesses of Indomaret and Alfamart, which have thousands of outlets all over the country. “If they can do it, I’m sure I can too,” he said, full of confidence.

Some quarters question whether Hendy is too young to expand his business or whether it is too soon for him to expand. “I don’t think so, because all I have achieved so far was planned, it didn’t just happen,” said Hendy, who did not finish university.

On the other hand, he does not think of himself as highly successful and does not want others to see him as such. “If someone thinks they are successful, they won’t develop further. I’ll consider myself really successful when other people are inspired to be as successful as me.”

On his future plans, Hendy said he would like to retire young by delegating responsibility to a trusted team. What would he do? “Travel the world and look for other business opportunities,” he said, adding that as a businessman he would never stop looking for fresh business opportunities, tapping them and achieving success.

His secret to success, he said, is ATM, an acronym for Amati, Tiru, Modifikasi (observe, imitate, modify). The way he developed his kebab business follows this concept — he started his kebab business after observing kebab sales in Qatar. Hendy then imitated the dish and modified it to suit Indonesian tastes.

Therefore, Hendy will never stop looking for business opportunities. In fact he has already started another business, a drive-thru/take away coffee outlet called Coffee Tofi. Today, there are 10 Coffee Tofi outlets in Surabaya. “This is coffee of the same caliber as Starbucks at an affordable price,” he said. Perhaps such success is what happens when someone starts off at a young age. (Arif T. Syam)

The Jakarta Post, March 21, 2007

Benny Wennas: Key to Success is Willingness to Change

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Benny Wennas: Key to Success is Willingness to Change

One night about 30 years ago, in a corner of a house in West Jakarta, a university student sat on his bed trying very hard to study for an exam the next day. As there was a blackout, he was studying under poor light. Under his bed, water from a nearby overflowing river had reached ankle-deep.

Unable to overcome his sleepiness, he closed his eyes. But only for a very short time. Mosquitoes disrupted his sleep. As a result, he could neither sleep nor study. You can guess the outcome. He failed the next day’s Corporate Calculation exam.

This young man, Benny Wennas, is now the leader of a very successful company with a sales volume of trillions of rupiah. This company is WOM Finance (PT Wahana Ottomitra Multiartha). “I well remember this episode in my life,” he said, reminiscing.

This story tells us why Benny understands full well the plight of victims in Jakarta’s recent floods. It was this flooding that made him postpone an interview with The Jakarta Post. “My mind is focused on the flood victims. How can we help them and how can we send aid, etc.,” Benny said.

His words are those of an idealist, but that is Benny, a professional who started at the lowest rung of the ladder. Today, nearly everybody, particularly motorcyclists, are familiar with his company, WOM Finance.

WOM Finance is a financing company for motorcycles, the pioneer of leasing companies for motorized vehicles in Indonesia. Benny, in fact, is idealistic about motorcycle loans. “A motorcycle is not a wasteful consumer item; it is a necessity, especially today,” he argued. “I fulfill the basic dream of people,” he said.

That’s why he insists that his business is nothing like a credit card company. A father of three, he said that a bank lending money through a credit card company cannot monitor the person borrowing the money. In our case, he said, someone borrows money for a particular item, “They cannot have other items! The biggest loan possible is about Rp 20 million,” he said.

During the interview with Benny, a native of Singkawang, West Kalimantan, his idealism became more and more apparent, particularly when he referred to his employees as friends. “A president director is not a god! I don’t like to be bossy,” he said. By building close relations with his employees, Benny can avoid the emergence of unspoken issues in his office.

Unspoken issues, Benny said, can cause the collapse of a company. Unmentionable topics also threaten a company. That’s why, Benny, an MBA holder from Hull University in Britain, always tries to be open with his employees.

“Through this openness, we must be ready to accept the so-called brutal facts,” Benny said, quoting the concept introduced by Jim Collins, a writer of management books. “Despite our dislikes, these brutal facts will allow us to learn what must be done to prevent things from becoming worse,” he said.

However, Benny said the most important thing in running a business was a change in attitude. “There is no successful person who hasn’t made changes,” he said. That’s why he fully agrees with Rhenald Khasali, author of ReCode DNA.

“The essence of this book is that someone’s success is determined more by their way of thinking, including the willingness to change,” said Benny, an avid reader married to Lily Kumalasari.

Benny also tries to encourage his employees to read. That’s why he distributes books among them that he thinks they’ll find beneficial. Benny has a few tricks up his sleeve with which to develop his employees. In terms of salary, for example, he applies the underpaid concept. “This does not mean that I pay them low salaries. They continue to be assessed in accordance with their capacity and capability,” he said.

What he refers to as the underpaid concept is that it is better for someone to be paid less than they expect. Let’s say someone thinks he deserves Rp 10 million a month. In this case it would be better to pay him less, for example between Rp 5 million and Rp 8 million, according to Benny.

Therefore, he continued, this person may still have “room” for maneuvering when he leaves the company due to being poached by another firm or because the company goes bankrupt. “It would be different if he received more than Rp 10 million. For him to move to another place because the company went bankrupt, for example, would be difficult as he already has ‘overpaid value’,” he said.

It would be even more difficult, said Benny, who was born in 1955, if this person and his family had a high lifestyle. Therefore, by way of advice, he said it was best to be underpaid and live frugally!

Benny said employees should divide a career into two: a time to learn and a time to earn. “During the time to learn, don’t think too much about your salary. The most important thing is to improve your added value through experience,” he said. When your added value is high, he added, then you can start thinking about earnings.

All this, he said, can be put together in his company’s values as AFFECTION, which stands for Appreciation, Family Feeling, Enthusiasm, Creativity, Trustworthiness and Determination. Added to these values are his corporate culture of Learning, Sharing and Coaching. This solid corporate concept and culture has seen WOM Finance under Benny enjoy rapid development.

Established in 1982 under the name of PT Jakarta Tokyo Leasing, this company was acquired in 1997 from PT Fuji Semeru Leasing. It later focused on leasing for motorcycles, particularly Hondas. In 2000, the name of this company officially became WOM Finance.

A year later, WOM made its first bond issued worth Rp 300 billion. In 2005, it staged a second bond issue worth Rp 500 billion. A year earlier, in 2004, WOM became a publicly listed company. In the same year, WOM formed an alliance with BII, which confirmed WOM’s position as a top leasing company.

Last year, WOM made its third bond issued worth Rp 825 billion. All that WOM has done in this respect has attracted the interest of foreign institutions to team up with it. At present, three foreign institutions from different countries are collaborating with WOM in terms of financing worth millions of US dollars.

WOM’s achievement has also attracted the attention of the mass media in Indonesia, which has named WOM, with 100 branch offices all over Indonesia, the best multi-finance company for several consecutive years. Benny himself has been named “2006 Financial Figure” by Investor magazine.

Who would ever guess that a company as large as WOM Finance is led by someone who failed the Corporate Calculation exam in his university days? Is it fate? Maybe yes. But it is not fate as generally defined. Benny defines fate as “the end of every effort that you make!” (Arif T. Syam)

The Jakarta Post, March 7, 2007

Helmy Yahya: Blending Business and Entertainment Sector

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Helmy Yahya: Blending Business and Entertainment Sector

This celebrity-cum-businessman has had a varied career. One of his most prominent professions is producer of television programs, particularly quizzes, and, lately, reality shows. However, his involvement in business has also earned him a lot of respect, as evident in the fact that he was once named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year. The event was organized by Ernst & Young, a leading accounting firm. “I was not the winner but was in the 15 best and this was an outstanding achievement. I thought my company was the smallest of the 15 companies named finalists,” said Helmy in his office in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

His achievement is attributable to his perseverance in life. A graduate of the State Institute of Accounting (STAN) Jakarta and University of Miami, Florida, U.S., he is astute at seizing opportunities. He spent 10 years assisting and, therefore, learning from Ani Sumadi, the televisionProgram Queen”.

For Helmy, Ani Sumadi was his “teacher” in entertainment and also in how to become a true entrepreneur.learned from her how to manage the production of a program and at the same time how to manage a company,” said Helmy, who was born in Palembang, South Sumatra, on March 6, 1963.

Helmy, who is typically a hard worker, began his career from the lowest position. For example, he compiled quizzes. In 1999, he parted company with Ani Sumadi and set up his own production house with friends. Their first production was Kuis Joshua (Joshua Quiz). Later he established his own company, PT Triwarsana.

Helmy comes from a family with a great love for entertainment. His father, Haji Muhammad Yahya Matusin, was fond of singing while Helmy and his four siblings also liked singing. Helmy became acquainted with the entertainment world when he was a young boy, though back then it was just a hobby. Later, Helmy and his elder brother, Tantowi Yahya, became profession entertainers. Unlike Tantowi, who is famous as an MC, Helmy tends to be an entrepreneur although his business is inseparable from entertainment.

Indeed, as a civil servant with accounting expertise he had no an ambition to be an entrepreneur in the entertainment sector. His entrepreneurship came to the surface during his university days, when he took part in a number of extracurricular activities, like playing in a band, joining a theatrical group and organizing music events. That’s how he got into the entertainment world. “Thanks to these activities, I met many artists and musicians and they eventually asked me to join their management teams. It was my contact with the art world that finally got me into the entertainment world,” Helmy said.

For Helmy, time management is his greatest challenge: how to prepare himself and learn to say “no” to anything that it is impossible for him to do. He has indeed received a flood of offers, but he is unable to accept many due to time constraints. However, it is here that the temptation lies, he said.

Few people can imagine the ups and downs that Helmy has gone through in his career. He is the most disappointed when he is cheated. He has also had to endure slander and gossip. But when he is down, he will try his best to get up again don’t consider someone’s success from how many times he falls but from how many times he can get up again after falling,” he noted.

Luckily, there are many people who care about him when he is down. This has led him to believe that when someone goes through an ordeal, he will be “promoted to a higher class”. Life has its ups and downs, its ebb and tide. The most important thing is that he can bear all that happens to him. “If you wish to be a creative person, hesitate to try your best,” said Helmy, who is considered to be blessed with a million ideas. He also always tries to be open-minded or open to all input.

“Either directly conveyed to me or from reading, it helps me predict future trends and what people will like,” he said.

Helmy said that some entertainers can obtain material gain easily. But being an entrepreneur is different and more challenging as he must think about a number of things, for instance, investment and profit.

Helmy, who was initial interested in marketing, said his accounting background helps him a lot in managing his company. He does not find any difficulty finding a connection between entertainment and entrepreneurship.

Despite his success in the entertainment world, it seems Helmy is yet to feel fully satisfied. It is this that prompted him to set up a consulting firm with management expert Rhenald Kasali. The company is named Here, an acronym of their names, and its business covers consulting, public relations, marketing, entrepreneurship and communications.

Today, Here is inactive due to the tight schedule of its founders.true I set up a company with Rhenald Kasali, but the company has stopped its activities for now. However, privately, I still provide consultancy to those who need said the father of three. (Iwan Suci Jatmiko)  

The Jakarta Post, March 01, 2007  

Shifting from Business to Jazz Music

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Shifting from Business to Jazz Music


Relaxed, modest and friendly is the impression one gets of this gentleman who was born in Semarang, Central Java on May 4, 1948. His name is Peter F. Gontha.

Peter was often in the media spotlight when he was a top executive in the Bimantara Group (1983-1998). Earlier he had worked for Shell (Holland; 1970-1975), Citibank (assistant vice president for Jakarta, Athens, Kuala Lumpur, New York, 1975-1979) and American Express Bank (vice president and operational chief for Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia; 1979-1983.

Bimantara, owned by the family of former president Soeharto, was reportedly so impressed by this man that it offered him a job. Peter accepted the offer and joined Bimantara in 1983.

“The late Alex Frans took me back to Indonesia. He was the father-in-law of Adrie Subono. I worked at Citibank, then in Amex in New York. Later I was stationed in Hong Kong. While I was working in Hong Kong, I was approached to join Bambang Tri’s (chairman of Bimantara) company,” Peter said.

Bimantara Group was ready to pay him a big salary. And the offer of high financial reward was enough for Peter to regard the seriousness of Bambang Tri and his associates in hiring him.

One may triumph in one’s own home but lose in the international arena. Peter is different, though. Foreign companies like him when they see his performance. What is his secret? Honesty, Peter said, is the most effective way to approach foreigners.

These days, with retirement age is approaching, Peter starts to combine business and art as part of his journey in life. The Java Jazz Festival (JJF), which may be considered a barometer for the revival of jazz in Indonesia and which reverberates the world over, is one of Peter’s projects.

“I like jazz because I grew up with it and live in a jazz environment. My father was one of the pioneers of jazz in Indonesia. He set up the first big band in Indonesia. Jack Lesmana, Bubby Chen, Maryono and many other great jazz musicians joined this big band,” Peter said.

Indeed, Peter has everything, especially in terms of material wealth. Then again, some people may think that JJF is just an expression of his idealism, which means that this giant project is not a profit-seeking undertaking.

“I have always adhered to the saying ‘Don’t ask what the country can do for you, but what you can do for the country’. I feel I am doing something for the country by organizing this festival. We introduce Indonesia to the international arena,” he noted.

It is only natural that Peter believes in this principle. He is enamored by presidents, particularly J.F. Kennedy, Sukarno and Soeharto. “They were great men,” he said.

Indeed, many people once thought of Peter as being inseparable from Soeharto. This is understandable because at one time Peter was considered one of Soeharto’s cronies. “Pak Harto is actually a great man. I love him dearly. He had a forward-looking vision. I was influenced by Pak Harto, with all his pluses and minuses. But I also love Pak Karno (Soekarno). I also love Pak Habibie, and Gus Dur. Whoever is the president of Indonesia must be very intelligent,” he said.

However, politics put him in great difficulty, and it is this situation that he abhors. Indeed, Soeharto’s cronies were greatly stigmatized at the advent of the reform era.

“I am a crony or someone from the New Order era. However, I forgot to steal. At that time, I saw a lot of people steal using a great variety of tricks,” he said. However, he was never tempted to do the same. Did he regret it? “Yes, I regretted not stealing … But Thank God I can now appear in public or in the press and hold my head high,” he said, laughing freely.

Peter’s professional journey has indeed not been easy. He confirmed his position outside Indonesia before returning home. “Not many people are as lucky as I am,” he said, adding that it was just a matter of luck.

One day his mother gave him a one-way ticket to Holland. With just a courage and confidence on his ability, Peter flew to Holland and managed to make it on his own. “I used to be very obstinate but as I had to survive abroad, I had to be serious,” he said.

Finally, he applied for a job with Dutch Shell, which he landed after going through a selection process and testing.

At first, Peter joined Shell only as an ordinary staffer earning 400 guilders (then equivalent to Rp 300,000) a month and worked there for five years. In 1975, he returned home to Indonesia at the invitation of Alex Frans. Back in Indonesia, Peter joined Citibank and initially earned Rp 75,000 a month. Of course, this salary was much lower than what he earned in Holland. However, he felt he had better opportunities in Indonesia. Four years later, Peter joined Amex Bank. Thanks to his great skill, after some time at this bank Peter was named Amex Bank chief for Asia supervising the bank in 14 countries. He was then going on 32 years old.

“Nobody can be smart alone. Take, for example, the Japanese. If they did things individually, they would be in difficulty. Together, they became smart people,” he said, adding that the Japanese philosophy respects cooperation highly and this covers all aspects of life.

He said the biggest difficulty in managing a company is the human resources. “Many aspects are involved, for example, they get sick, want a pay rise, ask for a holiday, strike, protest, steal the company’s secrets, denigrate the company and many other things,” he said.

However, he also has a way to overcome such problems. “Just find out who is loyal and who is not. Keep those who are loyal and bid the others goodbye.” (Iwan Suci Jatmiko)

The Jakarta Post – February 22, 2007

Irwan Hidayat: Keeps Sido Muncul ‘Dancing’

JAKARTA JIVE
-
0
Irwan Hidayat: Keeps Sido Muncul ‘Dancing’

The wrinkles on his face are becoming more apparent, and he is not quite as agile as he was a few years back. Indeed, this year he will turn 59. Still, he maintains his sharp business acumen and strong business drive. He is in every way as highly motivated as the generation below him. This gentleman is none other than Irwan Hidayat, president director of PT Sido Muncul, Indonesia’s largest producer of jamu (traditional herbal medicine) and herbal drugs.

In late 2006, Irwan proudly announced that the sales volume of Sido Muncul had almost doubled from last year’s sales figures. It was quite an outstanding achievement for an industry squeezed between the pharmaceutical industry and imported drugs, particularly those from China.

Under Irwan’s leadership, Sido Muncul has continued to experience highly significant development. As the third generation entrusted to take the helm of this family business, Irwan has to do more than just continue the traditions already established in the company. He is dealing with a much different situation and condition; likewise, customers’ demands are different. These circumstances have spurred him to look for breakthroughs so that jamu will be equal in prestige to pharmaceutical drugs, or can at least be an alternative panacea with tested validity and scientific properties. 

“Compared with the pharmaceutical industry, the jamu industry has a small market. However, a number of pharmaceutical companies also produce jamu. This condition has put us increasingly in a bind,” Irwan said.

Aware of this reality, Irwan said Sido Muncul had to make a breakthrough to survive and continue to grow. In 1997, when many industrial companies found it hard to survive in the face of the monetary crisis sweeping through Indonesia, Sido Muncul, instead, announced the construction of a factory with certification from a pharmaceutical company, and a laboratory standardized as a pharmaceutical laboratory.

Irwan did not stop here but continued to promote the quality of his products by obtaining various certifications required by the Health Ministry. In 2000, the Health Ministry issued Sido Muncul a certificate on Good Medicine Production Practices (CPOB). With this certificate in its possession, Sido Muncul is a step ahead of other jamu producers, most of whom only possess Good Traditional Medicine Production Practices (CPOTB). “We apply the same standards as the pharmaceutical industry,” Irwan said.

In addition, Sido Muncul is also progressive in improving the quality of its products. The company has endeavored hard to raise the image of jamu. Sido Muncul may be said to be two or three steps ahead of other jamu producers in introducing better products. A series of scientific tests are always conducted before a product is put on the market. “We have conducted all these scientific tests to gain consumers’ trust. Jamu is usually perceived as being traditionally passed down from one generation to another. Well, we complement the existing tradition with scientific tests,” he said.

One of the constraints hampering the development of the jamu industry is the low level of public trust in its products, Irwan said. Jamu is usually perceived as being unhygienic and having a lot of adverse impacts. Irwan expressed hope that the efforts that he has made will result in public trust in the jamu industry in general and Sido Muncul in particular.

However, Irwan long ago introduced various changes that brought significant improvement in the performance of Sido Muncul. In 1993, he learned a very valuable lesson. Many people said Sido Muncul products were bitter and not nice to drink, which was why people were reluctant to drink jamu. This reality made Irwan think hard about how to make jamu taste better. Finally, Sido Muncul changed the formulas of most of its products so that it could produce better tasting jamu. “Our innovation has enjoyed a very good response from consumers,” Irwan said.

Sido Muncul was encouraged by the results and strived to introduce more innovations in its products. Besides producing jamu, Sido Muncul now also makes pharmaceutical and food products, particularly candy. Their two most recently launched products, Kuku Bima Energi, which is an energy drink, and Sido Muncul Vitamin C 100 mg, are enjoying a very good market response. “This is the fruit of efforts made over a long period. Today the public has greater trust in Sido Muncul,” he noted.

Irwan believes that Kuku Bima Energi has a great chance of becoming the second biggest player in the energy drink business. “At present we are in third position and only slightly behind the product in second position,” he said, adding that the sales volume of Kuku Bima Energi is over 40 million packets a year.

Likewise, although it has been launched only very recently, Sido Muncul Vitamin C 1000 mg is enjoying a very significant sales growth. “We are sure this product has bright prospects,” he said.

In addition, in connection with the effort to build public trust in the jamu industry, the employees of the jamu company should have full trust in the company. “It is good public relations when the employees say that their company is good. If the employees have this belief, consumers can be influenced,” he said.

The present success of Sido Muncul, he said, is inseparable from the role of all its employees, who form the big family of Sido Muncul. Irwan always tries to pass down the corporate values in the company’s vision and mission to all its employees, numbering over 2,000 people. Irwan said they did not get special training on the company’s vision and mission. Like his grandmother before him, Irwan always tries to set a good example for his employees about the values developed in this company.

Although Sido Muncul has enjoyed one success after another, Irwan is still sober-minded. He said that a business had to be run with a conscience. He is very much aware of the social responsibility that Sido Muncul carries. That’s why the company has taken the initiative to sponsor the conferment of the annual Sido Muncul Award on an individual who endeavors to help the unfortunate, or to an individual concerned with and sensitive to social problems.

In addition, Sido Muncul continues to practice a tradition started as far back as 1991: a free post-fasting Lebaran homecoming program for jamu vendors. Jamu vendors, he said, constitute one of the spearheads of Sido Muncul so the company rewards them for all that they have done for it.

Talking about the future, Irwan said he had an ambition to make Sido Muncul a more developed company. All these years, he said, Sido Muncul has relied more on its profits in business development. That’s why this development is slow, he added. In addition, the risk is very big. That’s why Irwan has been considering making Sido Muncul a public company to obtain additional capital for expansion. “But everything is highly dependent on the condition of the macro economy. If the condition improves, we plan to conduct an IPO.” Irwan said. (T. Hidayat)  

The Jakarta Post, January 24, 2007

1...322323324325Page 323 of 325

Editor Picks

Must read

Popular categories

Cyber Media Guidelines
- Advertisement -spot_img

Copyright © 2011 - 2021 Jakarta Jive, All Right Reserved