G

ood looking, clever and sharp in business is how one would describe Putri Kuswisnu Wardani, the second daughter of Mooryati Soedibyo and next in line to manage Mustika Ratu. Putri joined PT Mustika Ratu in 1985.

“I joined the family company [Mustika Ratu] not long after graduation,” said Putri.

Putri said that at first she simply wanted to try working for the company founded by her mother but was not sure whether she would stay a long time or even work full-time. She initially wanted to set up a company with friends in some other field.

However, once she decided to join the company she became totally involved and was determined to develop and advance Mustika Ratu further. And she did succeed in turning Mustika Ratu into a major company.

Putri, who loves traveling, fully understands the company’s business in jamu (traditional herbal medicine) and cosmetics made from natural ingredients. According to Putri, the company’s products have great potential on both the domestic and foreign markets. What’s more, Indonesia has all the raw materials of such products while at the same time the current demand for traditional cosmetics and jamu keeps on increasing.

“So, the huge opportunities for our products — traditional cosmetics and jamu — are not only in the domestic market but also in numerous foreign countries. Indonesia, the second most biodiverse country in the world after Brazil, has so many plants with restorative or curing powers. We also have in-depth knowledge on how to blend and prepare innovative cosmetics and jamu based on ancient recipes, which is our highly valuable asset and competitive edge,” explained Putri, who was born in Jakarta in 1959.

Putri also commented that the future success of this industry was closely related to the government’s strategy in boosting its progress and its competitiveness, especially for the export market. The government could do many things, for example, provide energy at a reasonable price, set lower bank interest rates and introduce easy and convenient procedures for permit applications.

The government also needs to be more aware of the presence of foreign jamu products here as can be seen from the high frequency of their advertisements in the local media. One such country to advertise such products is China, which again indicates that there is a huge market potential for traditional cosmetics and jamu in Indonesia.

“The recent development of the cosmetics market here also indicates that there are plenty of opportunities in the local business, so the government should be highly aware of this fact and pay attention to it. Ours is a huge country with a large population — about 238 million — and all this presents a major business potential for the industry, which needs to be maintained and developed further,” continued Putri.

Putri fully understands how to develop Mustika Ratu further by dividing her work into two parts: macro and micro. On the macro level she fights for further achievements for Indonesian cosmetics and jamu, while on the micro level she makes major breakthroughs in creating innovative products to meet consumers’ needs and to be always up to date.

“As the chairwoman of the Indonesian Cosmetics and Jamu Association I will keep striving to eliminate the hurdles facing the industry. Moreover, we also have to disseminate the right information to the public so that they enjoy the benefits from this cultural heritage of ours, whatever their age bracket or income segment, just like batik. Our cosmetics and jamu have been proven to be safe for centuries for health and beauty care,” she added.

Putri not only keeps on innovating but also pays attention to the competition, which is only natural in any business, she said. “We ought to have a positive attitude toward fair competition as competition actually boosts our creativity. The key is to stay focused on our work and be critical about it,” she explained in an optimistic tone.

Next to cosmetics and jamu, Putri has established other businesses, such as a hotel and spa. “Our hotel in Yogyakarta is the Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta where we have a spa called Taman Sari Royal Heritage. We also have an office building where our main office or headquarters is located, but part of it is leased to other companies,” she said.

Just like any other businesswoman, Putri has a busy schedule but always spares time for sports and family. “If I have a lot of time I use it for traveling,” she said. Next to being known as a successful businesswoman, she is also a good mother. She always makes time to communicate with her child, even when she returns home late at night.

“I always try to find out everything about my child, whether it be a school or personal matter. This is very important to me. It would not be a good balance if my work was done and all wrapped up but my child had a personal problem or a problem with his school achievements. I thank God that until today I have experienced no difficulties with my child or for that matter I can say that neither of us creates any problems for each other so that we can concentrate on our lives fully,” said Putri, who graduated from National University, Inglewood, California. Putri added that she always spares time to go out for dinner, watch a movie, travel and so forth with her family because the most important thing in her life is to stay connected with her family.

Putri has quite a few hobbies, such as reading, traveling, writing and painting. However, due to time constraints she usually only has time to travel and read.

Her busy schedule often exhausts her, so it is not surprising that Putri uses her weekend leisure time to take care of her body and do some household chores, such as cleaning the house. Indeed Putri is one Indonesian woman to whom one should give the thumbs up.