(Courtesy of Schneider Indonesia)When he started as a junior marketing manager at PT Schneider Indonesia 23 years ago, Riyanto Mashan dreamed of one day becoming the company's president director.

The dream came true in 2010 when he stepped up to take the reins at the local unit of the French electronic controls and equipment manufacturer.

He acknowledges that having a dream and passion are the two things that keep him motivated and drive him to do his best.

'Because I had a dream, I figured out how to achieve the dream,' Riyanto, 47, said.

An electrical engineer undergraduate, he earned an MBA and doctorate in marketing. He continued to enhance his knowledge of marketing and management-related areas, including leadership and professional management, by taking courses.

He went on to become the regional business development head focusing on MV-Project & Services & Energy-Infra in Singapore from 2002-2005 and Asia-Pacific quality director in Hong Kong from 2005-2009. Working overseas, he said, required him to work fast and have a high sense of individual responsibility, professionalism, flexibility, adaptability as well as communication skills.

He admits the tasks were so challenging that he almost gave up but it was his passion, spirit and a regained self-awareness of nationality ' which he believes must be cherished ' that not only enabled him to deal with the challenges but also achieve.

After almost three-and-a-half years leading Schneider Indonesia, Riyanto feels more comfortable at the top than in early 2010, when he implemented a back-breaking program of change in the company.

'It was a tough and painful period,' he said.

He acknowledges many talented employees opposed his proposed revamp. But, thanks to strong support from passionate members of his team, he managed to carry out the revamp program even though many of those who disagreed with the program left the firm.

'Not everybody was happy, but I had to make difficult decisions because it's for the sake of the company and for the future,' he said.

Changes included building a new organization structure, building a new team, recruiting new talent, building a platform that involved process, control, infrastructure and systems.

After the initial rejection in some quarters, the company experienced enhanced employee satisfaction.

'In a company gathering in August 2010, only 50 percent of people [employees] turned up. But in another gathering in 2011, around 95 percent of employees joined. Only a few people couldn't come because they had to be in the field and on site,' Riyanto said happily.

Three cycles of HR

With his many years of experience, including working overseas, he knows well not only the types of employees suited to work at the company but what needs to be done during employees' engagement with the company, including giving rewards for good performance.

In the electronics industry, having skilled and competent staff is essential to support the operation of the company in addition to other components, such as infrastructure and systems.

'Recruiting or hiring the best people, developing people and retaining those people are the three cycles of human resources [HR] that we need to deal with properly,' he said.

Talent at the company is nurtured through corporate values that include patience, openness, straightforwardness and efficiency.

'We also cultivate values of diversity in terms of race and gender, etc. Diversity will enrich our organization through the background of different values, which they bring and are blended into one at Schneider,' he said.

As part of the HR development program, talented employees who meet certain conditions are sent abroad to work at Schneider's representative offices, including in Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and China.

'Through working overseas, they are expected to acquire experience in multicultural and international working environments so that when they come back they will bring all these values, which helps the organization develop into an international organization.'

Within the company's business ethics framework, the management not only encourages the employees to share their initiatives but also implement them, he said.

'So we give them reward recognition of their performance in every quarter. We also have annual rewards for best employees, and so on,' he said, referring to ways of motivating employees to work professionally.

Decisions, decisions

Making decisions is a major part of his role as country president. For a big decision that will have an impact on many people, he usually involves his employees to gain feedback.

'I listen to my people, their concerns, their input and their ideas. I need to get their feedback. If I have more supporters, then it will be much easier for me to make a decision,' he said.

'That's why when I make a decision, I communicate informally to get their feedback, especially for a big decision that involves and affects many people.

Riyanto attributes childhood experiences to shaping who he is today. He learned positive values from his parents, especially his father, who was very strict and had a high sense of discipline in expecting his children to perform. Despite being strict, he gave his children freedom when it came to productive activities.

He became a small entrepreneur in his childhood. At 11 years old, he set up his own chicken business, using his own pocket money and savings to build the coop, with around 10 chickens to start with.

'The chickens bred and reached around 100. Many people were knocking on our door to buy eggs,' he said.

'When the chickens got old and stopped laying eggs, I sold their meat and I made a lot of money from it. When I was 13, I was recognized as a small entrepreneur and I received an award from the local village head.'

The father of two names his hobbies as playing golf and traveling, although today he rarely gets to enjoy the latter activity. During his time overseas, business travel was frequent, but not today.

'Since I work in Indonesia, I spend a lot of time in the office,' he said.

'Now, I have a lot of guests. Once I had a plan to visit a branch office [outside Jakarta] but suddenly, my guests came and wanted to meet me here

Riyanto Mashan

Date/Place of birth: Semarang, Nov. 3, 1964

Experience
Has worked for Schneider for almost 23 years, starting as junior marketing manager ' MV in 1990 ' 1992. Held a position as regional business development head MV-Project & Service & Energy-Infra, Singapore in 2002-2005 and Asia Pacific quality director, Hong Kong in 2005-2009. Appointed country president in 2010. Previously, he worked for CV. Persatuan Agung, Jakarta as sales engineer (1987-1989) and PT Lembayung, Jakarta, as sales manager (1989-1990).

Education
Electronic engineering, (1983-1989), MBA in marketing (1996-1998) and PhD in marketing (1998- 2002).

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