JP/Arief Suhardiman

Young business leader Arya Seta Wiriadipoera believes in the effectiveness of family management in leading an event organizing company.

High confidence may not be a characteristic privileged only to select few, but to have it coupled with in-depth experience is. Arya Seta Wiriadipoera, vice president of PT Napindo Media Ashatama, seems to be one of those leaders possessing that combination.

Despite being relatively young compared with most leaders in the business world, Arya has a slew of experience and strong self-assurance in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector. The graduate of Paramadina University has, since 2006, been involved in managing events and exhibitions.

The company where Arya now holds a leadership role, Napindo, focuses on organizing international exhibitions and conferences, especially business-to-business (B2B) exhibitions and conferences.

'€œThe business itself is attractive and challenging. The challenge is whether we can successfully organize a quality international-level event in our own backyard. This company is an Indonesian company through and through. With this company, we can show that Indonesians have what it takes to organize world-class exhibitions,'€ he says.

The competition in the MICE business has never been stiffer than it is right now, but that does not really worry Arya. '€œI'€™m very confident because I have a system that I have developed. It is a solid system that helps the company deliver a high quality event. We have a worldwide network, guaranteeing our ability to deliver,'€ he enthused.

He added that more and more foreign companies came into the country and got involved in exhibition and conference organization. '€œThey may acquire an Indonesian company or co-host an event with a local partner, or others. But that does not worry us. We welcome competition as it is natural. As long as the competition is fair, we are always ready to compete,'€ he stated.

Managing quality

Arya sees the need for Napindo to continue making breakthroughs, and strengthening the system and quality service.

Asked about his management style, the father-of-two said he always tried to make the company a place where the staff felt at home.

He explained that he was a typically relaxed person and that he didn'€™t want to emphasize discipline when leading the company.

'€œTo be honest, many of the management theories I learned at school are things that belong in the classrooms only; experience is the most important,'€ he mused.

'€œFor the company, I practice family management; that'€™s my philosophy. Our staff here may find the treatment different from that in another company. I want the staff to feel that they are at home.'€

Arya added that his door was always open and that the staff could come and see him to talk about anything. '€œWhen the staff have the sense of belonging, the company can build a solid team.'€

He also encouraged everyone in the company to work well with a reward program and bonuses. '€œAfter each successful event, the bonus goes not only to the project team, but to all divisions in the company also. We also have a reward program and social program, supporting our staff who want to go on the umrah [minor haj] pilgrimage for Muslims or holiday pilgrimages for our Christian staff, for example,'€ he said.

As a leader of a company that delivers services, he believes that quality service is what makes or breaks an enterprise. '€œI remind my staff that we are in a service industry, so we should put quality service at the front. What I mean by quality here comprises quality visitors, exhibitors, venue and hospitality of the organizer and the host. I believe quality beats quantity or the general size of the event anytime.'€

He also believes that commitment and interest can help anyone achieve success. '€œInterest is important, but without commitment, interest wanes. Some people jump on the bandwagon when they see something that interests them. But the moment the going gets tough, they raise the white flag. There is no commitment there, and with that kind of attitude, they cannot go far.'€

Resilience and respect

Arya regards both his parents as his idols, adapting his father'€™s resilience in times of crisis and learning about thoroughness from his mother. '€œMy parents built the company, Napindo. They both complemented each other, working side-by-side to make the company the way it is today,'€ he said.

Arya himself fully joined the company in 2009 as a project executive, specializing in overseas marketing.

'€œMy father once said that if I wanted to be successful in organizing an event, don'€™t hesitate to start from scratch every time. Another thing he said to me was not to be intimidated or feel inferior when facing someone of a high position. Show respect where respect is due, and people will return the respect,'€ Arya explained.

He added that he had another person he saw as a role model. It is the country'€™s second president, Soeharto.

'€œHe had the attitude and the ethics. He was cultured and civil, but he was also firm. That'€™s what I like about him,'€ he said.

In helming Napindo, Arya tries to combine the qualities of the people he admires and incorporate them into his management skills.

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Career Highlights

Vice president of PT Napindo Media Ashatama (2012 '€“ present); project executive of the company (2009 '€“ 2011).

At Ease

- R/C aficionado

I always enjoy motorsports and for me, radio control (R/C) has the elements of motorsports, including the world R/C championship. I take this hobby very seriously. So serious in fact that I have had an R/C circuit built. More than that, I also am now one of the suppliers of R/C cars and their spare parts for one of the R/C toy brands from Europe.

- Photography enthusiast

Photography is one activity that I really enjoy. I take photos of various subjects, from landscapes to portraits. My work also often takes me abroad to see how exhibitions are organized, and this provides me with opportunities to find new and exciting subjects to shoot.

Birth

Jakarta, Oct. 17, 1984

Education

Bachelor'€™s degree in marketing management from Paramadina University, Jakarta (2009).

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