She’s the woman with the warmest, most motherly smile in Indonesian business. Shanti Lasminingsih Poesposoetjipto, full ofvigorous energy, tackles business negotiations with balanced strictness, skill,and open friendliness while dedicating her heart to communities in need. And she’s only 70 !
Poesposoetjipto currently holds several titles under her esteemed name, including being known as the tenth most powerful woman in Asia, and 150th richest person in the world,with assets worth up to Rp 500 billion. She currently serves as the Senior Advisor of PT Praweda Ciptakarsa Informatika. However,she is mostly recognized today as thePresident and Chairman of PT Samudera Indonesia Tbk, one of Indonesia’s largest shipping company, which was establishedin 1953.
This strong, capable woman has gone through a long journey to become the affluent entrepreneur she is today. She first started off as a manager in the Service Bureau department of NVPD Soedarpo Corporation, which sold computer data processing services to third parties. It was there that her professionalism and passion for electronics shone, and opened up a wealth of opportunity to collaborate with engineers from the Bandung Institute of Technology. For 33 years, Poesposoetjipto worked her way up the ladder, building her career by massing a wide variety of experiences through various information technology projects. She has been serving as CEO of PT Ngrumat Bondo Utomo, the Family Office of the Soedarpo Family, in charge of several subsidiaries in several industries. Eventually, she was placed on the board of Commissioners of PT Samudera Indonesia Tbk from June 2000 to May 2008 before attaining the presidency and chairmanship.Under her guidance, and through amicable business connections, the Company and its businesshas prospered. When she took charge, she started implementing strict staff policies, educating her employees to be mindful ofthe company’s cash flow in every business transaction.
Her sharp eyes for professionalism noticed the smallest detail, and she used this Transformation to shape and improve the corporation’s overall efficiency. Poesposetjipto also uses her natural charisma to establish strong international connections, earning the trust of several clients such as Mediterranean Shipping Company, Korea Marine Transport Co, NYK Bulk & Project Carrier, Rickmers-Line, NileDutch and Hapag-Lloyd AG. As a result, she holds several international positions, including being a Chairman of the Indonesia-Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg Chamber Of Commerce (INA); Honorary Board Member of German-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (EKONID) also Founder and Ambassador of Family Business Network Asia (FBN Asia). All these are simply a small representation of her influence in the global community. Due to her many positions on international committees, she became one of the key players in weaving her company’s seamless network among the Indonesian islands and beyond, to the rest of the global community.
By maintaining an aura of high integrity, the company’s growth under their current president has contributed much to their native nation through their business practices, stimulating its economy and creating many job opportunities for Indonesians. To fulfil expectations and to meet the demands for distribution activities, Samudera Indonesia provides domestic and international shipping services that includes Stevedoring, forwarding and port management, providing the necessary equipment for project logistics, warehousing and distribution, cargo inspection and handling, trucking, container shipping, ship management and many more. Had it not been for Poesposoetjipto’s entrepreneur skills, the Company wouldn’t have been placed 35th on GLOBE Asia Magazine’s 100 Top Groups in Indonesia.
This intelligent graduate from University of Technology of Munich cites most of her wisdom and knowledge as coming from her upbringing. Poesposoetjipto is the daughter of Soedarpo Sastrosatomo, one of the Indonesian business tycoons who established the giant shipping company, Samudera Group. He was also an Indonesian independence activist. In fact, Poesposoetjipto gained her passion for informatics computer science through his influence. He shared with her his beliefs that In practicing business friendship is a crucial factor needed for success. Her style of diplomacy often breaks the rigid nature of business collaboration, as she communicates with her partners on a personal level to fully understand their concerns and goals. Because of this, she has built a well-bonded, coherent community that work towards the same goal.
As an advocate of equality, Poesposoetjipto never has turned down potential friendships, regardless of race, gender, age, nationality and background. She often humbles herself, treating others equally, as she opens her mind to differing perspectives. As the director says herself, “If we entered a company, we act as members of the board of commissioners rather than as the ‘big boss’. My colleagues don’t see me as the owner either. Every member of the board has the same voting right and a say in decision making; there cannot be a percentage of ownership. By doing so, we are safeguarding aspects of governance.”
However, this doesn’t mean she’s lenient. When describing her style of business, Poesposoetjipto states that she is often hard on her colleagues. She does not hesitate in speaking the truth, and directly addresses the root of any matter, stand firming on decisions she’s certain would result in the betterment of her company and others. Her strict honest and good-willed stubbornness has enabled her to pursue many of her projects and expansions which has overall improved her company’s quality and efficiency.
Poesposoetjipto is a key role model for women all over the role, breaking through the glass ceiling with international success, and to high acclaim. In her early career, her talents already shone through the male-dominated engineering field, earning her pay equal to her male counterparts in the company – a rare feat during her time, and something which remains a challenge today. Inspired by the feminist ideologies of her mother Mien Soedarpo, another prominent Indonesian woman activist, Poesposoetjipto has become a vocal women’s rights activist, particularly drawing attention to the workplace. She was awarded the “Woman Inspire Award of 2002” in the Information Technology Sector in the Asia Pacific region by Singapore Women Business Connection (WBC), setting a prime example for women everywhere.
This feminist doesn’t hoard her valuable skills and knowledge, but rather takes it upon herself to educate the next generation of entrepreneurs. Her involvement in the education field is as intense as her involvement in the international field of business. She is currently the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Yayasan Pendidikan and Pembinaan Manajemen (YPPM); a Board Member of INSEAD Southeast Asia School of Management (Fontainebleau/France-Singapore), a Board Member of the School of Business and Management (SBM) ITB and Supervisory Board of Member of Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta. She is also one of the founding members of Wharton e-Fellow.
Because of this, ITB awarded her the title “Ganesa Wirya Jasa Utama” for her achievement in the development of entrepreneurship in Indonesia. As an avid supporter of nature conservation, Poesposoetjipto has engaged actively in several NGOs since 1980s, starting up several projects under her name. This includes the establishment of eco-tour programmes under her family’s ISTA Indonesia in 1987 and later in 2006 in collaboration with Indecon (Indonesian Ecotourism Network). Her leadership and dedication toward nature conservation in her home nation has earned her the “Nature Steward” award during the 15th Anniversary of TNC Indonesia in 2006. Poesposoetjipto’s friendly yet upright persona in business, along with her drive and dedication, and her warm caring heart for the voiceless, truly makes her a remarkable, outstanding woman worthy of this year’s award as “Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.”
