Sulaiman

From Finance to Transformational Leadership

Timotius Max Sulaiman, the CEO of PT. Eka Mas Republik, better known as MyRepublic in Indonesia, has been lauded with the Asia’s Most Inspiring Executives award by the ACES Awards, acknowledging his impactful leadership in the Indonesian telecommunications sector.

Since being part of the company in 2020, Sulaiman has had several roles prior to becoming CEO in 2022, leading MyRepublic to become a frontrunner in the Indonesian internet service provider (ISP) market. Under his leadership, MyRepublic has expanded its reach to 57 cities across Indonesia and has garnered numerous awards and recognitions for its high-speed, fibre-optic services that cater to both residential and business clients, often achieving unbeatable speeds and service quality in analyses such as the Ookla Speedtest Awards. Speedtest Awards™ by Ookla®, Asian Telecom Awards 2023-2024, also APAC Stevie Awards 2024 Win

Sulaiman began his career in finance, with a strong educational foundation in accounting. His analytical skills and keen understanding of financial frameworks were instrumental as he transitioned into roles with broader operational oversight. Over time, he harnessed these skills to excel beyond traditional finance boundaries, cultivating expertise in strategic planning and cross-departmental management.

This journey took a transformative turn when he joined MyRepublic, where his visionary approach quickly set him apart. His finance background helped him bring a disciplined approach to budgeting and performance metrics, critical to scaling operations across new markets. With that said, it was his adaptability and drive to innovate that ultimately propelled him into the CEO role. As CEO, Sulaiman leverages his financial expertise to fuel data-driven decision-making, ensuring sustainable growth and advancing MyRepublic’s industry leadership.

Sulaiman began leading MyRepublic amid a dynamic period of growth and adaptation in the broadband industry. His path to the CEO role in 2022 was driven by his cognizance of MyRepublic’s untapped potential and the company’s need for innovation to overcome what he described as an “invisible barrier” in achieving further success.  Realising this, he proposed a bold shift in leadership, aiming to inspire his workforce and break through performance ceilings to enable rapid expansion and improved service quality.

His vision centres on MyuRepublic’s role as a key provider of reliable, high-speed broadband in Indonesia. Sulaiman identified the increasing demand for fixed broadband services due to Indonesia’s unique geographical landscape and limited internet penetration in certain regions. By positioning MyRepublic to focus primarily on high-speed fixed broadband, Sulaiman has made strides toward connecting more Indonesian households, emphasising the brand’s commitment to quality and reliability.

Additionally, Sulaiman’s strategic vision also included fostering technological innovation. MyRepublic has distinguished itself by offering symmetrical upload and download speeds at a 1:1 ratio, and enhancing service options to meet the increasing demands for high-quality internet. This approach is part of Sulaiman’s commitment to providing users with an optimal internet experience. He also focuses on optimising MyRepublic’s core offerings, addressing both consumer and small-to-medium enterprise (SME) needs, and partnering with over-the-top platforms like WeTV and Vidio, WeTV, Vision+ for a broader entertainment package. Such alliances allow MyRepublic to cater to diverse customer preferences, from households seeking premium internet to small and medium businesses that depend on robust connectivity.

Internally, Sulaiman immediately revamped MyRepublic’s culture by strengthening its PRIDE values—Positive Attitude, Reliability, Integrity, Determination, and Excellence. He introduced a trust-based work ethic that fostered motivation across his team, which helped inspire a collective ambition to meet and exceed targets, ultimately leading to record-breaking growth soon after. The PRIDE values now form the core of MyRepublic’s culture, emphasising both teamwork and individual accountability, which has contributed to a consistently high performance month-over-month.

Under his guidance, MyRepublic’s workforce embraced a renewed sense of purpose, with Sulaiman setting ambitious network expansion goals. By late 2023, MyRepublic extended its services to a total of 48 cities, demonstrating Sulaiman’s dedication to bridging Indonesia’s digital divide and enhancing internet accessibility across the nation.

MyRepublic’s rise under Sulaiman’s leadership has also been marked by other notable achievements. In 2023, for instance, the company was honoured as one of Indonesia’s Best Managed Companies by Deloitte, a mark of acknowledgement that celebrates top privately managed businesses for their strategic, operational, and financial excellence as well as customer-centric culture. This award is merely one amongst the many that MyRepublic has attained to date, championing MyRepublic as a trusted name in Indonesia’s digital economy.

Sulaiman’s adaptability to changing market demands is further reflected in his proactive approach to technological advancements. He has streamlined MyRepublic’s operations by embracing automation, especially in network monitoring, allowing rapid response to service outages. This agility ensures customer satisfaction by minimising disruptions and reinforcing MyRepublic’s reputation for reliable service.

Looking to the future, Sulaiman envisions MyRepublic expanding further within Indonesia. This forward-thinking approach aligns with his ambition for MyRepublic to be "the pride of Indonesia," driving connectivity in hard-to-reach areas and meeting the growing demands for digital infrastructure.

As one of Asia’s Most Inspiring Executives, Timotius Max Sulaiman’s transformative impact on MyRepublic demonstrates the powerful results of a leader committed to innovation, corporate culture, and strategic growth. His achievements at the company reflect a synthesis of technical expertise and visionary leadership, making him a fitting recipient of the award. Moving forward, Sulaiman draws inspiration from the transformative potential of technology and the importance of connectivity in modern life to push the boundaries of MyRepublic’s success even further.

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