Meet the Leader. CEO of GE Indonesia Handry Satriago: The former typist is now on his way to the top, in his wheelchair

CEO of GE Indonesia Handry Satriago on a fast-breaking feast, mid-June 2018. (Docs: GE Indonesia)

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of General Electric (GE) Indonesia who is also a person with physical disabilities, Handry Satriago, gave a strategy to Indonesian industry and workforce, including disabled workers to compete in the digital era and face the disruption of the industrial revolution 4.0.



“Just take out the term ‘millennial’. Everyone must have the passion to learn, desire to learn continuously so they can adapt," said CEO of GE Indonesia, Handry Satriago, when met at his office, Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, last February.



Handry does not like the term millennial generation. He refused to categorize generations based on age. Every era has different challenges and each person must learn to adapt and be flexible, including himself.



His passion for learning was fulfilled both through formal and informal channels. He did his undergraduate study at IPB, majoring in Agricultural Industrial Technology, and obtained his Master’s Degree in Management from IPMI, Jakarta and Monash University. Handry obtained his Ph.D. degree in 2010 from the University of Indonesia, majoring in Strategic Management.



This avid reader has in his collection readings of a broad variety of topics, ranging from business, politics, to history. Handry also admitted that he also learned many skills from the people he met.



In building work with all generations in the company he leads, Handry has never made a boundary with employees. At GE Indonesia office, all employees work without cubicles to make collaboration easier. Handry himself only works in a small booth after his secretary suggested that he needed a special room to work.   



The passion to keep learning, adaptability, flexibility, and creating collaboration are the four capabilities that Handry calls the key to surviving in the industrial revolution 4.0 that has disrupted traditional companies. Another key is integrity to produce good works in a good way.



These five keys were also used by Handry since becoming the leader of GE Indonesia nine years ago. At the age of 41, he was selected as the youngest CEO in the history of GE Global and the first CEO of GE Indonesia who graduated from a local university.



At present, GE Indonesia is developing GE Digital which began in 2015. This business focuses on software development. As a result, GE is not only known as a company that uses large machinery technology, but also an expert in processing big data. This is a form of corporate adaptation to the industrial revolution 4.0.



“Changes in industry 4.0 are faster than those in the previous industrial revolution. Many industries are unimaginable. "10 years ago many things were not even imaginable," Handry said.



Handry agreed with the government's program 'Making Indonesia 4.0' to help the country excel in the field of digital technology. However, he hopes that the policy can be further accelerated by increasing the skills of the workforce through vocational education and making the investment in technology.



Vocational education can be improved by inviting industry to take part in it. Handry shared the achievements of one of GE Indonesia's partners in Salatiga, which was led by young graduates from vocational high schools (SMKs): Arfian Fuadi and M. Arie Kurniawan. The jet engine bracket - one component for lifting aircraft engines - which they designed is the lightest product compared to that designed by the Swedish professors and graduates of the University of Oxford during the 3D Printing Challenge competition held by GE in 2014.



In 2017, Arfian and Arie, founder of D-Tech Engineering, designed a tool that could analyze aircraft’s condition which they call as Intelligent Borescope Imaging System (IBIS). This design can work at hot temperatures so that the machine's checking time is faster. There are still many other superior products that they provide for international customers.



"They also train the local young people to do 3D printing. This can be called part of vocational education," Handry said.



Handry is proud to see that GE’s partners can develop their business and compete at global levels. He hopes that there will be more collaboration between educational institutions, research institutions, and companies that work together to grow high-tech industries in Indonesia.


"If you want to have Silicon Valley, there must be a school and industry there can be rapid development," Handry said.  



Put Your Hands Up, Persons with Disabilities



Handry Satriago chose to control his wheelchair himself when entering buildings. He has to go to the 18th floor, where his office is located. When Handry was 18 years old, lymph cancer gave him paralysis on his legs, taking away his ability to walk. But he did not give up nor waited only for those who extended their hand to him to help. After graduating from college in the mid-90s, he tried to find works in the traditional way: visiting companies and applying for jobs by showing his abilities.



"My first job was a typist with a salary of IDR150 thousand per month," he said.



At that time, there were still many buildings that were not friendly to people with disabilities. Handry didn't complain even though he had to climb the stairs to the fourth floor. But it was from work, Handry came to know many people and developed his ability which made it possible for him to be where he is now.



Handry believes people with disabilities can work wherever they want as long as it is according to their abilities. A deaf employee cannot do work that requires telephone communication. But they, said Handry, can work with computers, in manufacturing, or other fields.



Especially nowadays, access to information and infrastructure is increasingly easy for people with disabilities. Handry mentions a number of job seekers applications aimed at people with disabilities such as ThisAble Enterprise, Kinerja, and DNetwork.



"The most important thing is the mentality that our hands are not down," Handry said.



The applicants with a disability actually encourage the creation of more inclusive opportunities. The Indonesia Development Forum 2019 aims to find other solutions to create inclusive employment opportunities by bringing together government leaders, the private sector, academics, and civil society.


 

IDF 2019 is themed Mission Possible:  Seizing the Opportunities of Future Work to Drive Inclusive Growth. The forum is held by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and supported by the Australian Government through the Knowledge Sector Initiative will be held on July 22-23 2019 in Jakarta.