Kenapa Pemimpin Perempuan Masih Sedikit? - Ira Noviarti | Endgame #103

TL;DR

Ira Noviarti discusses gender diversity and leadership challenges.

Transcript

GITA WIRJAWAN: Hello friends, today we have Ira Noviarti. the leader of Unilever. Ms. Ira, thank you very much for coming. IRA NOVIARTI: Thank you very much, Mr. Gita, for inviting us. We want to ask a lot of questions. But as usual, we begin from your life journey, your childhood was born in Jakarta, November 28, 1971. A Sagittarius.

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Key Insights

• Ira Noviarti's early life in a large family taught her about diversity and leadership, shaping her career path.
• Despite initially wanting to study medicine, Ira pursued economics due to her father's influence, which later led to a successful career in business.
• Ira faced challenges as a woman in a male-dominated industry, but she emphasizes the importance of ambition and expressing aspirations.
• Unilever Indonesia has made significant strides in gender diversity, achieving a 50:50 male-to-female ratio on the board and senior levels.
• Ira advocates for women to try and test their capacities before giving up, emphasizing the importance of support systems and company policies.
• The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for Unilever, but it also provided an opportunity to strengthen the company's fundamentals.
• Ira believes in the importance of mentorship and developing successors to ensure sustained leadership and diversity in the future.
• She sees a bright future for Indonesia's economy, with Unilever poised to capitalize on increasing consumer spending and gender diversity in leadership roles.

Questions & Answers

Q: What challenges did Ira face in her early career?

Ira faced challenges as a woman in a male-dominated industry, where ambition in women was often seen as unusual. Despite this, she remained determined to express her aspirations and sought guidance from mentors to navigate these challenges effectively.

Q: How did Ira's early life influence her career?

Growing up in a large family, Ira learned about diversity and leadership from an early age. Her father, an army officer, entrusted her with responsibilities, which helped her develop leadership skills and an understanding of diverse personalities, shaping her career path.

Q: What steps has Unilever Indonesia taken towards gender diversity?

Unilever Indonesia has achieved a 50:50 male-to-female ratio on its board and senior levels. The company has implemented policies and programs to support gender diversity, such as mentorship, flexible working options, and creating a supportive environment for women to thrive.

Q: How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact Unilever Indonesia?

The pandemic posed significant challenges for Unilever Indonesia, requiring a shift to virtual operations and ensuring the safety of its workforce. Despite these difficulties, Ira used the opportunity to strengthen the company's fundamentals, leading to improved profitability and growth post-pandemic.

Q: What advice does Ira give to aspiring women leaders?

Ira advises aspiring women leaders to test their capacities before giving up, to explore support systems, and to express their aspirations. She emphasizes the importance of mentorship and seeking opportunities within companies to balance work and family life.

Q: What is Ira's vision for the future of Indonesia's economy?

Ira envisions a bright future for Indonesia's economy, with increasing consumer spending and gender diversity in leadership roles. She believes that Indonesia can become one of the world's largest economies by 2045, with companies like Unilever playing a significant role in this growth.

Q: How does Ira plan to give back to Unilever and Indonesia?

Ira plans to give back by developing future leaders and ensuring a strong pipeline of successors at Unilever. She also aims to positively impact Indonesia by supporting programs that empower women and foster economic growth, leveraging Unilever's long-standing presence in the country.

Q: What actions is Unilever taking regarding sustainability and climate change?

Unilever is committed to sustainability and climate change, focusing on reducing waste and energy use in its operations. The company is working to halve energy consumption by utilizing renewable energy sources and is actively involved in initiatives to mitigate environmental impact.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Ira Noviarti shares her journey from a large family to leading Unilever Indonesia, emphasizing the importance of diversity and leadership skills developed early in life. Despite initial aspirations in medicine, she pursued economics, leading to a successful career.

• Facing gender biases in a male-dominated industry, Ira stresses the importance of ambition and expressing aspirations. Unilever Indonesia has achieved significant gender diversity, with a 50:50 male-to-female board ratio, and she encourages women to explore their capacities.

• The COVID-19 pandemic challenged Unilever, but it also led to strengthening company fundamentals. Ira advocates for mentorship and developing successors to ensure future leadership diversity, while seeing a promising economic future for Indonesia.