Why Bukalapak’s executives go Down Under to reach the top

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Hi there,

If you’re a young Indonesian living in big cities like Jakarta, you have likely tried – or have been advised to try, at least – to pursue a degree in the Land Down Under. As a friend once told me, “If you can’t make it to America, try Australia. That’s the closest place where a world-class education can be guaranteed.”

Many of Bukalapak’s executives, especially those in its current management team, seemed to have followed this path. Willix Halim and Teddy Oetomo – the company’s CEO and president, respectively – got their bachelor degrees in “the lucky country,” and many more graduates from Australian universities have been hired by the ecommerce giant. Bukalapak even built a tech hub in Melbourne and appointed a talent acquisition manager to expand the workforce there.

However, the company now has a more complex structure.

As a result, top decision-makers have to oversee several divisions of the company. For instance, Victor Putra Lesmana serves as the president of Bukalapak’s commerce and fintech units.

In this week’s Big Story, my colleague Aditya takes an in-depth look at the key personnel spearheading the firm in its post-IPO era. These are the people steering a company that plays a major role in transforming the ecommerce scene in Indonesia and spearheads the IPO game for local startups.

Our Hot Take, meanwhile, brings the planned merger of Blibli and Tiket to the fore and explores why investors should pay more attention to this under-the-radar marriage.

– Budi

THE BIG STORY

Org Chart: The people running Bukalapak

Image credit: Timmy Loen

We look at the team leading Bukalapak as the firm enters a new era after its blockbuster IPO.

THE HOT TAKE

Breaking down the Djarum’s connection that binds Blibli and Tiket

FYI

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