GoTo stays mum on ByteDance’s layoff plans as former chiefs leave board

Photo credit: GoTo Group

TikTok owner ByteDance was reported to be planning job cuts in Indonesia following TikTok Shop’s merger with Tokopedia. But amid rumors that as many as 70% of Tokopedia employees may be laid off, the marketplace’s former parent GoTo Group has issued a statement in response to queries from the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

In the disclosure document, GoTo Group emphasized its status as a non-controlling minority shareholder.

“GoTo believes that the management of PT Tokopedia will make prudent decisions as to the management of its business, taking into account various considerations to ensure the best possible outcome,” it said in the disclosure document. “Any decision taken by PT Tokopedia shall be determined by PT Tokopedia’s management.”

The comments came a day after GoTo announced the results of its latest general meeting, which included Tokopedia founding CEO William Tanuwijaya and longtime COO Melissa Siska Juminto leaving their posts on GoTo’s board of commissioners.

Juminto had run Tokopedia’s day-to-day operations as GoTo’s president of ecommerce since last year, before she was replaced by ByteDance executive Vonny Ernita Susamto after the TikTok-Tokopedia deal.

Andre Soelistyo, previously GoTo Group’s CEO, has also resigned from the board of commissioners.

As Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, ByteDance’s planned job cuts may affect about 450 of the firm’s 5,000-strong team in Indonesia – or about 9%. Local media reports, however, indicated that ByteDance might slash up to 70% of Tokopedia’s workforce and discontinue nearly 80% of its services – it’s unclear where the figures first came from.

“To the best of the company’s knowledge, in its capacity as a non-controlling minority shareholder of PT Tokopedia, there are no plans to discontinue almost 80% of Tokopedia’s services,” the disclosure noted.

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