When the CEO of a leading F&B group told me, “Tony, we don’t just need someone who can do the job we need someone who gets our culture,” it was after a year-long, frustrating search for their Marketing Director. That conversation changed everything. It crystallized a truth I’ve seen confirmed in my 7+ years of […]
Startups often operate in controlled complexity, focused on rapid innovation and scaling. However, many founders underestimate the importance of HR until compliance issues, hiring mistakes, or high turnover slow growth. HR support is not a bureaucratic cost but a growth multiplier, providing essential structure, leadership, and talent strategy when businesses need it most. At Luminare […]
When a multinational health tech client first approached us about scaling their Indonesian operations, their biggest concern wasn't recruitment it was payroll. In Indonesia, payroll mistakes like incorrect PPh 21 tax calculations or delayed THR payments can quickly damage employee trust and company reputation. From my experience, payroll is not just an administrative task; it […]
When I moved from in-house at Indonesia's largest travel unicorn to a recruitment agency, I expected new challenges. Through that transition, I realized that selecting the right HR service partner for executive roles is critical, as it directly impacts leadership success by aligning talent with organizational goals For HR directors, CEOs, and founders, a poor […]
When we were competing with two other headhunting firms for a VP of Product role at a leading health tech company, the final candidate asked pointed questions about the company's financial governance during the interview process. While we had presented only 5 carefully selected candidates throughout the search, this particular candidate—who had multiple competing offers—made […]
When structuring a C-suite compensation package for a European expatriate, the client focused mainly on gross salary and overlooked key Indonesian tax regulations regarding taxable vs. non-taxable benefits. This oversight affected the executive's net salary and highlighted that understanding salary tax Indonesia is essential not just for compliance but as a strategic tool to manage […]
When a prospective client, the owner of a fast-growing retail SME, first approached us, his primary concern wasn't recruitment—it was survival. He was spending late nights wrestling with payroll calculations, terrified of making mistakes with tax withholding or BPJS contributions. He confessed, "Tony, I'm more afraid of a visit from the tax office than losing […]
When one of our clients, a leading OTA, approached us for a critical design leadership expansion across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, the main challenge was navigating cross-border compensation and income tax. What works in Singapore doesn’t always apply in Jakarta, and miscalculating income tax risked the entire project. This taught me that understanding Indonesia’s income […]
When I first reviewed a payroll transformation project for a national manufacturing company, it reminded me how underestimated payroll functions often are in Indonesia. The company had over 500 employees and spent nearly two weeks each month just to process salaries and reconcile PPh 21 reports. Accuracy issues, delayed submissions, and manual spreadsheets created unnecessary […]
When I meet CEOs and HR directors in Jakarta, the conversation often shifts from executive search to the challenges of managing Indonesia's complex payroll process. Navigating tax calculations, BPJS contributions, and changing labour laws creates significant administrative burdens and risks, diverting focus from growth. Payroll management is more than an administrative task—it's a strategic liability […]
