The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, stated that the complexity of global challenges demands that Indonesia possess technological excellence and industrial leadership with integrity. He believes that strong leaders can transform global uncertainty into strategic opportunities for the nation.
This message was delivered during a keynote address at Leadership Night 2025, held by SBM ITB, in Lippo Kuningan, Jakarta (12/17). This annual event provides a strategic dialogue between national figures, prominent founders, academics, and the SBM ITB academic community to discuss leadership and Indonesia’s future.
Prof. Brian’s views were reinforced by Dr. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy for the 2020–2024 period and Founder of Saratoga Investama, through a video broadcast. He emphasized the importance of courage in taking and managing risks.
“A leader must be a problem solver, encourage cross-sector collaboration, maintain business sustainability, and create real economic impact through job creation,” he said.
Themed “Bridging Brilliance: Building Indonesia’s Next Generation Through Research and Beyond,” Leadership Night 2025 highlighted the role of higher education in developing leaders grounded in research, innovation, and integrity. Several national figures and renowned founders attended as speakers, including Zaky Muhammad Syah, Founder & CEO of Dibimbing.id and University of Cakrawala; Dimas Ramadhan Pangestu, Founder & CEO of Meatguy; Haidhar Wurjanto, Founder & CEO of Es Teh Indonesia; and Achmad Nurul Fajri, Founder & Director of PT Luxury Cantika Indonesia (Luxcrime) and CEO of Feel Matcha.
The event also served as a moment of reflection and honor to Prof. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto and Prof. Surna Tjahja Djajadiningrat, the founders of SBM ITB and the initiators of Leadership Night, which has been consistently held since 2010 as a platform for leadership inspiration. Leadership Night 2025 was opened by Prof. Dr. Ir. Tatacipta Dirgantara, who emphasized ITB’s role in national development.
“This is an opportunity to demonstrate ITB’s responsibility to oversee Indonesia’s progress, spark strategic ideas, and prepare future leaders capable of producing superior and characterful human resources,” Tatacipta said in his remarks.
The talk show session, which focused on multi-hyphenate leadership, brought together the perspectives of founders, creators, and leaders across industries. The discussion concluded that today’s leadership demands humility, strong system support, the courage to innovate, and a commitment to sustainable business.
In the discussion, Zaky Muhammad Syah, Founder & CEO of Dibimbing.id and the University of Cakrawala, emphasized the importance of avoiding a false sense of heroism.
“Avoid a heroic mindset. Leaders don’t always have to be the busiest or start everything themselves. Good leadership is about building systems, not just relying on individuals,” he said.
In addition to leadership discussions, this event also served as a platform to recognize outstanding lecturers, staff, students, and alumni of SBM ITB who have made significant contributions to Indonesia. The Best Lecturers award was presented to Dr. Dina Dellyana and Gatot Yudoko, Ph.D.
Through Leadership Night 2025, SBM ITB hopes that the leadership values shared can be passed on to students and young leaders, while strengthening the role of educational institutions in developing a generation of adaptive, integrated, and impactful Indonesian leaders.
Written by Student Reporter (Hansen Marciano, Management 2025)
