Charting a new course: How Indonesia's untapped opportunities are poised for growth

Businesses should look for a local partner that shares their vision, says entrepreneur

- Hariz Baharudin

JAKARTA - Digital payments, telemedicine, education and movies — with such an extensive resume, it is hard to believe that prominent Indonesian entrepreneur and education adviser Aldi Haryopratomo is only 42.

Mr Aldi, a father of three, is best known as the founder and former chief executive of GoPay, a leading digital wallet in Indonesia, which has played a key part in driving the adoption of QR code payments, and facilitating the use of digital payments in areas where they were not widespread.

He has also contributed to Indonesia's healthcare sector. As a member of the board of Halodoc, a health-tech platform, he has worked on improving healthcare accessibility and promoting sustainable practices within the industry.

In addition, Mr Aldi has a strong interest in storytelling, particularly in film and media. He also sits on the board of Visinema, an Indonesian award-winning film studio.

He views storytelling as a means of simplifying complex concepts and engaging a broader audience in all realms, including business and technology. This approach is clear in his work, from using creative campaigns to introduce QR code payments to advocating for the use of telemedicine in underserved areas.

Mr Aldi spoke to The Straits Times in January to discuss the role of storytelling in technology adoption, the importance of creating products that meet real needs, and offered some words of wisdom to budding entrepreneurs in South-east Asia.

Q Policies must be communicated well to the people they are supposed to serve to achieve desired outcomes. Why is it important to use storytelling devices as a way to inform people, especially people in underserved communities or in rural areas, who might not be the most aware of the importance of, say, financial planning or preventative healthcare?