CEO Insights Magazine

The role of a country manager is vital when it comes to driving organizational growth in a new region or country. A country manager's responsibilities include introducing efficient business strategies as well as efficient management of various business parameters, such as P&L, revenue, quality goals, and so on. Over the years, while numerous international companies have started venturing into new territories and regions globally, there has been a significant rise in demand for Country Managers across the globe.

Aris Munandar Rahmatullah, the Country Manager – Indonesia, Southern Tristar (Singapore-based leading Bolts and Nuts, Cable Support System, and Cathodic Protection Manufacturer) is one of the top leaders who has significantly excelled in this leadership gamut. This accomplished professional carrying around two decades of extensive experience having worked across diverse industry sectors is currently helping the firm catalyze tremendous growth in the Indonesia region. Under his inspiring leadership, the firm is currently functioning from two factories in Indonesia while aiming to grow further.

In an exclusive Interview with CEO Insights ASIA, Aris sheds light on his prior industry experience, his leadership approach, and much more:

Could you give a brief account of your professional journey?

I started my career around 18 years ago as an Electrical Engineer at one of the biggest EPC firms in Indonesia and worked there for around four years before joining one of the biggest LNG firms, not just across Indonesia but also across the world, where I worked as an Electrical as well as Senior Facility Engineer. As an interactive person who loves to discuss and communicate with people, I decided to change my career domain as there was no scope for communication or discussions as an engineer.

During that time, I got the opportunity to work with one of the biggest electrical hazardous product manufacturers in the world, Cooper Crouse-Hinds, as a Country Manager for Indonesia. While changing my domain was a huge challenge, I still went ahead and accepted the position. My family has always been a huge support throughout my career.

Define Southern Tristar as an organization and its current position in the market. As the Country Manager, what are the factors you look into to ensure the smooth running of operations?

Southern Tristar is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality Bolts and Nuts, Cable Support Systems, Cathodic Protection Systems, Hydraulic Bolt Tensioning, and Torquing Tools & Services. Headquartered in Singapore, the firm also  has factories in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia (Johor Bahru), Australia (Perth), the Middle East (Dubai), and China. As the Country Manager for the Indonesia region, my primary responsibilities is to make sure include maintaining coordination and communication between factories.

As the Country Manager, I ensure the smooth functioning of the factories and handle almost all the operations, including P&L, strategies, cost saving, and so on. I have also ensured the effective implementation of various business strategies, such as Six Sigma and Total Productive Maintenance, across the factories. Southern Tristar had only one factory in Indonesia by the time I joined. However, we build another factory within the next five months, which I consider a huge achievement.

Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the methods you practice to stay afloat with the ongoing industry trends?

As a leader, I look up to Prophet Muhammad, who was a versatile leader and knew how to handle people. He always tried to give his best output without caring much about people talking behind his back. As a leader, I always try to ensure the well-being of my subordinates. I believe that people shouldn't bring their private issues to work as it hampers their output and in case someone is going through such issues, I try my best to help them through suggestions and guidance. In case of any issues, I always try to be accessible to my subordinates. However, a line must be drawn when it comes to respect.

Apart from being a part of various associations, such as Fastener Association Indonesia, Cable Support Association, Cathodic Protection Association, and so on, I also indulge in group discussions with our Ministry of Industry. Even going through various new trends on the internet helps me stay open to new ideas. Apart from that, I also constantly discuss with our R&D team as well as the manager to understand the market trends as well as for further innovation.

What is the future destination you are headed towards?

In terms of future roadmap, my goal for Southern Tristar is to experience further growth in the coming years. While currently, we have an employee strength of around 80 people in Indonesia, I want to push the number further to reach double soon and more. As a leading firm, we want to venture further across the Southeast Asia region while providing support to our other branches in case of need. Apart from that, with Southern Tristar, I also want to do further R&D and come up with an innovative product that would make us stand out from our peers in the market. Coming to personal goals, I want to be a better version of myself. Irrespective of the roles and responsibilities offered to me, I will always try to give my best for the organization.

Aris Munandar Rahmatullah, Country Manager, Southern Tristar

Aris Munandar Rahmatullah is an accomplished professional with around two decades of extensive experience across a wide range of industries, such as Electrical Engineering, Sales & Management, Lighting Design, and many more, working for some of the leading organizations across Indonesia while demonstrating sharp leadership and team management skills. In his current role, he is working as the Country Manager for Singaporebased leading Bolts and Nuts, Cable Support System, and Cathodic Protection Manufacturer Southern Tristar.

Quick Facts:

Hobbies: Playing Badminton, Travelling, Spending time with family

Favorite Cuisine: Indonesian

Favorite Book: La Tahzan (Don't Be Sad) by Aid al-Qarni

Favorite Travel Destination: Japan and Makkah

Awards & Recognition:

• Won the Best Lightning Design From Southeast Asia by Dialux

• Won the Top Sales Manager Asia Award