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The leader believes transformation doesn’t always come from "grand or sparkly initiatives." More often, he says, it’s the small, consistent improvements — across systems, mindsets, and behaviors — that drive meaningful and lasting change.
HR leader Handi Kurniawan was not always in HR. His career began in finance, where he spent the first five years learning the discipline of numbers, strategic planning, and business management. A pivotal inspiration during this period came from a finance leader he admired — the then-CFO of General Electric — who later transitioned to become the head of leadership development for the region.
"Watching someone thrive in both roles challenged my mental model," he tells Priya Sunil, adding that it showed him that financial acumen and people leadership could coexist, even complement one another.
"It planted the idea that a finance professional could bring valuable insight into HR leadership, and that the boundary between business and people development is more permeable than often assumed."
His first formal move into HR — and what he calls a "big shift" — came while in a business development role at Standard Chartered, when he was offered the opportunity to lead the bank's leadership development function.
That moment was more than a pivot; it was a decision to anchor his career in a field where impact is deeply human and lasting. What has kept him energised since then is the people. "Unlike numbers or systems, people bring unique experiences, personalities, and motivations.
"There’s always something to learn. Every conversation reveals new variables, every initiative brings new challenges, and every success has a visible, personal impact," he shares.
"That’s what makes HR meaningful to me — we’re not just building systems; we’re shaping lives and enabling purpose."
Today, Handi is the Group SVP Human Capital Strategy & Talent Management at Bank Mandiri, having moved through country-, regional-, and group-level roles across organisations in his career.
In this edition of Snapshot, he talks about what means to lead HR at scale — aligning people strategy not just with organisational goals, but with the wider ambition of national development.
Q Looking back, what’s one pivotal moment that shaped your leadership journey? Was there a lesson or experience that left a lasting impact?
There are two experiences that fundamentally shaped who I am as a leader and as an HR professional:
a. Living and working across cultures
Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege to work in seven different countries. This global exposure expanded my worldview and helped me develop not just cultural sensitivity, but a deep appreciation for what diversity brings to leadership and team dynamics. I learned to listen more, judge less, and adapt faster. More importantly, I came to see that every individual — regardless of background — brings strengths.
As HR leaders, our task is to identify, amplify, and align those strengths with the needs of the organisation.
b. Scaling up: Country to regional to group level
Another major shift was moving from country-level HR leadership to regional, and then group-level roles. Each step came with increasing complexity. At the country level, the focus is execution and impact.
At the regional level, it’s about aligning across markets, balancing local relevance with global consistency. At the group level, especially in a large and multifaceted organisation like Jardines and Bank Mandiri, it becomes about designing ecosystems — how people, structure, technology, and culture all work together.
The transition required a different mindset — from solving problems to shaping the context in which problems are solved.
Q How would you describe your leadership philosophy, and how are you bringing that to life in your day-to-day work at Bank Mandiri?
I believe leadership is about harnessing human energy to co-create a better future.
At Bank Mandiri, I currently lead eight departments under the Human Capital Strategy and Talent Management unit — each with its own rhythm, priorities, and culture. My role is not to make them all the same, but to align them toward shared goals. This takes influence more than authority. As some say, “leaders are influencers” — leadership is about inspiring people to act willingly toward a common objective.
I agree — but I would add that influence starts with understanding what motivates people. Motivation is deeply personal; what drives one person might not resonate with another. That’s why I believe effective leadership means tuning into what truly matters to each individual — their values, aspirations, and sources of energy.
That’s also why I’m passionate about developing people — helping them unlock their potential, not just for the organisation, but also for themselves. When someone begins to see what they’re capable of — sometimes even beyond their own expectations — it generates powerful momentum. That energy fuels both personal growth and collective success.
Ultimately, when people grow, the organisation grows with them. And as a leader, being part of that transformation — of individuals and the system — is what makes the work deeply meaningful.
Q Bank Mandiri is one of Indonesia’s largest financial institutions – what does it take to drive meaningful people transformation at this scale?
Transformation is not just a project at Bank Mandiri — it’s part of our DNA. The bank itself was born from transformation, when four legacy state-owned banks were merged in 1998 amidst a national crisis. That act of unification and reinvention became the foundation for the modern Bank Mandiri.
Today, 27 years since our beginning, Bank Mandiri continues to evolve through a comprehensive transformation agenda — spanning digitalisation, customer experience, business model innovation, and most critically, talent development.
We see ourselves not just as a financial institution, but as a talent factory for the nation. This is reflected in the growing number of our employees who are promoted to hold leadership positions across Indonesia’s state-owned enterprises. It’s a testament to the strength of our people and our commitment to building leaders with both capability and character.
Our investment in leadership development is not solely about improving internal performance. It is a deliberate and strategic effort to contribute to Indonesia’s broader economic and institutional progress. Our goal is impact beyond the organisation. We believe that nurturing future-ready leaders is one of the most powerful ways to accelerate national development, drive meaningful change at a national level.
Q What’s one traditional HR approach you’ve challenged or redefined in your career?
One of the most rewarding shifts I’ve led was democratising access to quality learning and development. Learning and development used to be exclusive — reserved only for top talents. But with the rise of technology and digital platforms, high-quality learning is now more accessible than ever. At my previous employer, Jardine, I helped democratise learning by expanding access to development opportunities across all employee levels — making growth a shared experience, not a privilege.
Another area I challenged is performance management. Instead of relying on static SMART goals, we introduced the FAST+ framework: goals that are Frequently discussed, Ambitious, Specific, and Transparent, bound by Trust to deliver focus, high-impact execution. This created a more dynamic and responsive approach to individual and team performance. It emphasises agility, ownership, and real-time feedback.
Last but not least, I believe transformation doesn’t always come from grand or sparkly initiatives. More often, it’s the small, consistent improvements — across systems, mindsets, and behaviors — that drive meaningful and lasting change. In HR, this means embedding a culture of continuous improvement in everything we do. When these efforts are aligned with business goals, HR can evolve from being a support function to becoming a true strategic driver of organisational success.
Q What’s your long-term vision for HR at Bank Mandiri – where are you placing your bets when it comes to future skills, culture, and workforce strategy?
Our aspiration is to become the best financial institution in Southeast Asia. To achieve this, our HR vision must be bold and aligned with the bank’s ambition. My focus lies in three key areas:
a. Technology and future skills: Building digital fluency is a thing – it is something that now already a primary capability to invest on — AI, data analytics, and automation will redefine how work gets done. Our people must be ready.
b. Unique culture anchored in values: We call it the mDNA — a culture built on collaboration, resilience, and continuous learning. These values are not slogans; they must be experienced daily.
c. Timeless human skills: No matter how advanced technology becomes, the ability to build relationships, think strategically, and execute with discipline will always matter. These are the classic, enduring muscles of leadership.
I believe HR is both an enabler and a guardian of these three pillars. Our job is to design the future of work and guide people to thrive in it.
Q What advice would you offer to the next generation of HR leaders in banking and financial services?
If I could give advice to those starting in HR today, it would be:
Be resilient. HR is rewarding, but it comes with intense challenges — from people crises to organisational change. You’ll need the emotional stamina to stay grounded.
Stay curious. The field is evolving rapidly. Be a lifelong learner. Read beyond HR — in tech, behavioral science, economics.
Be adaptable. The only constant in HR is change. Those who thrive are those who can pivot quickly and lead others through uncertainty.
Q To end on a fun note – if you could switch jobs with anyone at Bank Mandiri for a day, who would it be and why?
If I could take on a different role at Bank Mandiri, I’d be interested in Corporate Relations or Investor Relations. I’d love to serve as an ambassador for the bank — to tell our transformation story to the world, build strategic alliances, and represent Mandiri’s impact on the global stage.
As someone deeply passionate about purpose and communication, I see this as an opportunity to connect the heart of the organisation with external stakeholders, in a way that inspires trust and fuels growth.
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