Smart Salary spent yesterday morning surrounded by Indonesia’s sharpest business minds at the AFPI CEO Forum 2026. Mr. Entjik S. Djafar opened with warmth as Ketua Umum AFPI. Then Mr. Tiar N. Karbala, Special Staff to the President for MSMEs and Digital Technology (Staf Khusus Presiden for UMKM dan Teknologi Digital), spoke about policies that actually plan to reach MSMEs from warung owners to home-based tailors.

More magic happened during the keynote session with Ms. Avilani, Wakil Ketua Umum Bidang Analisis Kebijakan Makro Mikro Ekonomi Kadin Indonesia, Mr. Adief Razali, Kepala Departemen Pengawasan Lembaga Keuangan Mikro dan Lembaga Keuangan Lainnya OJK, and Mr. Hans Patuwo, CEO GoTo, guided by moderator Ms. Yasmine Meylia Sembiring, Direktur Eksekutif AFPI.

Key Take Aways From the Event:

Activating the 70 Million Growth Engine

The most significant opportunity for Indonesia lies in the 70 million people currently in the middle-lower income bracket. This group often lacks social safety nets like BPJS and faces fluctuating monthly incomes, leading traditional banks to view them as high-risk. However, they are not a problem to be solved but a growth engine waiting for the right tools. By utilizing Innovative Credit Scoring (ICS), digital platforms can now filter for creditworthiness without requiring the rigid collateral or assets demanded by conventional banks.

Bridging the Risk Gap in the Real Sector

While Indonesia’s financial institutions are prepared for extreme currency shocks such as the Rupiah hitting 17,000, the real sector remains exposed. In the current landscape, it is debtors and small businesses who truly bear the burden of economic volatility. To protect them, we must transition to human-centric risk models and adaptive regulations. For instance, digital financial education and support to real life conditions rather than exponential conferences with goals only focusing on numbers of attendees rather than impact.

Expanding Beyond Processing via Downstreaming

Indonesia’s “Hilirisasi” (downstreaming) strategy is a massive 618.1 billion opportunity that covers 28 commodities across eight sectors. This road map is designed to build entire value chains that will generate 857.9 billion in exports and create 3 million jobs by 2024. However, for this to truly benefit the population, the government must focus on building a workforce that can transition into these high-value manufacturing and agricultural roles.

Racing Against the Demographic Clock

Indonesia currently enjoys a demographic dividend, but this advantage has an expiration date. By 2045, the nation will face the same aging population pressures currently challenging developed countries. To avoid becoming a burden on the state, the current youthful generation must be transformed into a highly productive workforce. This requires a shift from capital-dependent growth to technology infusion and innovation to ensure long-term sustainability.

Forging Synergy through the Triple Helix

Achieving an ambitious 8% growth target requires more than numerical planning. It demands a Triple Helix collaboration where the Government, Universities, and Industry move in total alignment. In this model, the government provides strategic support, universities drive research and talent, and industry serves as the provider of community needs. This synergy is essential to navigate a global landscape where “certainty is uncertainty,” ensuring that growth translates into real productivity and dignity for the nation’s 30 million farmers and underserved communities.

Leaving the forum, I received great knowledge and not just a list of policies, but also a sense of hope because we, the people, are kept in mind. A target that to ordinary people for 8% economic growth is seemingly unlikely were given real solutions. This ensures true hope that will be shaping the motivation of the Indonesian People in order to reach Indonesia Emas 2045.

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Turn company announcements from forgettable memos into moments that actually land just like the energy at the AFPI CEO Forum 2026. With Smart Salary’s Announcement Feature, blast comapany information, policy shifts, or “Free pizza Friday!” straight to every employee’s phone, all without drowning in email threads or ghosted group chats. One tap, total alignment. Wait no further, register for a demo now and let your team feel the buzz.

The post AFPI CEO Forum 2026 new Takeaways: Prabowo’s WEF Promise Meets Fintech Reality on the Ground appeared first on Blog HR & Payroll Smart Salary.

Why Mandarin for Business

Back in school, we were all told: “English is the language of the future.” And sure, it’s everywhere now. From movies to meetings, English has become part of daily life across the globe.

But there’s another language quietly powering the world’s economy, one we often overlook. It’s the language of the country behind the Belt and Road Initiative, the Great Wall, and now, some of the biggest industrial investments in Southeast Asia that is Mandarin Chinese.

Indonesia and China signed 16 new industrial projects, all from companies in Fujian province alone, with a combined investment value of around IDR 36 trillion (roughly US$2.19 billion) (Invest Indonesia, 2026). These projects span sectors like batteries, AI, seafood processing, and textiles, all part of a deeper economic partnership under the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” framework.

This isn’t just diplomacy. It’s real 2026 business. And it’s happening right now.

Yet, many people hesitate to learn Mandarin. Articles like the one from LinguaBox Group (2025) list all the usual challenges: tones, tricky sounds like zh and q, characters that seem impossible to memorize. Yes, Mandarin can be tough, but is also as rewarding. If we waited until something felt “easy,” we’d never begin at all.

And here’s the truth, you don’t need fluency to benefit from learning Chinese. Even a few key words can open doors, especially in business.

As someone passionate about helping people grow, I believe investing in yourself, through language, culture, and global awareness, is one of the highest return on any decisions you can make. So let’s start small.

Basic Business Chinese Words

In this series, I’ll share practical insights at the intersection of China, business, and language. And today? We begin with four simple,but powerful,words you’ll hear again and again in Chinese business settings:

1. 老板 (Lǎobǎn), Boss
   You’ll hear this everywhere in China, even street vendors are called “lǎobǎn” from customers as a friendly nod. In Indonesia, it’s the go-to term for business owners or managers.
2. 客户 (Kèhù), Client / Customer
   No business survives without clients. This word pops up constantly, in emails, meetings, sales pitches. Know it, and you’re already speaking the language of commerce.
3. 会议 (Huìyì), Meeting
   Love them or hate them, meetings run the business world. “Huìyì!” might be the word your manager yells as Friday afternoon comes your way.
4. 加油 (Jiā yóu!), “Add oil!” → “You’ve got this!” / “Semangat!”
   Literally “add oil”, like fueling an engine, but used to cheer someone on. It’s warm, energetic, and deeply Chinese. Honestly? This might be the most encouraging phrase you’ll ever learn.

Of these, 加油 (jiā yóu) stands out. It’s not just for business, it’s for life. For the learner who’s nervous about their first conversation. For the entrepreneur pitching to a Chinese partner. For anyone taking a risk.

So if you’re thinking about learning Mandarin… don’t think, start now, jiā yóu!

That is all for our ‘Mandarin for Business‘ learning for now. We’ll keep exploring more words, cultural tips, and real world China, Indonesia business stories in the next post. Stay tuned!

For HR Teams Building Global Ready Workforces in Chinese, indonesian, and More

If you’re in HR and managing teams that work across countries, language shouldn’t be a barrier inside your own systems. That’s why Smart Salary, our all in one HRIS platform, supports multiple languages, including Mandarin Chinese. Because when your payroll, performance reviews, and employee records speak your team’s language, operations run smoother and inclusion becomes real. After all, language is the backbone of any truly global business.

References

Invest Indonesia (2026) China and Indonesia Boost Investments With 16 Industrial Projects. Available at: https://investindonesia.co.id/2026/01/19/china-and-indonesia-boost-investments-with-16-industrial-projects/ (Accessed: 21 January 2026).

LinguaBox Group (2025) The Challenges of Learning Mandarin. Available at: https://www.linguaboxgroup.com/blog/challengelearning (Accessed: 21 January 2026).

The post Mandarin For Business: Why learning Chinese Might Be Your Best Smart Move appeared first on Blog HR & Payroll Smart Salary.