UNAIR NEWS “ (UNAIR), renowned as one of Indonesia™s top public universities, has a long-standing reputation for producing exceptional graduates. Many of these alumni have ascended to leadership roles in major companies across various sectors. A prime example is Edison Manalu, who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mount Scopus Indonesia.
Manalu earned his degree in English Language and Literature from the Faculty of Humanities at UNAIR, though at the time, this program was under the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP).
Now leading Mount Scopus Indonesia, , a prominent company in the Food and Beverage (F&B) sector, Manalu manages several well-known brands, including The Harvest, Almond Tree, and The Harvest Express.
Gaining experience beyond classroom
Edison Manalu™s journey to his current position was far from short. He began his studies at UNAIR in 1989 and graduated in 1994.
Although he completed his studies on time, Manalu chose to delay his graduation so he could graduate alongside his senior colleagues. “I finished my studies in 1994, but I had completed all my requirements a semester earlier. However, I waited to graduate together with my seniors,” Manalu shared.
During the wait for his graduation ceremony, he seized the opportunity to gain work experience at a company. Shortly after, he participated in a management training program, which laid the groundwork for his future in business and management.
“After that, I briefly worked at the Salim Group in the property sector while waiting for my graduation. Following my graduation, I joined a management trainee program from 1994 to 1995. It was during this time that I gained education in business, specifically on how to manage a business,” he recounted.
Manalu later worked for several foreign companies, all within the retail sector. These opportunities allowed him to gain in-depth knowledge and play a significant role in the growth of the ˜hypermarket™ concept in Indonesia.
“Hypermarkets were just starting to boom in Jakarta around 1997, and I was one of the first locals to help grow this concept in Indonesia. Subsequently, I was hired by various companies, which allowed me to deepen my understanding of the retail business,” Manalu elaborated.
From literature to retail leadership
Transitioning from a background in language and literature to the business world was challenging for Manalu. The knowledge he gained in college was vastly different from the industry he entered. Nevertheless, he acquired his business acumen through hands-on experience.
“Even though my background is in literature and culture, I gained my understanding of economics through a management trainee program at Hero and honed it further through experience. In other words, I learned by doing,” he said.
Manalu emphasized that regardless of one™s academic background, it teaches a person how to think, reason, and process information. He believes that his background in language, literature, and culture provided him with insights into these processes.
“As human beings, we are inherently cultural. Our ways of thinking and interacting are shaped by our cultural backgrounds. Therefore, those with a background in cultural studies should find it easier to understand how to interact with others. Cultural studies teach important aspects of emotional intelligence (EQ). While someone may have a high IQ and be very smart, without EQ, it can be difficult to fully develop oneself,” Manalu concluded.
Author: Syifa Rahmadina
Editor: Edwin Fatahuddin
