By : Mien R. Uno
(President Director, Duta Bangsa)


Marketeers August 2010

The topic being raised by Marketeers this time involves women. It wouldn’t be complete without an exclusive interview and discussion with the expert, Mien R. Uno.

Mien R. Uno is a figure that deserves to be the idol of every Indonesian woman. Smart, hard-working, she is someone who always holds to her etiquettes. Her name is often related to the John Robert Powers personality school, before finally establishing her own school, Duta Bangsa. She is a mother to two successful sons, Sandiaga R. Uno, one of Indonesia’s top businessmen, and Indra C. Uno, a scientist. Recently, she was also appointed as one of the seven juries at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Monte Carlo. The following is an interview of Mien R. Uno with the Marketeers team, discussing the role of women in the New Wave era that is becoming more and more horizontal.

Marketeers (M): How do you see women in today’s advanced era?
Women are unique beings. They have an extraordinary endurance, and they are always able to solve any problems. There is always a solution for them, and that is what makes them attractive in large companies. Because women are known to be able to solve a problem with, let’s say feelings. They have a positive side, in which they use gentle words.

M: What do you feel are the anxieties of Indonesian women?
Women are not the only ones who have anxieties, but men as well. Perhaps it is because women tend to be more expressive that their anxieties are clearly shown in their daily activities. It is not about whether you are a man or a woman. Everybody has their own weak point or strong point. I do not agree if women are said to be less successful in terms of careers. No, it’s not because they are women, but it is because the individual herself, her character and her personality.

I believe what Pak Hermawan is doing is a great thing because it will women’s eyes and enable them to learn more about the details in their weaknesses. With these insights, we will be able to improve ourselves when facing any situation. Anxiety is a human’s natural behavior.

M: Would you say that a woman’s desire changes alongside the ever changing New Wave era?
Yes, because Indonesian culture is similar to the east culture. We place our family above everything. This is a great thing. If we do not have a career outside of the house, we will then adapt as a housewife. Being a housewife is a very noble and hard job, because we do not have a benchmark in which we can compare to. Because every household has a different character and should be treated differently from one another.

A full version of this article in Bahasa Indonesia can be read in our August 2010 edition of Marketeers.