Learning curve

Today, Natalia has graduated from MIT’s prestigious Sloan Fellows MBA programme, which she describes as ‘a transformational journey that taught me how to think, lead and execute in a world changing faster than ever’.

Across roles in large corporates, technology-driven businesses and start-ups, Natalia has come to see finance as a bridge between strategy, execution and long-term impact. She has focused on applying financial strategy and data-driven insights to innovation-led businesses, helping organisations scale sustainably while navigating periods of disruption and rapid change.

Beyond numbers

Natalia’s professional story began in Jakarta, where she discovered an early aptitude for economics and accounting. ‘I was good with numbers but, for me, business and finance are beyond numbers; they’re about understanding people, incentives and strategy to drive real outcomes and long-term value creation.’

That mindset drew her to Unilever’s Future Leaders Programme after university – an opportunity that promised end-to-end business exposure and cross-functional learning. ‘Unilever had a strong meritocratic culture,’ she recalls. ‘I had great sponsors and mentors who believed in me. My performance led to fast-track promotions and I became one of the youngest leaders in finance in Indonesia.’

Natalia’s decade at Unilever spanned Indonesia, Singapore and global roles overseas, covering everything from finance strategy to digital transformation and business partnering. Among her highlights was leading finance for Unilever’s home-care division, a US$600m business. ‘It was like being CFO of a small company,’ she recalls.

She also spearheaded a major digital transformation project – a machine learning-based promotion management tool that became a multimillion-dollar investment. That appetite for innovation led her to co-found GoToko, a B2B digital marketplace joint venture between Unilever and Gojek, a technology partner.

‘I was building something from scratch, bringing together two very different worlds: fast-moving consumer goods and tech,’ she says. ‘That experience fundamentally changed how I think about business – from optimising existing systems to building entirely new ones.’

From FMCG to technology

The start-up world proved catalytic. ‘I discovered that I loved the fast pace, the close  proximity to customers and the tangible impact of creating something meaningful,’ Natalia says.

In 2022 she joined Shopee, South-East Asia’s largest e-commerce platform, leading FP&A during a particularly turbulent period. ‘It was an incredibly dynamic environment; we were competing head-to-head with new entrants like TikTok Shop, and it was a challenging time known as the tech winter. We had to stay profitable and competitive at the same time.’ The role required balancing financial discipline with rapid innovation, reinforcing Natalia’s ability to guide technology-driven organisations through volatility while protecting long-term economic value.

The experience reinforced her belief that finance must be at the centre of business decision-making. ‘Finance isn’t only a support function,’ she says. ‘It’s a strategic business partner. A good business leader must understand the P&L and how value is created.’

Natalia’s exposure to fast-growing digital businesses also shaped her views on innovation. ‘Digital transformation isn’t about chasing technology for its own sake,’ she says. ‘It’s about connecting insight with operational execution to help a business grow sustainably and with purpose.’

Learning to unlearn

At MIT Sloan, Natalia found a setting that mirrored her restlessness for change.

The one-year Sloan Fellows MBA, designed for mid-career professionals seeking transformative growth, proved an ideal fit. ‘It sits at the intersection of technology, innovation and entrepreneurship,’ she says. ‘Being surrounded by people from such diverse backgrounds – engineers, founders, policy leaders – forced me to think differently. I learned to connect ideas meaningfully across disciplines.’

She also rediscovered confidence in her own capabilities. ‘I realised there are areas where I have a competitive edge that I didn’t fully appreciate before,’ she says. ‘And it reconfirms the kind of leader I want to be – adaptive, innovative, principled and impactful.’

Giving back

Natalia’s ACCA journey has been another constant thread. She is an active and supportive member who has sat on the ACCA Indonesia member panel for the last two years.

‘Being part of the ACCA community is invaluable,’ she says. ‘ACCA represents what modern finance should be: ethical, forward-thinking, connected to the real economy.’

Mentoring is equally important to her. ‘I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors who helped me see my blind spots and encouraged me to reach higher,’ she says. ‘They shaped who I am today, and that inspires me to pay it forward by mentoring students, young professionals, women and SME founders.’

Looking ahead

Natalia plans to remain in the US to immerse herself in the region’s start-up and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Last year, she joined start-up Mom Snacks and also took on an advisory role, working on strategic projects to strengthen business ties between Indonesia and the US through Indonesia’s consulate in New York.

‘I want to build something that creates meaningful value for others,’ she says. ‘Eventually, I’d like to become a founder – a business leader who uses finance as a driver of strategic growth.’

Her long-term goal is to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Asia, particularly Indonesia, through robust data insights, financial strategy and technology-driven innovation, whether by investing, collaborating or launching her own venture. ‘There’s so much potential in the region,’ she says. ‘I want to play an active role in helping it grow.’