The world of finance is evolving beyond number-crunching and balance sheets. Today’s CFOs must be strategic enablers, strong collaborators, and innovators while ensuring business sustainability. Few exemplify this transformation better than Novita Kwee, CFO & HR Partner at PT. ABC President Indonesia. With a career spanning consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and now the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, Novita has successfully integrated financial expertise with human capital management—an unconventional yet powerful combination.
In an exclusive interview with DigitalCFO Asia, Novita reflects on her journey, the evolving role of finance leaders, and how ABC President Indonesia is navigating today’s complex business environment.
From Consumer Goods to FMCG: A Leadership Journey Rooted in Adaptability
Novita’s career trajectory has been anything but linear. She began her professional journey in consumer goods, working her way up from a junior role. She later transitioned into pharmaceuticals, a highly regulated industry with strict compliance requirements. While these experiences sharpened her ability to operate within structured environments, her return to FMCG introduced an entirely new level of dynamism.
“In pharmaceuticals, developing a new product can take over ten years due to rigorous testing and approvals. But in food and beverages, we can launch a product in just a few months,” Novita shares. “This speed demands agility, strategic foresight, and a deep understanding of market trends.”This need for agility is reflected in Novita’s leadership approach, where she continuously balances risk management with innovation, ensuring the company remains competitive in a volatile market.
Merging Finance and HR: A Strategic Advantage
Leading both finance and HR may seem like a challenge, but for Novita, the two functions are deeply interconnected. While she has previously managed both functions in smaller organisations, her role at PT. ABC President Indonesia is on a much larger scale.
“In previous roles, finance and HR often sat under the same umbrella due to the company’s size. But at ABC President Indonesia, the CEO restructured the organisation, placing all supporting functions. Including finance and HR, under my leadership,” she explains.
For Novita, this integration is more than just an operational decision—it’s a strategic advantage. She assures that organisational resilience and employee engagement are compatible with financial sustainability by integrating talent development with financial strategies.
Simplifying Complexity: The Key to Navigating Indonesia’s FMCG Market
Indonesia’s FMCG sector is notoriously fast-paced and competitive, with constant cost pressures and currency volatility. For Novita, the key to managing this complexity is simplicity. “To arrive at simplicity is actually very difficult,” she admits. “It requires meticulous preparation, agility, and open-mindedness. As finance professionals, we cannot just provide reports; we must act as strategic partners to the operational team.”
One example of this is Novita’s currency management strategy. Instead of dealing with multiple foreign exchange risks, she collaborated with the export team to conduct transactions in US dollars wherever possible, simplifying financial processes and mitigating risk. “Instead of dealing with three or four different foreign currencies, we streamline everything into one, making operations much more efficient,” she explains.
Digitalisation in Finance and HR: Building a Future-Ready Workforce
With the digital revolution reshaping industries worldwide, PT. ABC President Indonesia is embracing technology to enhance both financial operations and HR processes. “Our target consumers are young, so we need to stay digitally agile,” Novita says. “This is reflected in how we run our business, from marketing strategies that now prioritise YouTube and TikTok over traditional TV ads to HR digitalisation.”
One notable shift is the transition to an app-based HR system, which streamlines payroll, attendance tracking, and recruitment processes. “Our employees can now check in using a mobile app instead of a traditional punch card. This is not just convenient. It also helps create a modern and engaging work environment,” she adds.
Recruitment has also been transformed, with PT. ABC President Indonesia leveraging digital platforms to attract and filter talent. Through their Graduate Talent Program, they narrowed down 4,000 applicants to just 10 employees—a process made possible through digital screening and data-driven decision-making.
Sustainability and Employee Well-being: More Than Just Compliance
Sustainability is no longer just a corporate responsibility; it is a business imperative. While many multinational corporations in Indonesia have clear sustainability mandates, Novita is taking steps to integrate sustainable practices into PT. ABC President Indonesia’s operations. “We’ve installed solar panels in our Karawang factory, reducing our dependence on conventional electricity,” she shares. “We’re also closely monitoring the quality and performing regular maintenance of our wastewater management to ensure environmental sustainability in support of green energy.”
Beyond environmental efforts, Novita places strong emphasis on employee well-being. She recounts a deeply personal example of how the company supported an employee battling cancer. Considering his loyalty, commitment, and performance, the company provided continuous support to the employee during the battling period and took special care of his family after his final departure. This commitment to people-first leadership reinforces PT. ABC President Indonesia’s culture of empathy and support, ensuring employees feel valued beyond their job roles.
Advice for Aspiring Finance Professionals: The Power of a Growth Mindset
For young finance professionals looking to make an impact, Novita’s advice is clear: keep learning and embrace challenges. “Regardless of your certifications, you must develop a business mindset. As finance professionals, we are not working in isolation—we are here to support the commercial team,” she emphasises.
Novita also encourages resilience, especially for women in leadership. “In Asia, balancing career and family can be challenging. But resilience is key. Even if you have to step back momentarily, use it as an opportunity to come back stronger,” she advises.
As she looks back on her career journey, three principles stand out:
- Lifelong Learning: “Even with certifications, I continue pursuing new knowledge because the world, including finance, is constantly evolving.”
- Integrity: “In finance, one of our main functions is to protect the company’s assets. Integrity is non-negotiable.”
- Perseverance: “Finance comes with complex and dynamic tax regulations, as well as compliance requirements. Persistence is crucial.”
Connect with Novita Kwee
In an era where CFOs are expected to go beyond the numbers, Novita Kwee exemplifies how financial leadership can drive business transformation, employee engagement, and sustainability—all while navigating the fast-paced world of FMCG. Her perspectives provide a masterclass in strategic thinking, resilience, and agility, demonstrating that finance executives of the present day must be equally data-driven and people-focused.
Whether you’re a finance professional looking for inspiration, a business leader keen on integrating finance and HR, or simply someone who values forward-thinking leadership, connect with Novita Kwee on LinkedIn.
