We have featured alumni working in consulting, mining, automotive, electronics, FMCG, and beauty industry. Now we want to explore banking. What is your perception on this industry? Is it an interesting one? Generally, we would define bank as a place where we can save our money or that provides credit. This time we want you to meet Ivan Revelry Peranginangin (Marketing 2005). He is the Alternate Channel Acquisition & Usage Head (Digital Banking Product – Rekening Ponsel) at CIMB Niaga. Are you curious why he chooses this career? Let’s get acquainted with Ivan.

Ivan’s Story in Deciding to Enroll in Prasetiya Mulya

As a high school student, it is not a surprise if one can’t decide firmly on what and where to continue the study. Being a science student, Ivan dreamed of becoming a doctor, which is a very common dream. Within his doubting moment, he looked at his closest persons. His brothers studied economics so he made it a consideration.

With economic studies as a choice, Prasetiya Mulya was surely on top of mind. Ivan has been familiar with our school since he was little. “My father is an alumni of the graduate program. When I was small, I used to come with him to campus. That is why when he found out I wanted to study economics, he informed me that Prasmul just opened its undergraduate program. He then highly recommended Prasmul especially some of his colleagues’ children were admitting themselves in Prasmul too. I took the test and I was accepted.”

Ivan’s Journey in Prasetiya Mulya

Once he enrolled himself in our school, it was so funny when he told us how he was shocked. “Honestly, it took me a while to adjust. The faculty members were mostly those who teach in the graduate program. It is an advantage to have them teach us, the high school graduates. I was young and I didn’t think that the program required me to be at that level of understanding. Thankfully after a semester, I became accustomed to everything.”

Later on, Ivan must decide in which concentration he wanted to be. Among the three choices, he felt Marketing that suited him best. He also learned about the programs offered by each concentration prior deciding. In addition, his peers whom he considered have the same vision were choosing Marketing too. It made him more comfortable with his decision.

During his four years in our school, he felt the environment was very conducive for studying. He perceived that he could easily discuss and express his opinions with the faculty members. “The faculty members were very attentive to us. They were very cooperative too. I remembered one of them always noticed when I was confused with his subject. He would come up to me and asked me what my troubles were.” That memory stayed with him until now.

Ivan added the curriculum impressed him. He felt the balance between theoretical and practical knowledge. He believed that it constructed a systematic way of thinking. He perceived that balance was also the result of having faculty members who have professional experiences and practitioners too.

“If most people say high school years are the best, mine would be campus years. We are so close one and another. Just imagine how much time we spent together! Monday to Friday from the morning until the evening or sometimes late nights and even weekends.” Ivan was so enthusiastic when he told us this. We believe it is another highlight of his studying years in our school.

Other memorable moments for Ivan were the business projects, starting from small ones to the business plan as his final project. He shared one interesting story about the business he developed when he was in his second year. At that time, he noticed that Indonesia is a big textile producers, including denim. He had an idea on producing local brand jeans. With three friends, he started the business and he was responsible for operations and branding. To his surprise, it was successful and from this business he became a part of a community who initiated today’s trend: local clothing market. Looking at his business, he decided to make it as his final business project.

Overall, Ivan felt satisfied with the learning process he gained in Prasetiya Mulya. Despite the projects required by the program, he managed to take part in student activities, one of it was TIMA (Traditional Indonesian Martial Arts). The whole experience benefited Ivan in his career. He has structured thinking and good ability to work with others and to network.

Pursuing a Master Degree

Once Ivan finished his study in Prasetiya Mulya, he didn’t have clear career aspiration. We got the impression that Ivan is an easy going person and doesn’t like to fuss over the unnecessaries. Having older brothers who obtained master degree and a father who loves education, it affected Ivan’s thoughts positively. He wanted to be just as good as his family members.

Based on that, Ivan decided to study International Business Management in Melbourne, Australia. He went abroad to experience different environment. His courses were complimenting the knowledge he has from our school. Ivan told us that he didn’t experience any shock or trouble adjusting because he was used to it. His learning experience in Prasmul has helped him.

His higher education actually opened his view on banking. He learned about digital banking. That one course amused him and knowing the prospect of its growth, Ivan developed his interest in it.

Ivan’s Career Path

“To be honest, I have never really think of where I want to work or what I want to be. Working in bank didn’t even occur to me. All I think of was working in FMCG or multinational companies. Then again, I think I am influenced by my family. My brother works in a bank. He advised me to try. In addition, when I returned to Jakarta, I met one of my father’s colleagues. We had this discussion. He told me that bank is the perfect place to start a career. He said banks have the robust system from which I can learn alot. He added that it would enable me to work anywhere else.”

That one discussion really changed Ivan’s perspective. He started eyeing on banks to start his professional journey. The opportunity was brought into his attention by his brother. He was told to look for information about the management trainee program in CIMB Niaga. At first he didn’t find anything because the name of the program had been changed. Once he was sure of the program’s name, Ivan then applied to The Complete Banker Development Program.

The recruitment process took a while since there were many stages. Once he applied, Ivan got a call and he underwent the psychological test. The next step was interview HR and grade VP. He passed the first interviewe and was asked to do a presentation to two heads of level SVP. The final stage was interview with the directors. After Ivan passed all the stages, he was officially recruited in CIMB Niaga.

The program runs for a year. Ivan was in the sixth batch of the program. He went through on class training for couple of months and he must pass the written test. Once he passed, he continued to the on-the-job training where he was given projects. Those projects must be presented at every end of the assigned term. One of the projects regarded with the new digital product, Rekening Ponsel.“I didn’t have a problem adjusting to working environment or the workload. During this program until now, I noticed the difference between Prasetiya Mulya graduates with national universities or abroad graduates. It is the way of thinking. If we encounter a problem, we will step back and try to see the problem in a helicopter view. Then we trace back to find the root cause. From that, we can create the solution. I guess this is an advantage.”

Ivan has been involved with the bank’s digital product prior completing the program. He explained that the product was almost complete and he became responsible to initiate a mechanism regarding Rekening Ponsel which is a product under the Branch & Branchless Banking. His involvement and success provided him his first assignment as Product Development Manager Rekening Ponsel. With this role, Ivan developed the new transaction channel for the product  in the market. He also created ways to increase the product’s brand awareness and usage. From this experience, Ivan witnessed the growth of the digital banking era as he once learned.

After 2,5 years, he was promoted as Alternate Channel Acquisition & Usage Head in Digital Banking, Branchless & Partnership. His work is still related with Rekening Ponsel. With the growth of the digital industry, Ivan is responsible to grow its acquisition numbers through corporate client channel. He is now also responsible to maintain the relationship with the clients. Looking at his journey, it is no doubt that his previous roles supported him in doing his current responsibilities. Ivan seems to like his job because he explained that he actually learned alot about other industries. He felt his knowledge is enriched.

We now know that each stage of his career journey supported the new. We were curious about how much knowledge gained from his study is applicable and useful. “If you ask me how much knowledge from campus used in my work, I would say not 100%. As I keep mentioning, it is the structured way of thinking. Having that, it would really help us in doing our job.”

If we look at Ivan’s career path, we must say he accelerated. To give a perspective about how it is in CIMB Niaga, here’s what Ivan has to say. “There are two ways to work in bank. First, the direct professional hire. It is for position with certain experience requirements or non-management. Second, the complete banker development program. It is for fresh graduate who will be groom in management. The career path is clear but the duration for getting a promotion is uncertain. It is based on your performance.”

Ivan’s Point of View of the Banking Industry

Banking may not be appealing for most students, even Ivan didn’t imagine himself working in bank. “In general we may think that banks are conventional. It is only for saving and lending. Yet once we are involved professionally, there are other things. Banking Industry is modernized, and I think it’s pretty dynamic. I would take CIMB Niaga for example. At this time, our CEO aims to grow our digital product. That is very interesting for me. Not to mention that I have the chance to learn a lot about e-commerce.”

The business process in banks depend on the division.“I can speak for product management.Business process that we have is similar to FMCG companies. Like I’ve explained earlier, as a product manager, I am responsible to develop the product features that we think applicable for the market. Once the product is ready, I have to think of promoting it to increase its usage.” We think that perhaps Ivan’s words are right. Someone who has worked in bank, he/she is possible to pursue a career elsewhere, in a different industry.

Work culture differs in each bank. Ivan explained that mostly it is formal. “The bank I work in now is a merge of two banks with different background. At the beginning, I felt the bureaucracy was challenging. Then again, with the changes within the company, the situation feels more corporate with far more less bureaucracy. This surely help the company to move forward.” To have more knowledge of his working environment, Ivan shared to us the perk of being in the Complete Banker Development is the networking. He has more exposure to VP and directors.

Ivan told us that the opportunity to work in bank is very big. There are many functions you can work in. He added most banks value fresh graduates especially those who participate in their management trainee program. The changes and the dynamics would be the challenges faced if you work in the industry.

To be able to work and survive in the industry, Ivan advised to first eliminate the stigma about working in bank. “Whether you want to work in bank or other companies, you must start by having positive thoughts. Avoid having negative perception because you won’t know until you try. In my opinion, having a structured way of thinking will help you grow your career. You must also be quick learner so you don’t get left behind.”

Ivan’s Words of Advice

He has been working for five years now. He already experienced the difference between campus life and professional life. The main difference is on the mindset. “When we were students, we did what we must do without thinking what will come next or what will happen in the future. But when we work, we should think of what the upcoming result would be prior making an action.”

With that years of experience in banking, we wondered what Ivan has in mind for his future. He told us that he became more interested with the digital industry. Bank still has its charm but we got the perception that Ivan is open for other opportunities. It seems that he doesn’t want to limit his options.

Ivan advises that students must make the best of his campus years. “In my personal opinion, the point of campus life is not all about academic score or academic achievements (since this is already mandatory for us to graduateJ ), but it is more on how you develop and shape your own way of thinking and perspectives as your stand ground. Expand your networks, having discussion with everyone, your mentors, lecturers, different kinds of groups and friends, absorb their thoughts and speak your mind. I believe this is very crucial for us to gaining new knowledge and new angle. When we already have our set of mind, I’m sure we will know what we want, how to do it with our own way, and how can we accelerate it.

It was an interesting one hour interview with Ivan. There is one of his thougths that we couldn’t forget. “You should start thinking what would happen in the future before you make a decision instead of let’s see what the future brings.”