Georgetown Students Strengthen Ties With Indonesian Entrepreneurs

Three Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) students recently met with board members of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneur Association (Himpunan Pengusaha Muda Indonesia) in Jakarta, in a bid to increase the level of collaboration between Indonesian entrepreneurs and their counterparts in Qatar and the United States.

During their trip to the South East Asian nation, GU-Q students Hythem Al-Mulla (SFS’19), Irsyad Iskandar (SFS’ 18), and John Robling (SFS’ 19) met with the Association’s chairman and vice chairman, as well the chair of the National Tax Center and the head of economic creativity. With the students’ diverse international backgrounds, the meeting included participants from three different nationalities.

The trip also preceded the arrival of five undergraduate students from Georgetown University’s Main Campus in Washington, D.C., who will be in the country in mid-June for the ‘Hoyas in Jakarta’ project run by the Georgetown University Center for Leadership and Governance.

“Students in Georgetown, both in D.C. and Qatar, see a wide range of opportunity in Indonesia,” explained Iskander. “We think building bridges and opening channels with both formal and informal organizations and networks would help lay the groundwork for current and future Hoyas [Georgetown students] who want to come and see what this country is all about.”

In addition to fostering the support networks needed for future collaborations, the students used the opportunity to share details of the business environment in Qatar and the region.

"My motivation for visiting Indonesia is due to the fact that I really want to try my hand at building something meaningful,” explained Al-Mulla. “I saw that Qatar is really investing a lot in its youth in working towards the 2030 Vision by trying to promote innovation and entrepreneurship through various initiatives in Qatar Foundation, Qatar Development Bank, and other places. Being Qatari, and having a passion for Asia (for instance I speak fluent Mandarin), I felt it was right to try to connect the dots and build networks between Qatar and Asia in general, and after seeing all that Indonesia has to offer, I believe it would be a shame not to try to make use of all the opportunities available in both countries."

Established in 1972, the Indonesian Young Entrepreneur Association reaches over 25,000 entrepreneurs in Indonesia, with 274 branches in 33 provinces. Its members are active in a range of industries including agriculture, financial services, procurement, and mining.