Social impact: From global enterprises to local initiatives

Irvan Sutyono, driven by his boundless curiosity, embarked on an exciting journey across various continents. In his youth, while studying in school, he felt drawn to the idea of promoting human progress through technology and initially planned to study bioengineering, focusing on the biology of human evolution. However, a chance encounter with someone from the hospitality industry left a lasting impression on him, and he unexpectedly switched to pursuing a degree in hotel management. This decision was fueled by Irvan's desire to experience“human touch”to assess untapped business opportunities in his region and a desire to travel the world while working. It was at the EHL School of Hotel Management that he discovered his hidden talent in real estate and a passion for social projects. After graduating, his ventures took him on an international journey from Switzerland to France, the UK, Thailand, and back to his hometown of Jakarta. Currently, as the head of innovation and asset management in the family business, Irwan applies his international experience to prototype affordable and sustainable housing aimed atimprovement of well-beingtheir compatriots in Indonesia.

The path of an analytical thinker in hotel real estate

As a high school student in a Chinese boarding school, Irwan initially did not consider the hospitality industry as a future career. However, his perspective changed when a family member working in a luxury hotel chain in Shanghai invited him to visit numerous properties around the city, thereby introducing him to one of the most mobile and rapidly growing industries in the world. At that moment, I decided to enroll in the first and best hospitality school in the world - EHL, recalls Irwan, who has seamlessly integrated into the international atmosphere of the campus.

In his studies, he was drawn to courses related to finance, including:

• Financial analysis
• Management accounting
• Real estate financing
• Portfolio management

These subjects sparked a deep interest in him. I was able to explore various ways to achieve an accurate answer. This led to his passion for hotel real estate, which prompted him to intern in 2015 with the HVS team in Singapore, known for its specialization in hotel valuation, consulting, asset management, and investment advisory. Gaining this experience, Irwan began his professional career in the hotel brokerage team at CBRE Hotels in London after graduating.

Social impact entrepreneurship

Inspired by his father, who founded a successful construction business, Irvan also tried his hand at various entrepreneurial initiatives while studying at EHL. These included both small projects, like selling sandwiches to classmates on weekends, and more significant personal initiatives, such asIsara— a platform for a community of people with hearing impairments. Isara soon transformed into a platform for people with hearing loss, including applications for learning sign language and online services for interpreters. As Isara grew, Irvan remained a co-founder of this project, which was later selected by the French government from among 70 startups to participate in the French Tech Ticket program. For some time after graduation, Irvan regularly traveled between Paris, where he actively developed Isara, and London, where he worked at CBRE Hotels in the hospitality real estate sector.

Strengthening influence on communities

While Irwan was working in Europe, tourism was on the rise in Southeast Asia, and the economies of ASEAN countries were developing significantly faster than the global average. It was during this time that Irwan took the opportunity to work with a hotel owner and operator from Bangkok, Compass, in 2018. I decided to leave Isara and shift my focus to hotel investments, moving to Thailand. Just a year later, he took on the role of investment and compliance manager in the country.

Return to the family business

After 13 years of living and working abroad, Irwan returned to his homeland in Indonesia to apply his international skills in the family business Anantagraha, which specializes in custom design and construction of residential and industrial properties. Growing up in a family of architects, he witnessed how a few simple sketches can become the foundation for sturdy buildings that provide shelter, shape communities, and generate profit. However, Irwan also understands that the construction industry often causes significant harm to the environment and is slow to adopt new technologies. Aware of these conflicting realities, Irwan aims to lead his family business towards sustainable initiatives and position it as a catalyst for smart urban ideas in Indonesia. He is working on creating a prototype of an intelligent and eco-friendly townhouse that will combine quality, affordability, and sustainability. The idea is ambitious, but if it proves financially viable, Irwan wants to expand it into a new venture.“the capital of the future”Indonesia: Nusantara.

Work hard, play actively, stay curious.

In addition to his work at Anantagraha, Irwan also provides pro bono consulting for small and medium-sized enterprises in the hospitality and tourism sector in Jakarta, helping them become more sustainable. He plans to teach elementary school students the basics.Sustainable Development Goals of the UNthrough board games. He truly embodies the spirit of EHL: work hard, play actively, stay curious. The EHL alumni community is full of passionate individuals who are driven towards their goals, enjoy life, and strive for innovation. As Irwan notes:A vivid example is one of my close friends from EHL.who switched from managing the project for the soft opening of one of the top 50 bars in the world in Singapore to leading the implementation of award-winning video games at one of the largest independent video game development companies. What advice can Irvan give to those who want to bring positive change to the world?Start small.Explore various projects and initiatives to understand where your skills and passions can make a real difference. This thought is summed up by one of Irvan's favorite sayings:“We discover who we are in practice, not in theory.”

About the EHL group

The EHL Group is a global benchmark in education, innovation, and consulting for the hospitality and service industry. With expert experience accumulated since 1893, the EHL Group now offers a wide range of leading educational programs from vocational training to master's degrees, as well as professional and executive education across three campuses in Switzerland and Singapore. The EHL Group also provides consulting and certification services for companies and educational institutions worldwide. True to its values and committed to creating a sustainable world, the EHL Group aims to provide education, services, and working conditions that are people-oriented and open to the world.