Running an e-commerce company is not an easy job. Gaining people’s trust, securing transaction and payment, partnering with big brands, inspecting thousands of products, and organizing hundreds of employees, are just some of many other things faced by Catherine Hindra Sutjahyo as the founder and managing director of fashion online shop website, Zalora Indonesia.
This modest, friendly, energetic, and deft personality agrees that new experience and challenge are two things that always motivate her in life. After working in a global management consulting firm, McKinsey, as a Senior Associate Engagement Manager, Catherine improved her skill on business development strategy and market capitalization. Catherine also worked with Innosight Ventures, a venture capital company found by Harvard Business School’s lecturer, Clayton Christensen.
Catherine found so many obstacles when starting Zalora. She said that it’s not easy for an e-commerce to gain people’s trust, especially in fashion and lifestyle sector. People tend to want to try the clothes and accessories first to make sure they choose the most suitable ones. Zalora then offered a solution of cash-on-delivery-service to make customers check the stuff first before pay. Catherine always tries to affirm that Zalora has a secure system and risk-free, so they can convince more customers’ trust and loyalty. Now, Zalora already runs the business in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Catherine studied banking and finance in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Besides her bustle in Zalora, she also has a foundation to help unfortunate children in Indonesia to help them finish their education.