Job With A Challenge: Young generation
Pacto
As appeared on TTG Asia, May 28 – June
3, 2004
Pacto chairman, Ratna Hasmaida Ning,
redefines the meaning of “ family business”
as she charts the course for her company’s growth.
PACTO chairman, Ms Ratna Hasmaida Ning, has two big
dreams: to take the company public in five years and
to make Pacto the producer of prominent tourism industry
professionals in the country.
Ms Ning admitted these were high targets, but she was
confident they were not mere daydreams. “It is
a very challenging job for me, given this position to
represent the owners in the company. On the one hand,
there are very strong emotional ties between myself
and Pacto. Although I have only been directly involved
with it since November last year, the company means
a lot to my family.
“On the other hand, when my father (the late
Mr Hasjim Ning) founded the company 30 years ago, there
were very few players. Now, there are so many tour operators
in the country to compete with.
“Travelers’ demands have also changed,
requiring us to change as well to meet their needs.
“Pacto has managed to stay a market leader all
these years.
“It has always been one of the prime businesses
among our group of companies.
“But we have to always ask ourselves: what is
next?”
Ms Ning, who also oversees the other family businesses,
refuses to allow Pacto’s progress to slacken as
a result of the many external crises of recent years.
“These events could provide a nice excuse (to
justify the declining business), but it is not a reason
to give up.
“We have to find ways to survive the crises and
move on,” she said.
Pacto did it by optimizing resources and finding opportunities
within the existing group.
“Pacto Convex (the professional convention organizer),
which is performing well, can involve its sister company
Pacto Tour and Travel to handle part of its job, such
as organizing tours for convention participants.
“And in addition to inbound, which has been our
main business, now we will develop outbound too.”
Ms Ning added.
She also believes the way to fulfill her dreams is
to let the company be run by professionals. “The
company has to be strong and healthy to attract the
public to buy shares when it goes public.
“The key is to have dedicated staff with a high
degree of professionalism and integrity to make that
happen. I don’t agree with the opinion that a
family business must be run by its owner.
“We encourage the staff to develop their career
here by paying attention to training.
“There is always the risk that staff will be
‘hijacked’ by other companies, but it is
all right.
“Even if our staff move on from Pacto, it will
always make me proud to see people who used to work
for us becoming prominent and successful professionals
with other companies.” – Mimi Hudoyo
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