Empowering Growth Through Innovation: A Conversation with Risa Kusumaningrum of KIT Global
In an insightful conversation with Risa Kusumaningrum, Country Manager for Indonesia & Vietnam at KIT Global, a 360° marketing platform. We explore her multifaceted approach to performance marketing, influencer strategy, and AI innovation.
With a career that spans over 20 years across finance, operations, and digital marketing, including leadership roles at Southeast Asia’s top unicorns, Risa shares how she blends strategic foresight with creative execution to drive business growth in dynamic markets. Her experiences in scaling campaigns, building regional teams, and pioneering AI-driven solutions highlight the evolving nature of MarTech in Southeast Asia.
Interview with Risa Kusumaningrum
Could you please give us a quick introduction of yourself?
With a career spanning over two decades and credentials including an MBA, CFP, CMA, CIBA, and CTAP, I have navigated the complexities of finance, business strategy, and operations within multinational corporations across both the U.S. and APAC regions. Recently named one of the Women to Watch in APAC, I am proud to be recognized for my continued focus on driving impactful business growth and innovation across industries.
My role has always extended beyond conventional responsibilities. I see myself as a strategic partner to founders, offering insights that support sustainable expansion and long-term value creation.
Throughout my journey, I have built deep expertise in cost efficiency, risk management, and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, particularly in preparing companies for IPOs. I have also led operational growth for Southeast Asian unicorn startups such as Carsome and Carro, managing a dedicated team in Indonesia and overseeing key functions across operations and sales. These efforts directly contributed to the companies’ expansion and performance goals. Additionally, I had the privilege of leading the development of electric vehicle infrastructure in the automotive sector in collaboration with government stakeholders.
I also hold a Tax Lawyer Certification from the Jimly School of Law. As a Certified Financial Planner, I have championed financial literacy initiatives and developed advisory services tailored for Gen Y and Gen Z. I have also worked on a book with a leading Indonesian publisher, focusing on women’s financial empowerment.
Beyond my professional work, I have led a non-profit organization dedicated to women’s growth, created a book club, and developed support programs offering psychological guidance.
Currently, I serve as Country Manager for Indonesia and Vietnam at KIT Global, a leading marketing platform designed to streamline, optimize, and scale digital marketing efforts. In this role, I have been leading the development of our regional presence from the ground up and continue to drive its growth and strategic direction.
Drawing on an international network built while living and working in Hong Kong and Australia, I continue to explore new growth opportunities across Indonesia, the broader APAC region, and beyond. I am passionate about building meaningful partnerships with clients and collaborators who share our vision for sustainable and impactful growth.
What is the one marketing platform/app/solution you can’t live without? Why?
The one marketing platform I can’t live without is WhatsApp. It’s not just a messaging app; it’s an essential tool for both my personal and professional life. I use it daily to stay connected with family, friends, colleagues, and business partners. It has become an integral part of communication for millions of people, particularly in Indonesia, where approximately 70 percent of the population uses WhatsApp every day.
What makes WhatsApp indispensable is its versatility. It goes beyond basic messaging to support business communication, customer service, and even e-commerce transactions. Many businesses in Indonesia use WhatsApp to interact with customers, manage loyalty programs, and increase brand awareness. The platform continues to evolve, regularly adding features that cater to both individual users and businesses, including payment tools and shopping functionalities, making it incredibly valuable in a professional context.
If I were to lose access to WhatsApp, it would be more than just an inconvenience. It would significantly disrupt my daily routine. It’s hard to imagine managing both personal and business communications without it. WhatsApp has become a cornerstone of how I interact with others in my professional life and is truly an irreplaceable tool for staying in touch and sharing updates.
Reflecting on 2024, what is one MarTech decision you made that you’re most proud of, and why?
Reflecting on 2024, one of the MarTech decisions I’m most proud of was successfully leveraging AI in a high-impact campaign for a luxury product in Indonesia. AI-driven marketing is still relatively new in this region, particularly within digital agencies and platform companies, so it was a bold move. The product we were promoting was quite expensive, which made the challenge even greater, as we needed to ensure the AI technology was used effectively to target the right audience.
The results, however, were exceptional. We generated a significant number of qualified leads and potential buyers, demonstrating the true potential of AI in a market where it has not yet been widely adopted. This achievement was especially meaningful because it not only delivered tangible results but also positioned our company as a forward-thinking leader in applying AI to marketing. It proved that even in a more traditional market like Indonesia, AI-driven strategies can create real value. I’m proud of how we were able to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Another MarTech decision I’m particularly proud of involved a campaign where we combined social media marketing with video storytelling for a global client. Rather than relying on a traditional hard-sell approach, we focused on creating authentic, engaging content that would truly resonate with the audience. This more subtle yet powerful strategy placed storytelling at the heart of the message delivery.
A great example of this approach was the Toshiba web series campaign, which marked our first venture into web series production. Instead of using only traditional ads, we adopted a content-driven strategy by integrating a web series into Toshiba TV’s YouTube content funnel and social media platforms. The primary KPI was brand awareness, but the campaign exceeded expectations, moving beyond awareness to generate mid-funnel engagement. The results spoke for themselves: over 3 million views, more than 40,000 engagements, and an impressive engagement rate of 1.3%. This success not only validated our approach but also led to additional projects from Toshiba HQ in Japan, demonstrating the long-term value of combining storytelling with digital marketing.
The success of this campaign reinforced the power of blending the right digital tools with compelling content. It was a clear example of how a strategic mix of MarTech, social media, and storytelling can forge deeper connections with customers and drive meaningful business growth.
Has AI played a role in your influencer marketing? How have AI-driven technologies changed your influencer marketing strategies?
Yes, AI has played a significant role in enhancing our influencer marketing strategies, and I see its potential to continue shaping the future of marketing. While opinions vary regarding AI’s role in influencer marketing, with some experts remaining cautious and others fully embracing it, I view its integration as an exciting opportunity for growth and optimization. AI brings a level of sophistication that traditional methods cannot match.
One of the primary ways AI has impacted our strategies is through optimizing budget allocation and campaign performance. In Indonesia, influencer marketing is extremely popular, especially in sectors such as beauty and consumer goods, where it can directly drive sales. However, success today is no longer about simply selecting the most famous influencers. With AI, we can refine strategies to identify which influencers are most likely to resonate with a target audience. This approach helps ensure that marketing budgets are spent efficiently, resulting in stronger returns on investment.
A clear example of AI’s impact was our Suvarna Sutera campaign, where we implemented AI-driven social media marketing for the first time. Over the course of two months, AI helped optimize content, audience targeting, and engagement strategies. The campaign generated 40,687 impressions, 796 engagements, and an engagement rate of 1.96 percent. These results showed how AI can enhance social media performance by improving targeting and boosting engagement, ultimately strengthening client confidence.
AI has also transformed how we measure and track key performance indicators. For example, if a brand’s CFO questions the effectiveness of influencer marketing, AI can provide detailed insights that connect influencer engagement directly to business outcomes such as conversions or sales. This level of reporting helps brands make more informed decisions and better understand the return on their marketing investments.
Another exciting area is the use of AI in live streaming and virtual influencers. In Indonesia, live-streaming campaigns are increasingly popular, particularly on platforms like TikTok. However, hiring live influencers for extended hours can be expensive. With AI, we can now create virtual influencers who can run long-format campaigns at a fraction of the cost. These virtual personas can be customized to appeal to specific demographics. For example, if a beauty brand wants to reach a Chinese or Japanese audience, we can develop a virtual influencer with the desired appearance and cultural traits.
The ability to reuse these virtual influencers over time adds long-term value, especially for emerging brands or those with limited budgets. AI gives marketers the flexibility to experiment with different personas and adjust campaigns to fit evolving consumer behavior while keeping costs manageable.
In summary, AI has transformed influencer marketing by enabling smarter budget management, delivering deeper insights, and introducing innovative solutions like virtual influencers and AI-powered live streaming. It has made influencer marketing more scalable, efficient, and tailored to the needs of modern brands.
Do you have any experiences with live shopping involving influencers for your company’s products that you would like to share?
Yes, we have definitely had experience with live shopping, particularly during major sales events in Indonesia such as 11.11 and 12.12. These are important dates in the national shopping calendar, and during these events, we work with influencers to host live shopping sessions on platforms like TikTok.
One of our key strategies is to carefully select influencers based on their audience demographics. While Jakarta remains a primary focus, we also make sure to engage audiences in other cities such as Bali and Surabaya. It is important to have a good mix of influencers. Larger, well-known influencers can draw attention to the event, but local influencers help build more personal connections with their communities, which is equally valuable.
For each live shopping session, we plan logistics in detail. This includes deciding on the length of the livestream, typically between two to three hours, selecting which products to feature, and ensuring everything is prepared in advance. One of the challenges we often face is gaining traction in the early stages of the session. In the first ten to thirty minutes, viewership can be low, so we focus on injecting energy right from the start. Offering exclusive discounts or including free gifts with certain purchases are common tactics we use to spark initial engagement and build momentum.
We also prioritize making the experience interactive. We select influencers who are not only persuasive but also engaging and relatable. For example, we have worked with influencers who may not be comedians but who know how to connect with viewers, especially women, who often drive purchasing decisions in Indonesia. These influencers help create a lively and positive atmosphere that encourages viewers to engage emotionally with the products, ultimately boosting sales.
At times, we compete with other brands that are hosting live shopping events simultaneously. To stand out, it is crucial to choose influencers who can attract and retain attention. Those who can entertain viewers while building excitement around the products help drive more traffic and increase conversion rates. The influencer’s ability to maintain engagement is essential to turning viewers into buyers.
Timing is another important factor. Since many people are winding down in the evenings, live shopping may not be their first priority. To address this, we run social media campaigns and Instagram ads in advance to generate excitement and anticipation. Building awareness before the event helps ensure a larger and more engaged audience when the livestream begins.
In summary, our experience with live shopping is shaped by careful strategy, thoughtful influencer selection, attention to timing, and a strong focus on engagement. While it can be dynamic and sometimes challenging, when done right, live shopping can significantly boost both sales and brand visibility.
What are the top 3 things in your checklist when choosing the right influencer to work with?
When choosing the right influencer to work with, the first and most crucial factor is their background and brand fit. It is essential to conduct a thorough reputation check to ensure the influencer has a clean and positive digital presence, free from controversies that could harm the brand. Industry alignment also plays an important role. Reviewing their past collaborations helps determine whether they have experience promoting similar brands or products. In certain markets, such as Indonesia, specific product categories like alcohol or cigarettes can be sensitive. If a client requires it, we ensure that we avoid influencers with affiliations in those industries to maintain brand safety.
The second key factor is budget and negotiation strategy. Cost-effectiveness is critical, so we assess whether the influencer’s rates align with the client’s budget while still offering strong engagement and reach. When budget constraints are present, we explore alternatives such as reducing content duration, limiting the number of posts, or bundling different types of promotions to maximise efficiency. We also focus on optimisation by ensuring the influencer follows brand guidelines and delivers high-quality content. In many cases, clients may request multiple takes or revisions to ensure the final output meets expectations.
Finally, availability and performance track record are essential in the selection process. Timely execution is crucial, as many in-demand influencers travel frequently or manage packed schedules. It is important to confirm their availability for the campaign. Beyond logistics, we evaluate engagement metrics and prioritise influencers who demonstrate strong audience interaction rather than relying solely on follower counts. If the preferred influencer is unavailable, we identify a suitable replacement with similar reach and storytelling capabilities. A key consideration is ensuring the influencer can craft compelling narratives that resonate with their audience and effectively drive conversions.
A bit more information
Q: Any fun facts about yourself that you want to share?
I am a passionate art enthusiast and dedicated art collector with a deep appreciation for creativity in all its forms. My journey with art has inspired me to explore storytelling, and I am currently channeling that passion into writing my book. Beyond the world of canvases and words, I find joy in playing tennis and discovering new cultures through travel. Both experiences fuel my inspiration and broaden my perspective.
Q: What’s the best advice someone has ever given you?
The best advice someone has ever given me is to be fearless and brave in my actions, as long as they bring positivity not only to myself but also to those around me. I was taught to always lead with integrity and to keep it at the heart of everything I do. Most importantly, I learned that true leadership is not about holding power but about empowering others. As a leader, your greatest role is to create and nurture the next generation of leaders.
Risa Kusumaningrum’s reflections demonstrate the power of combining innovation with authenticity. From embracing AI in influencer marketing to advocating for women’s financial literacy, her story is one of fearless leadership, strategic depth, and meaningful impact. By fusing digital innovation with human-centric thinking, Risa exemplifies how marketers can elevate brand experiences in emerging markets.
A big thank you to Risa Kusumaningrum, Country Manager for Indonesia & Vietnam at KIT Global. If you’d like to connect, feel free to reach out to her on LinkedIn.
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Last updated: May 2025
