Indonesian Man Becomes CEO After Being Mistaken for Minister’s Son
A Bandung man has been appointed CEO of a major holding company after security mistook him for a minister’s son during a business conference.
BANDUNG, WEST JAVA — 31-year-old Dede Hadiwijaya has been appointed CEO of a major multi-sector holding company after security guards at a conference confused him for the son of a senior cabinet minister.
“I just came for the free snacks,” Dede told reporters at his new office. “But when the guards opened the VIP door and said, ‘Right this way, Pak Menteri Muda,’ I thought, ‘Why not?’”
Witnesses say Dede, dressed in a batik shirt and budget leather loafers, was loitering near the buffet at the “Indonesia Global Investment & Energy Synergy Forum 2025” when he was ushered past a velvet rope and straight into a closed-door executive session titled Succession Planning in Uncertain Times.
“Honestly, I thought it was a breakout session on ESG,” Dede said. “Next thing I know, there’s a board vote, some clapping, and a woman in a pantsuit asking for my vision on vertical integration.”
Unbeknownst to Dede, his resemblance to the actual minister’s son, triggered a sequence of social protocols that no one dared interrupt.
One director admitted privately: “We weren’t sure if it was him, but you can’t just ask someone if they’re connected. What if he actually was? That’s career suicide.”
Following the appointment, HR released a statement confirming Dede had passed the onboarding process with “sufficient compliance,” noting that his lack of political ties was “not discovered in time.”
“Was it a rigorous background check? No. But he had the right face, didn’t ask for reimbursement, and already knew how to use WhatsApp groups professionally. We call that a culture fit,” said the company’s Head of People & Performance.
Insiders claim the board considered reversing the appointment after realizing Dede was actually a freelance copywriter who once interned at a fintech. However, concerns over public embarrassment, reputational damage, and the fact that Dede had already been photographed shaking hands with a deputy minister led them to keep him in place.
“It would be disruptive to remove him,” said one board member, requesting anonymity. “Plus, he seems… surprisingly normal. We thought that might actually be refreshing.”
In the days since the incident, Dede has reportedly been adjusting well to his new role, implementing small reforms like reading his own emails and showing up on time.
“I don’t really know what I’m doing, but neither does half the board,” he explained. “The guy next to me thought EBITDA was a crypto coin.”
Dede has since given several keynote speeches, delivered entirely via ChatGPT, and was recently profiled in Jakarta Globe Lifestyle as part of their “Next-Gen Leaders” series. When asked whether he plans to step down once the misunderstanding is resolved, Dede was pragmatic.
“Step down? Why? I already got a GLC golf jacket, an aide, and a LinkedIn post with 4,000 likes. If anything, I might start mentoring others.”
He’s also reportedly fielding invitations to join two other boards, a digital health startup, and an NGO tied to a former president’s daughter.
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