Azkiya Trihapsari: Learning Leadership from Women Leaders
The opportunity to meet women leaders from various fields in person was a memorable experience for Azkiya Trihapsari, an active student of Public Health at the Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta (UMJ). Through the CEO for a Day programme organised by UN Women, Azkiya not only gained new experience but also saw first-hand how a leader makes decisions, exerts influence and has an impact on others.
The programme is a mentoring initiative that pairs young women with women leaders, including representatives of UN Women. This year’s event was held on Wednesday (12/8/2026) at Sinarmas Plaza Tower, Central Jakarta. “UN Women’s programme is a mentoring activity that brings young women together with women leaders, including representatives from UN Women,” Azkiya said.
Meeting and Learning Directly from Women Leaders
During the programme, Azkiya and fellow participants had the chance to meet a number of women leaders from various fields. These included the Chief Sustainability Officer of APP Group, the Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia, the VP of Resilient and Inclusive Business at the UN Global Compact Network Indonesia, the Head of the KTLN Bureau at the Ministry of State Secretariat, the Managing Director of Boeing Indonesia, and the UN Resident Coordinator for Indonesia, along with several other women leaders serving as mentors.
For Azkiya, the opportunity to interact directly with the leaders was one of the most engaging parts of the programme. She not only listened to the leaders’ experiences but was also able to ask questions and receive mentoring first-hand.
“What is interesting about this activity is that we can ask questions directly and receive direct guidance from women leaders from around the world,” she said.
Not Only About Position
The CEO for a Day series concluded with a Leadership Forum held to coincide with International Youth Day. The forum gave participants a space to share the experiences and lessons they had gained during the programme. The initiative also aims to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Throughout the programme, participants gained direct experience of leadership, decision-making, organisational culture, and efforts to promote women’s leadership and engagement with the SDGs.
The experience led Azkiya to see that leadership should not always be defined by a person’s position or title. In her view, a leader can also be judged by how they exert influence, make decisions and have an impact on others.
“We can learn that being a leader is not only about position, but also about how you exert influence, make decisions and have an impact on others,” she explained.
A Space for Young Women to Grow
The programme was joined by around 100 female participants. Their enthusiasm was evident in the many questions raised and discussions held with the women leaders present.
For Azkiya, the experience brought many benefits. Beyond learning directly from women leaders, she gained insight into the world of leadership, opportunities to build networks, and a platform to voice her experiences and ideas.
“The benefits gained from this event are numerous, such as learning directly from women leaders, insight into the world of leadership, networking, and the chance to voice experiences and ideas,” she said.
More than simply taking part in a programme, the event also showed Azkiya that young women have broad opportunities to grow and take on roles in many fields.
“For me personally, this activity was also an opportunity to see that young women have the chance to develop and take on roles in various fields,” she said.
Recognising Potential and Making an Impact
For Azkiya, her journey in the CEO for a Day programme was also connected to the process of getting to know herself. She hopes the experience will help her understand her own potential while making a positive impact on other women.
“What I hope to achieve from this activity is to recognise my own potential, and to have a positive impact on all women,” she said.
She views CEO for a Day not merely as a chance to meet women leaders, but as an experience of seeing the world from a broader perspective. From this, Azkiya learned that opportunities to grow can begin with the courage to learn, to ask questions, and to see others’ experiences as part of the process of building oneself.
For Azkiya, the experience served as a reminder that young women, too, have the opportunity to take on roles. Leadership does not stop at who holds the position, but concerns how someone uses the opportunities they have to exert influence and bring benefit to others.