Jakarta. Indonesia’s largest marketing conference signaled a major shift for 2026, urging companies to adopt lean and agile strategies as AI and China’s economic influence reshape how businesses compete and adapt.

The second day of the MarkPlus Conference (MPC) 2026 reinforced its standing as the country’s most prominent marketing forum, presenting a series of strategic sessions under the theme Lean & Agile: AI and China in Focus. The conference once again served as a key platform for industry leaders, business practitioners, and national stakeholders to navigate economic transitions, emerging technologies, and shifting consumer behavior ahead of 2026.

The event opened with an Indonesia Marketing Outlook 2026 address by Hermawan Kartajaya, Founder & Chair of MCorp, who emphasized agility, efficiency, and digital transformation as essential for organizations facing an increasingly unpredictable global landscape.

“Markets constantly evolve. Marketing isn’t a noun, it’s ‘to the market’, an ongoing process,” Hermawan said at The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Pacific Place. “Companies can no longer rely on old methods. They must be agile, efficient, and able to leverage AI while understanding China’s economic dynamics, two forces that will significantly shape 2026.”

The keynote session, Indonesia Next, was delivered by Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, represented by Ali Murtopo Simbolon, Deputy for Commerce and Digital Economy. Ali underscored the rapid acceleration of Indonesia’s digital economy, including AI development and talent cultivation across universities, critical pillars for achieving long-term technological sovereignty.

“In the past two years, digital transformation has advanced rapidly. Our focus is to optimize AI so Indonesia becomes not only a user but a sovereign player,” Ali said. “Collaborative initiatives, from campus talent development to investment acceleration, are showing real progress and strengthening Indonesia’s readiness for the future.”

The conference also presented two major honors: Marketeer of The Year Indonesia 2025 and the Immortal Marketeer Award 2025, recognizing exceptional contributions to the advancement of Indonesia’s marketing sector.

In the main sessions, the conference explored strategies for innovation and competitiveness through an Entrepreneurial Marketing discussion featuring Dendi Danianto, Chief Marketing Officer of Danantara Asset Management, and Harman Subakat, Group CEO of ParagonCorp. Both speakers highlighted innovation, opportunity sensing, and organizational resilience as crucial for achieving long-term growth amid fast-changing market conditions.

A subsequent Marketing Excellence session offered deeper insight through a presentation by Andrijanto Muljono, Director & Chief Enterprise & Strategic Relationship Officer at XLSMART for Business, who explained how AI integration and enterprise-focused strategies can enhance customer engagement through data-driven approaches. Otis Hahijary, Strategic Partner & Chief Commercial Officer of Bumilangit Entertainment and CEO of Bumilangit Digital, discussed the importance of multiplatform creativity, ecosystem collaboration, and technology in creating value in today’s hyper-digital environment.

Breakout sessions further enriched the program, covering customer management, product management, and brand management. Topics included AI-Driven Customer Engagement, Mass Customization, Predictive Storytelling, IoT Experience Design, and Smart Creativity --all designed to help participants apply lean and agile principles directly to modern marketing practices.

The event continued with the Indonesia Industry Outlook 2026, a strategic panel moderated by Hermawan Kartajaya alongside national figure Dahlan Iskan and senior economist Aviliani. The discussion offered a comprehensive analysis of global headwinds, technological disruption, geopolitical dynamics, and the opportunities available for Indonesia to pursue sustainable industrial growth.

This year’s Indonesia Impact Ambassador Award was presented to Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Special Envoy of the President for Climate Change and Energy, acknowledging his efforts in elevating Indonesia’s climate and energy agenda internationally and fostering collaboration for a sustainable transition.

The day concluded with WOW Night, a celebratory evening highlighted by a performance from Juicy Luicy. The event symbolized the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and optimism that defined the conference, closing with renewed momentum as Indonesia moves into an increasingly agile and transformative 2026.

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