Jakarta. Standard Chartered Indonesia recently hosted the annual Indonesia Treasury Leadership Forum (TLF) 2026 amid the global economic dynamics and rapid digital transformation.

This year's forum zeroed in on the theme “The Blueprint for Tomorrow - From Today’s Disruption to Tomorrow’s Opportunity”. This conference — held for the second time in Indonesia — brought together regulators, industry players, corporate leaders, and financial experts to discuss the strategic evolution of the corporate treasury function.

Technological advancements and shifts in the global economy over recent years have significantly expanded the scope of treasury functions. Payment systems are becoming increasingly instant and interconnected, while the restructuring of global supply chains demands that corporations demonstrate agility in managing liquidity, working capital, and risk amidst high business complexity.

Standard Chartered Indonesia CEO Donny Donosepoetro OBE highlighted that Indonesia's digital transactions are on the rise. According to Bank Indonesia data from August 2026, the volume of digital payment transactions reached 6.11 billion, marking a year-on-year growth of over 40%.

"Looking ahead, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital currencies have the potential to transform how companies conduct financial transactions. Transactions will not only become faster but also increasingly automated, intelligent, and interconnected," Donny said.

He also cited Standard Chartered’s Future of Trade 2026 report, which indicates that the acceleration of trade digitalization has the potential to boost global trade value by $2.8 trillion (or 6.9% above baseline projections) by 2031. The use of technologies such as AI, digital documentation, and automation is projected to facilitate far more efficient cross-border trade.

“Through the Treasury Leadership Forum, we aim to foster discussion on how companies can leverage these technologies while strengthening resilience in the face of economic shifts and global supply chain changes,” Donny said.

This year's forum addressed two main themes. 

The session titled “The Future of Payments: Intelligent. Instant. Resilient.” explored how advancements in real-time payments, AI, digital assets, and expanded connectivity could transform the way companies manage payments and liquidity. The discussion also highlighted the importance of cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and operational resilience as payment systems become faster and more interconnected.

The session “Rewiring Global Supply Chains: From Uncertainty to Opportunity” examined how geopolitical tensions, shifting trade policies, and production diversification strategies are prompting companies to re-evaluate their supply chains. These changes present significant opportunities for Indonesia.

According to the Investment Ministry, Indonesia recorded Rp 1,931.2 trillion in investment inflows throughout 2025, up by 12.7% year-on-year. Investments in the downstream sectors reached Rp 584.1 trillion, up 43.3% from the previous year.

However, what matters is not merely the volume of incoming investment, but also the extent of the value-added benefits that remain within Indonesia. This requires strengthening local suppliers, enhancing skills and technology, and securing support in infrastructure, logistics, and financing.

Three Strategic Pillars for Navigating Global Disruption
Shinta Kamdani, the business lobby Apindo chair and Sintesa Group CEO, said that the business sector requires three fundamental pillars to respond to global economic dynamics: opportunity, competitiveness, and connectivity.

"Opportunity means capturing new markets, adapting, shifting global supply chains, and embracing technological change. While competitiveness means improving productivity, managing costs, and creating a more predictable business environment," Shinta said.

"Connectivity means strengthening supply chains, logistics, access to finance, and payment systems, both within Indonesia and across borders. So, these three elements must work together."

The mere presence of opportunity will not yield optimal results unless underpinned by strong competitiveness and adequate connectivity to convert those opportunities into real economic value.

"These three elements must work together. This is how we turn today's disruption into tomorrow's opportunities. Building more resilient businesses and more sustainable growth in Indonesia," Shinta said.

Through the Indonesia TLF 2026, Standard Chartered Indonesia reaffirms its commitment to serve as a strategic partner for regulators and corporations in navigating economic changes and seizing opportunities for sustainable future growth.

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