The Indonesian Event Industry Council (IVENDO) is working towards uplifting the country’s events sector by focusing on creating proprietary event intellectual properties (IP), and expanding workforce certification programmes to strengthen industry professionalism.
Speaking at his inauguration as the 2025-2029 IVENDO chairman in Jakarta recently, Irvan Mahidin Sukamto opined that IP driven strategy would give IVENDO greater control over event content, reduce reliance on government-backed opportunities, and facilitate expansion into international markets.
He explained: “We believe homegrown IP events can be a catalyst for sustainable growth. By owning the format, we can adapt content for different markets and showcase Indonesia’s creative capacity to the world.”
Moreover, IVENDO will pilot scalable, market-ready event concepts that combine local cultural insights with flexibility for international replication. Each prototype is more than just a fully developed event. It is a way to put Indonesia’s event industries on the map, and bring in investors, government backing, and international partners.
Following this, IVENDO will organise focused group discussions within regional chapters to identify the most promising prototype events that can be scaled commercially and licensed internationally.
“We encourage our regional branches to develop their own IPs rooted in local wisdom, opening new opportunities across Indonesia’s diverse provinces,” Irvan added.
While building homegrown IP is core, Ivendo is also eyeing international expansion, starting with South-east Asia, before branching out to Australia and Europe.
Prior to Irvan’s appointment, some IVENDO members had already begun testing international waters, including organising a concert in Sabah, Malaysia.
Alongside event development, IVENDO is prioritising the professionalisation of its workforce. Over the next four years, the council will offer 500 free certifications in roles like event planning, logistics, marketing communications, and management.
“Raising the standard for our workforce is key if we want to compete and collaborate globally. Certification helps ensure our talents meet international standards, lifting the whole industry,” he said.
The programme also aims to tackle regional skill gaps and uneven access to training, striving to level the playing field and promote inclusive growth.
“Great events alone are not enough. Skilled professionals are the backbone to meet the world’s demands,” Irvan added.
