For context, my husband, Natali Ardianto, received The Most Intelligent CIO award from the iCIO Community exactly ten years ago, in 2015. Back then, he was co-founder and CTO of tiket.com . Ten years. A full decade since that moment. I remember how proud I was (and still am), watching him step onto that stage with his name written on huge screen behind him.
The iCIO Community, in case you’re wondering, is like a secret society of sorts (minus the secrecy). It’s a network of top tech leaders, CIOs, and digital visionaries across Indonesia who meet, learn, and share insights about technology, leadership, and innovation. It’s less about shiny gadgets and more about people; how humans and systems intertwine to build something meaningful.
We arrived just in time as our old friend Norman Sasono CTO of Dana on stage as one of the panelists. There were also keynote speakers from BytePlus, IDC, and DCI Indonesia earlier. In front of me was Pak Rudiantara, the former Minister of Communication and Informatics, who's one of the judges of this year's iCIO Award. Both Norman and Pak Rudiantara are in our WhatsApp group, so naturally, I snapped a photo of them and sent it straight to the group.
After the event wrapped up with a buffet lunch, I moved to Kyochon, conveniently on the same floor, to meet Mbak Hani Buntaran and Mbak Ade Kumala. Ironically, I had chosen Kyochon because I’d been craving it all week. And then? I got there too full to eat. So my friends enjoyed their fried chicken feast while I played the role of enthusiastic food evangelist, proudly converting more people into Kyochon believers 😂
Not long after, Mbak Iim Fahima joined us after her meeting. And as usual, once the four of us (me, Mbak Hani, Mbak Ade, and Mbak Iim) get together, time loses meaning. We call ourselves “The Ladies on Top” (yes, that’s the actual name of our WhatsApp group, born from a random comment thread on my old Facebook post).
Our conversations flowed like a river; sometimes deep, sometimes chaotic, always hilarious. We talked about business and finances, swapped product recommendations, and proudly influenced each other into buying things we absolutely “need” (but probably don’t). From dishwashers to laundry services to discount hacks, nothing was off-topic.
Speaking of discounts, I learned something new from Mbak Iim that instantly changed my worldview: you can use TikTok vouchers at cafes like Djournal. I know, right? Just search the place on TikTok, click the location tag, and voila.. discounts galore! Consider this your public service announcement.
Eventually, our coffee session at Djournal turned into an unplanned four-hour heart therapy session. Mbak Iim was flying to Malaysia and Hong Kong soon, Mbak Ade to Boston and New York, so we made a pinky promise to meet again before their next round of adventures. My brilliant idea? A free manicure gel session at Haidilao, while eating hotpot, of course.
Meanwhile, my husband was across the hall at Starbucks, hopping from one online meeting to another. Around 5 PM, he joined us. We finally said our goodbyes just before 6.
Once home, I ordered our usual warteg dinner; comfort food that grounds us no matter how many “executive forums” or “leadership awards” we attend. Simple veggies and proteins, the real closing ceremony of the day.
It struck me how life often loops in the gentlest ways. A decade ago, Natali received his award and I watched from the crowd, younger and full of dreams. Ten years later, we’re back in a similar room, surrounded by familiar faces and new acquaintances.
Time doesn’t always move in straight lines. Sometimes, it bends back, offering us moments to see how far we’ve come without realizing it.
And as we get older, I think that’s the real prize: to recognize our own growth quietly, to appreciate the constancy of friendships that survive changing seasons, and to laugh, always laugh, through it all.
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