40 Under 40 2025: Herni Wijaya, Leverate Group

Herni Wijaya

Chief growth officer
Leverate Group
Indonesia

If life throws you a curveball, do you stumble, or do you use it to push yourself forward? For Herni Wijaya, the answer is the latter. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024, Wijaya didn’t let it slow her down and channelled her energy into driving Leverate Group through one of its most remarkable years.

Wijaya’s journey at Leverate began over a decade ago, with minimal prior experience in media and agencies. Starting at the company’s foundation stage, she threw herself in the deep end of the learning curve. That meant leading a small team of fewer than ten to being appointed chief growth officer in 2023, overseeing over 120 people. Each step of the way, her passion for the craft and drive to deliver results has defined her leadership.

Under Wijaya’s guidance, Leverate achieved record-breaking growth: revenue jumped 61% year-on-year in 2024, driven by the acquisition of the company's largest-ever account, valued at over US$11 million. She helmed the company’s entry into new regional markets, added ten new meaty deals in its kitty, and led the launch of Adams, an AI-powered digital marketing platform. 

Beyond revenue numbers, Wijaya is passionate about mentoring teams and works towards an open floor culture where everyone, regardless of title, is entitled to speak, share and contribute ideas. The company boasts an equal gender split in leadership roles and an Ad Camp mentoring programme, gives fresh graduates, even those without marketing backgrounds, a six-month learning experience at the agency. 

In the wider Indonesian marcomms industry, she has moderated panels, won multiple regional awards for innovative campaigns, and led financial literacy workshops for Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance, helping campaigns raise US$ 1.4 billion from 84,000 investors. She also guest lectures at her alma mater. 

Peers and partners echo her impact. Vanessa Tan, former director of marketing, Xiaomi Indonesia, sums up her inclusion in Campaign’s class of 2025 40 Under 40: “Even while facing personal health challenges, Wijaya showed up with unwavering resilience and professionalism. Her grit, drive, and impact make her a standout leader.”