Holywings Group

Adhitiya W. Wibawa

When one thinks of Holywings Group, the first images that come to mind are the pulsing nightlife, the clink of cocktail glasses, and crowds swaying to live music. Most don’t see the machine behind the curtain—more than 4,000 employees across over 50 outlets, 20 brands, and two countries, running on the backbone of careful planning, discipline, and a relentless focus on people. At the center of that machine stands Adhitiya W. Wibawa, the chief human resources officer (CHRO).

Wibawa doesn’t see HR as a support function; he sees it as the engine that keeps Holywings growing, adapting, and winning in one of Indonesia’s most chaotic, high-speed industries—lifestyle entertainment. To him, every bartender, DJ, and manager is part of a living ecosystem. His job is to make that ecosystem thrive.

“As Holywings expands from nightlife to food, beverage, and sport-entertainment, HR remains the strategic catalyst behind sustainable growth,” says Wibawa.

From Courtrooms to Boardrooms

Oddly, this celebrated HR commander did not start his career in human resources. He began his career in law, armed with a Bachelor’s degree and an instinct for navigating complex situations. He thrived in the courtroom and at the negotiation table, but something felt incomplete. Law was about solving problems as they arose; Wibawa wanted to build something to influence growth before the problems arrived.

That desire led him into training and human capital development, where he discovered a spark in shaping people. Over the next 12 years, he climbed steadily through one of Indonesia’s leading retail and distribution groups, moving from corporate trainer to HC operations manager to regional HR leader and, eventually, department head of HR Business Partners.

“As Holywings expands from nightlife to food, beverage, and sport-entertainment, HR remains the strategic catalyst behind sustainable growth.”

By the time Holywings came calling in 2022, Wibawa had already built a reputation for seeing HR as a strategic discipline, where culture, systems, and people intersect to drive performance. And within two years, under his leadership, 90 percent of processes have gone digital, tied together in a seamless ecosystem called Holyworld.

From “Holysmart” for learning and development, to “Holyteam” for performer scheduling, to “Holyhealth”, a wellness tracker, Wibawa created not just a system, but a culture of accountability and accessibility. Employees can now track careers, benefits, training opportunities, and even wellness challenges at their fingertips.

The Household Manager

Raised in a military family, Wibawa’s approach to leadership is disciplined but humane. He often likens his role to that of a “household manager”: planning a family’s growth, welcoming new members, guiding their development, and ensuring they feel valued. The analogy resonates for a workforce where nearly 60 percent are Gen Z. His philosophy has softened the sometimes rigid perception of HR, reframing it as guidance rather than enforcement.

When asked about leading such a young workforce, Wibawa emphasizes that policies are not mandates, but roadmaps with a purpose. That approach has helped him bridge the generational gap, combining his millennial discipline with the Gen Z appetite for openness, flexibility, and meaning.

A Relentless Learner, a Relentless Builder

Despite overseeing one of the largest HR directorates in Indonesia’s entertainment scene, Wibawa maintains a nightly ritual: at least 30 minutes of reading, including business trends, generational studies, and HR innovations. He doesn’t consume knowledge idly; he adapts it, tests it, and folds it back into the Holywings ecosystem. Even his foray into Instagram in 2023 wasn’t for personal indulgence, but to understand the Gen Z thinkers who make up Holywings’ lifeblood.

For Wibawa, the goal is clear. HR at Holywings will not be paperwork in the background; it will be an accelerator at the forefront. He envisions a culture where innovation isn’t an exception but an expectation, where employees don’t just execute orders but share ownership of the company’s momentum.

If Holywings is a spectacle of lights, music, and immersive experiences, then Wibawa is the strategist in the wings, ensuring that the people behind the spectacle know their worth, pull in the same direction, and, in the process, transform HR into a driver of legacy.