Noni Purnomo is one of South-East Asia’s most influential business leaders and is a champion of education for all, with a strong focus on supporting female entrepreneurship. Ms Purnomo is the President Director of Bluebird Group Holding as well as the founder of Bluebird Peduli, a philanthropy division of Blue Bird Group. She is also a founding member of Angel Investment group, ANGIN, which empowers women entrepreneurs through investment, mentoring, and networking opportunities.
Ms Purnomo was three years old when Blue Bird was first set up by her grandmother. As the third generation in her family to lead Blue Bird Group, she transformed the business into a multi-national company that is also the largest taxi operator in the country. Blue Bird began as a small business working out of her family’s garage, but thanks to her vision it now operates in over 20 cities, with nearly 40,000 cars.
Apart from leading the charge in a heavily male-dominated industry, Ms Purnomo also chairs Bluebird Cares – a charitable organisation she founded to provide education scholarships to the children of Blue Bird’s taxi drivers, and the achievement that brings her the most personal satisfaction. Beyond Bluebird Peduli, she personally supports the education of 120 children, and her organisation provides transportation and coaching for the Indonesia Mengajar program, dedicated to recruiting and training volunteers to teach across Indonesia for a year.
Ms Purnomo developed a strong focus on purpose and impact while studying Industrial Engineering at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She also holds a Master’s degree in marketing and finance from the University of San Francisco. She was the winner of the 2019 Alumni of the Year award from the Australian Embassy Indonesia and Australia Global Alumni Network in Indonesia.
Ms Purnomo maintains strong ties to Australia, serving as board member of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Australia-Indonesia Institute. She is also Chairperson of the Intelligent Transport System Indonesia Chapter, Indonesian Transport Society Board of Presidium, Board of Advisors of the Indonesian Management Development Institute (IPMI), Coca Cola Amatil Indonesia, advisor to Antler Asia, and has been a Young Presidents Organization Member since 2003. In March 2019, Ms Purdomo was appointed as a member of Universitas Indonesia’s Board of Trustees for the 2019–2024 period.
Ms Purnomo has been internationally recognised for both her business leadership and her support of next generation leaders. In 2015, she was listed in ‘Power Women in Asia’ by Forbes, was named in 2017 Globe Asia’s ’99 Most Powerful Women’, awarded 2017 Endeavour Indonesia Mentor of the Year, and in 2021 she was named Tatler Asia’s Most Influential.
