Why So Serious? Leigh McKiernon of Korn Ferry

“My articles (come) from a place of affection and empathy towards Indonesia”, says Leigh McKiernon, a leading headhunter in Indonesia. Leigh has cultivated a loyal social media following with his witty commentary on the big money, big personalities and big excesses that have resulted from Indonesia’s uninterrupted run in the tech space for the past decade.

Leigh in one article humorously summarises an entirely fictionalised “Aplikaskars” awards event which he describes as “a glamorous event put on by the Indonesian tech startup community celebrating the industry’s successes and failures.” Leigh seeks to “explore the limits of the absurd” in other humorous articles such as “Forbes 30 Under 30: A Mirage of Meritocracy” and “The False Modesty Olympics: When Being ‘Humbled’ Turns into a Competitive Spectacle.” All of Leigh’s work carries more than just a kernel of truth about the excesses of the industry.

One of Leigh’s most active focuses in executive recruitment and consulting is cultivating high retention corporate cultures amongst Indo’s leading tech companies. “Naturally when you double in size over a three month or a six month period, it's going to pose challenge for even the most experienced leaders.”