What's a Merdeka?

At Merdeka Global, we believe in real freedom—“Merdeka” means just that in Indonesian! Inspired by the mighty Garuda (Indonesia’s legendary bird of strength), we are a team of experts who believe in a single principle:

Do serious work. Don't do it in a serious manner. Free to be you.

Merdeka Global and its partner companies (click those bad boys above to learn more about each) launched in 2020 as a Digital Transformation Consulting Firm. Amanda, Merdeka's Chief Positivity Officer is not the 'techy' person on the team but wanted to support our very serious tech clients...differently. Free the client from the burden of complicated and unnecessary tasks, and execute on work with timely precision.

And just like that, our clients learned you can do serious work, without all the serious... and the best part? Our tech clients loved the simplicity and authenticity of our service model.

Since then, Merdeka's launched other consulting companies, each specializing in a unique space. We don't know it all, but what we do know - we kick its socks off.

Looking for Best Practices? Not at Merdeka. Best Practices = Best Guesses.. Our evidence based insights is how we've helped dozens of companies achieve their goals and measure quantifiable success.

Click around, get to know us and let's have a chat.

P.S.

Indonesia hits home for Amanda. Her dad was from there, and her biggest cheerleader. He was the king of creating memorable moments for his cruise ship passengers and believed in the power of being authentically you...to be free. He was one cool dude, and Merdeka was born to honor him. Thanks, Papi.

Meet the Team

Amanda DeVlugt

Chief Positive Officer

Meet Amanda DeVlugt, the spark plug behind all things culture, positivity, and purpose at Merdeka Global. With 15 years carved out in hospitality, she’s the kind of person who doesn’t just deliver service — she creates experiences. From front desks, banquets, guest relations, and team leadership, Amanda learned early that a workplace’s vibe makes all the difference: happy team members = right culture.

As Chief Positivity Officer at Merdeka, Amanda blends her hospitality smarts with deep care for culture. She believes that work should be serious — but not stifling. Rooted in Merdeka’s philosophy (“Do serious work. Don’t do it in a serious manner. Free to be you.”) she leads with authenticity, fairness, and a drive to see people grow.

She’s passionate about creating a place where everyone feels seen, heard, and energized to bring their full selves. Learning & Development, continuous feedback, accountable leadership — these aren’t buzzwords to her; they’re the lifeblood of healthy teams.

When she’s not bringing positivity to work, Amanda’s likely floating somewhere at 35k feet above sea level.

Thanks to her mom, a flight attendant, travel is in her DNA!

She serves as a VP Chapter Operations for the Central Florida ATD Chapter (Association for Talent Development), helping shape how people learn and grow in their careers. She’s also a major fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, turning passion into action to support research, support networks, and hope.

Her mission? Culture, kindness, and excellence aren’t optional. They’re non-negotiable.

Who's Trusted us.

Awesome Partners, that's who.

We are proud to have collaborated with a diverse array of organizations, driving transformation and fostering a culture of continuous learning that enhances workforce capabilities and overall performance.