Indonesian parliament approves Destry as central bank governor
The Cornell-educated economist said the country faced a “highly complex situation” that required stronger coordination among institutions
Indonesia's parliament approved Destry Damayanti as the new governor of Bank Indonesia on Tuesday, September 1, 2021, paving the way for her to become the first woman to lead the central bank. The 62-year-old economist was the only candidate nominated to fill the position following Governor Perry Warjiyo's sudden resignation in July, midway through his second term.
Lawmakers endorsed Destry's nomination during a plenary session after the financial committee approved her candidacy the previous week after a "fit-and-proper" assessment. President Prabowo Subianto is set to issue a decree formally appointing Destry following the legislative vote. She is expected to take over at a challenging time for the Southeast Asian giant, with investors wary about fiscal management, stock market transparency, and the central bank's autonomy amid Prabowo's push for accelerated growth.
During her vetting process, Destry emphasized that the country faced a "highly complex situation" requiring enhanced coordination among institutions, while promising that cooperation with state agencies would not undermine BI's independence. She pledged that the central bank would support economic growth and job creation while maintaining financial-system and rupiah stability.
Destry, a Cornell-educated economist with a decade of experience as senior deputy governor since 2019, is poised to provide continuity in monetary policy while fostering a strong working relationship with the Prabowo administration.
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