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
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[JAKARTA] Indonesia’s parliament on Tuesday (Sep 1) approved Destry Damayanti as the next governor of Bank Indonesia, clearing the way for her to become the first woman to lead the central bank.
Destry, 62, was the sole nominee for the job following the surprise resignation in July of Governor Perry Warjiyo midway through his second term.
Lawmakers approved her nomination in Tuesday’s plenary session after parliament’s financial committee endorsed her candidacy last week following a “fit-and-proper” test.
President Prabowo Subianto is expected to issue a decree formally appointing Destry following the legislative vote.
Destry will take the helm at BI at a challenging time for South-east Asia’s biggest economy, with investors concerned about fiscal management, stock market transparency and the central bank’s autonomy amid Prabowo’s drive to accelerate growth.
During her vetting last week, Destry said the country faced a “highly complex situation” that required stronger coordination among institutions, while pledging that cooperation with state agencies would not compromise BI’s independence.
She has said the central bank would support economic growth and job creation while safeguarding financial-system and rupiah stability.
Analysts have said Destry, a Cornell-educated economist who has been a senior deputy governor since 2019, would provide continuity in monetary policy while retaining a good working relationship with the Prabowo administration. REUTERS
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