Indonesia Names Destry Damayanti as Sole Candidate to Lead Central Bank

By Ying Xian Wong

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has nominated acting Bank Indonesia Gov. Destry Damayanti as the sole candidate to lead the central bank.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi announced the nomination at a press conference in Jakarta on Monday, after submitting the name to parliament.

Destry would replace Perry Warjiyo, who stepped down as Bank Indonesia governor in late July, citing personal reasons. She has served as acting governor since departure.

Under Indonesian law, the president must submit the nominee to parliament for a fit-and-proper test, a legislative process that typically takes several weeks.

Markets are closely watching the central bank's leadership transition, with analysts describing the appointment as a key test for the government. A successor viewed as an independent policymaker could help restore investor confidence, CreditSights analysts said, while concerns about political influence could weigh on sentiment.

Born in Jakarta in 1963, Destry holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Indonesia and a master's degree in regional science from Cornell University.

She began her career as a senior economic adviser to the British ambassador to Indonesia before serving as a researcher and lecturer at the University of Indonesia. She later served as chief economist at Mandiri Sekuritas and Bank Mandiri and joined the Deposit Insurance Corporation as a commissioner in 2015.

Destry was appointed senior deputy governor of Bank Indonesia in 2019.

Write to Ying Xian Wong at yingxian.wong@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 10, 2026 03:37 ET (07:37 GMT)