JAKARTA — President Prabowo Subianto officially sworn in Prof. Suahasil Nazara as Indonesia’s Minister of Finance at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, September 14, 2026, marking a key leadership transition at the helm of the country’s treasury.
Suahasil’s appointment, formalized under Presidential Decree No. 97P/2026, elevates a seasoned economic technocrat to lead fiscal policy execution as Indonesia navigates global macroeconomic uncertainty and tightening sovereign debt markets.
Before assuming full control of the state budget (APBN), Suahasil spent over a decade within the upper echelons of the Finance Ministry. He served as Acting Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency (BKF) in 2015 before taking the definitive role in 2016, and subsequently held the post of Deputy Minister of Finance from 2019 through early 2026 across two presidential administrations.
The newly appointed minister brings extensive academic credentials and institutional policy experience:
- Academic Credentials: Earned his bachelor’s degree from FEB Universitas Indonesia (1994), an M.Sc. from Cornell University (1997), and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2003). He was named Professor of Economics at UI in 2009.
- Institutional Experience: Directed the FEB UI Demographic Institute (2005–2008) before steering macro-fiscal modeling as Head of the BKF (2016–2019).
- Policy Orientation: Widely recognized by financial markets for a data-driven approach to revenue expansion, expenditure tracking, and fiscal discipline.
Markets are closely watching Suahasil’s initial policy moves, particularly regarding state revenue mobilization, fiscal deficit targets, and targeted economic stimulus amidst shifting international trade dynamics.
Photo cover: Suahasil Nazara (kemenkeu)
