TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mari Elka Pangestu has been appointed Managing Director of the World Bank for Development Policy and Partnerships, the President of World Bank Group David Malpass announced today, January 10.

“Ms. Pangestu joins the Bank with exceptional policy and management expertise,” said David as quoted from the release published on www.worldbank.org.

According to David, Mari’s experience as a senior minister, a world-renowned economist, researcher, as well as her experience and engagement in key international forums will play a vital role in the World Bank to support its broad-based growth and poverty reduction program.

Mari had served as a minister twice. In 2004, she was inaugurated as SBY’s trade minister until 2011 and was then appointed Jokowi's tourism minister in 2011-2014.

At present, the former minister serves as the chief of the Board of Trustees of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington D.C and active as the advisor to the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi.

The appointment of Mari will take effect on March 1, 2020. She is tasked to oversee the work program of the World Bank’s Global Practice Groups, the research and data group, and the function of the external and corporate relations.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo nominated Mari Elka Pangestu as the World Bank bigwig in October 2019 for her exceptional skills in the economic sector and is considered as an adept figure with qualifications of international standards.

DEA REZKI GERASTRI | KODRAT