Thomas Djiwandono Elected as Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The House of Representatives (DPR) has approved Deputy Minister of Finance Thomas Djiwandono as the Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia for the 2026-2031 term. The decision was formalized during the 12th DPR plenary session, attended by 339 of the 580 parliament members.

Prior to the approval, House Deputy Speaker Saan Mustopa, acting as the session chair, invited the Chair of Commission XI, Mukhamad Misbakhun, to present the results of the feasibility test for the candidate.

In his presentation, Misbakhun outlined the governance structure of Bank Indonesia as regulated under Law Number 23 of 1999, later amended by Law Number 4 of 2023 concerning the Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector.

Under this law, Misbakhun noted that Bank Indonesia is led by a governor and deputy governors. Misbakhun stated that the deputy governor is an integral part of the central bank's top leadership and holds a strategic position as a member of the Board of Governors.

Legally, Misbakhun explained, the Board of Governors is a collective body responsible for all tasks and authorities of Bank Indonesia. Consequently, the deputy governor is directly involved in discussing and determining the central bank’s policies.

Misbakhun continued, noting that Law Number 4 of 2023 mandates that the governor, senior deputy governor, and deputy governors be proposed by the president and approved by the DPR. Following a consultation meeting on January 19, 2026, it was agreed that the feasibility test would be delegated to Commission XI.

Misbakhun mentioned that an internal meeting of Commission XI on January 20, 2026, reached an agreement to conduct the feasibility test for the candidate.

By Monday, January 26, 2026, through consensus, Misbakhun said the members of Commission XI approved Thomas Djiwandono as the elected Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia for the 2026-2031 period. He then requested the plenary session participants to grant their approval and report to Saan Mustopa.

Deputy Speaker Saan Mustopa then sought the final consent of the attendees. "Esteemed council, may we ask if the report from Commission XI regarding the feasibility test results for the candidate for Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia can be approved?" Saan asked the assembly in the Nusantara II building.

"Agreed," replied the participants. With this confirmation, Thomas Djiwandono officially assumes the post previously held by Juda Agung.

In addition to confirming Thomas Djiwandono, the plenary session also ratified several other appointments, including Deputy Speaker Adies Kadir as a Constitutional Court judge, nine members of the Indonesian Ombudsman for 2026-2031, and members of the National Zakat Agency (Baznas).

Thomas Djiwandono, who is also the nephew of President Prabowo Subianto, was elected after undergoing feasibility and propriety tests conducted by Commission XI.

His two competitors were the Head of the Macroprudential Policy Department of Bank Indonesia, Solikin Juhro, and the Head of the Payment System Policy Department, Dicky Kartikoyono.

Solikin underwent his test on Friday, January 23, 2026. Meanwhile, Dicky sat for his exam on Monday morning, January 26, 2026, followed by Thomas Djiwandono in the afternoon.

Thomas Djiwandono’s name was announced as the new Deputy Governor less than 30 minutes after he completed his final interview.

Chair of Commission XI Mukhamad Misbakhun stated that the internal meeting reached the decision through deliberation and consensus. "It was decided that the Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, replacing the resigning Juda Agung, is Thomas A.M. Djiwandono," Misbakhun said.

He confirmed that the internal selection process by the various factions lasted roughly 30 minutes. According to Misbakhun, all members accepted the decision without objection.

Furthermore, he explained the reasoning behind selecting the former Treasurer General of the Gerindra Party, stating that Djiwandono could garner broad political support. "The consideration was that Bapak Thomas Djiwandono is a figure acceptable to all political parties," he remarked.

According to Misbakhun, faction members agreed that Djiwandono is a suitable fit for Bank Indonesia.

He also dismissed concerns regarding potential threats to the central bank's independence, given the candidate's relationship to the president. "He was very professional in explaining how policies are formulated within a process," he said. "In my opinion, that issue can be set aside. There is professionalism," he added.

Who is Thomas Djiwandono

Thomas Djiwandono, commonly known as Tommy, was born in Jakarta on May 7, 1972. He is the eldest child of Soedradjad Djiwandono and Biantiningsih Miderawati. Soedradjad is a former Governor of Bank Indonesia, while his mother, Bianti, is the sister of Prabowo Subianto.

Thomas is a graduate of Haverford College in Pennsylvania, USA. He also holds a master's degree in International Relations and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.

Thomas began his career as an intern journalist at Tempo magazine in 1993. The following year, he joined Indonesia Business Weekly. Additionally, Tommy has served as a financial analyst at Whetlock NatWest Securities in Hong Kong.

In 2006, he was appointed Deputy CEO of the Arsari Group, an agribusiness firm owned by his uncle, Hashim Djojohadikusumo. Thomas later served as the Treasurer General of the Gerindra Party and was inaugurated as Deputy Minister of Finance on July 18, 2024.