Indonesia's Parliament has approved Destry Damayanti as Governor of Bank Indonesia, making her the first woman to lead the country's central bank. The Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat endorsed her appointment at its 4th Plenary Session on 1 September 2026, and she was sworn in before Chief Justice Sunarto the following day for a term running from 2026 to 2031.
Damayanti had been serving as Acting Governor from 26 July 2026, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Perry Warjiyo on 25 July 2026. Her appointment now places her at the helm of one of Southeast Asia's most closely watched monetary authorities on a substantive basis, ending several weeks of interim leadership at the top of the central bank.
SOLE CANDIDATE BACKED BY PRESIDENT
Damayanti was the sole candidate for the governorship put forward with the backing of President Prabowo Subianto, and her nomination moved through parliamentary review without a competing name on the ballot. The DPR's endorsement at the 4th Plenary Session paved the way for her swearing-in on 2 September 2026 and secured a five-year mandate that will span most of the current presidential term.
Alongside her inauguration, Aida S. Budiman was inaugurated as Senior Deputy Governor for the same 2026-2031 term, and Solikin M. Juhro was sworn in as Deputy Governor. The trio's confirmation completes the top tier of Bank Indonesia's leadership after weeks of interim arrangements following Warjiyo's departure and provides continuity across the central bank's core policy-making functions.
Damayanti becomes the first woman to serve as Governor of Bank Indonesia in the central bank's history, a milestone in a region where women continue to be underrepresented in the top jobs at monetary authorities across Asia and the wider emerging-market universe.
TRANSITION AFTER WARJIYO RESIGNATION
The leadership change comes after Perry Warjiyo, who had led Bank Indonesia through the pandemic-era rate cycle and the post-2022 tightening phase, resigned on 25 July 2026. Damayanti stepped in as Acting Governor the following day, ensuring continuity of policymaking through the intervening weeks and maintaining the operating rhythm of the central bank's monetary and macroprudential functions. That five-week acting period provided a bridge between Warjiyo's departure and the substantive parliamentary confirmation on 1 September.
Her elevation to the substantive role, alongside the confirmation of Budiman as Senior Deputy Governor and Juhro as Deputy Governor, provides the central bank with a full leadership slate for the coming five-year term. The appointments were formalised at the swearing-in ceremony conducted by Chief Justice Sunarto, with each of the three officials taking oaths of office for the 2026-2031 mandate.
Damayanti now takes charge of a central bank navigating a delicate balance between supporting economic growth, managing the rupiah and anchoring inflation expectations. With a five-year mandate stretching to 2031, she and her deputy governor colleagues will oversee policy across a full political and economic cycle in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Her appointment as the first woman Governor of Bank Indonesia also draws attention to the composition of central bank leadership across the region and the pathways available to senior women in Indonesian public policy.