Gita Wirjawan

Gita Irawan Wirjawan
31st Minister of Trade of Indonesia
Incumbent
Assumed office October 19, 2011
President	Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Preceded by	Mari Elka Pangestu
Chairman of the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board
In office October 22, 2009 – June 14, 2012
President	Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Preceded by	Muhammad Lutfi
Succeeded by	Muhammad Chatib Basri
Personal details
Born	(1965-09-21) September 21, 1965 Jakarta, Indonesia
Nationality	Indonesian
Alma mater	University of Texas Baylor University John F. Kennedy School of Government
Profession	Businessman
Website	http://gitawirjawan.com/ http://www.kemendag.go.id/ http://www.bkpm.go.id/

Gita Irawan Wirjawan (born September 21, 1965) is an Indonesian businessman and former banker.^[1] In October 2011, he was appointed as Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Gita Irawan Wirjawan, his full name, is the son of the couple Wirjawan Djojosugito and Paula Wirjawan. In 2008, he founded the company Ancora Capital (tempo), a private equity fund whose primary investments focus on the natural resources and mining sector. Prior to founding Ancora Capital, Gita was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, and the Vice Chairman and Head of Investment Bank JP Morgan Indonesia from 2006–2008

Personal life

Gita Wirjawan was born in September 21, 1965 in Jakarta. His father was Wirjawan Djojosoegito, a medical doctor from Yogyakarta, while his mother Paula Warokka is a Minahasan from Remboken in North Sulawesi. ^[2] Gita has a bachelor degree in Accounting from University of Texas, Master of Business Administration from Baylor University, and Master of Public Administration from the Harvard University's JFK School of Government. He also held both CPA and CFA charterholder.

Business career

After he left JP Morgan Indonesia in April 2008, Gita established his own company, Ancora Capital, an investment company specializing in natural resources, including mining. Admittedly, not many people would have the courage to walk away from such a high position at a world-class company like JP Morgan. The well-built man said that he had planned to leave the company since the middle of 2007, because he knew that a financial crisis would occur in the US that would have a global impact that would extend to Indonesia.^[1]

He soon prepared funds to buy shares of companies that were likely to be affected by the global crisis. Within a few months, Ancora Capital managed to take over most of the shares of PT Apexindo Pratama Duta, PT Bumi Resources, PT Multi Nitrat Kimia, a property company in Jakarta and another in Bali. To smoothen the flow of his business, he often relied on his connections during his days at Harvard. It is because of his close connections he is often asked by the government to lobby world leaders.^[1]

Philanthropy

After his success with Ancora Capital, Gita established the Ancora Foundation with one overriding objective: to light fire in the minds of young Indonesians through education. Producing the best minds and achieving universal education enrolment are imperatives. It will build human capital so that Indonesia can play a greater leadership role in the world, commensurate with its size and history.

Through scholarships for Indonesians to attend the best universities at home and abroad, the Foundation hopes to develop a body of leaders who will ultimately become instruments of change for Indonesia. It is part of a two-pronged approach that also seeks to provide basic education to the society or community across the extended archipelago which over time will widen and deepen the country’s talent pool. ^[3]

This foundation has made several scholarship programs, among others:

• Ancora Foundation Graduate Fellowship Fund at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
• Ancora Foundation Graduate Fellowship Fund at the University of Cambridge
• Ancora Foundation Graduate Fellowship Fund at the University of Oxford
• Ancora Foundation Scholarship at the University of Paramadina
• Ancora Foundation Scholarship at the University Multimedia Nusantara
• The Ancora-Khazanah Scholarship Program
• The Ancora Scholarship Program in West Java

Badminton Association of Indonesia

On December 14, 2012, Gita was elected as Chairman of Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia for 2012-2016 period. ^[4] Gita's first program for PBSI are young athletes and managerial system in the organisation. Within his chairmanship, Gita appointed Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja to support as Chief of Development and Performance.

Musics

When he studied for his MPA at Harvard, Gita also took "continuing studies" night classes in music at Berklee School of Music, Boston. Many of his hours were spent on music rather than books, because he enjoyed music much more. Even now, when he composes a song he sometimes becomes totally absorbed in it and can lose all sense of time, not knowing whether 20 minutes or 20 hours have passed.^[1]

For him music is the purpose of life, while business is the tool or means. However, he said that once he chooses a job or makes a decision he is totally committed. "I am the totally committed type," he said.^[1]

It was his love of music that prompted Gita to establish Omega Pacific Production to help young talented musicians. The company helps produce and distribute albums of struggling newcomers to the industry. Through Omega Pacific Production he launched Tompi, Bali Lounge, Cherokee, KEN and Nial Djuliarso. Besides all these activities Gita has also performed in cafes and written songs for several albums, for example at the end of 2005 he played with some of the world's top jazz groups here in Jakarta, namely Fourplay and Bob James. His performances attracted the attention of many people.^[1]

Politics

After serving for nearly 2 years as the chairman of Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board or Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM), Gita was appointed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to take a new role as the new Trade Minister replacing Mari Elka Pangestu.^[1]

References