Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry Finds a New Leader in Sandiaga Uno

KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s tourism industry and ministry have a new leader after Sandiaga Uno was tapped today to replace Wishnutama Kusubandio.

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo reshuffled his ‘Indonesia Forward’ cabinet today after two ministers were arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Although Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy was not involved in the scandals, Wishnutama still got the boot.

What do we know about the new tourism minister?

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The new chief of the country’s tourism industry is a known public figure having served as a former Vice-Governor of Jakarta and having run as vice-presidential candidate in the Indonesian Presidential Election last year.

Sandiaga joined hands with current Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto during last year’s contested and divisive election.

We also know that the head of Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy worked for several companies including one that eventually went bankrupt.

After that stint, he established his finance-related company, Saratoga Advisor, with a business partner.

Read also: Indonesia, China to Collaborate in Tourism Development

At one point, Globe Asia listed the new Tourism Minister as the 63rd richest Indonesian with a net worth of $245 million.

Nearly two decades ago in 2008, he received the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award from Enterprise Asia.

No bad blood

After the announcement of Sandiaga Uno’s appointment broke, Wishnutama took to Instagram to congratulate the former Vice-Governor on his new role.

In his Instagram post, Wishnutama wrote of his confidence in Sandiaga’s leadership in leading Indonesia’s tourism industry to recovery and beyond.

(Writer & Editor: Kahfi Dirga Cahya)

Source: https://travel.kompas.com/read/2020/12/22/160009327/profil-singkat-sandiaga-uno-terpilih-jadi-menteri-pariwisata-dan-ekonomi 

https://travel.kompas.com/read/2020/12/22/165038827/pesan-wishnutama-ke-sandiaga-uno-pariwisata-bisa-bangkit-lebih-baik