An Indonesian businesswoman, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, has been appointed Indonesia’s Tourism Minister to the Red & White Cabinet of President Prabowo Subinato and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
As one of his first acts in office, President Prabowo Subianto announced his record-sized 109-member cabinet on Sunday, 20 October 2024 – a list that includes Widiyanti Putri Wardhana at the top tourism post.
The formal swearing-in as Tourism Minister took place on Monday, 21 October, at which time she formally saw Sandiaga Uno surrender the Tourism Minister’s job to his successor
More about Tourism MinisterWidiyanti
As reported by the State News Agency Antara, Widiyanti is the daughter of Indonesian businessman Wiwoho Basuki Tjokronegoro, the founder of The Teladan Group, active in several sectors of the national economy, including agribusiness and mining.
Widiyanti is married to Wishnu Wardhana, the former CEO of PT Indika Energy – a major energy company in Indonesia.
Widiyanti Putri has been an active player in the agribusiness sector, working in the family business – PT Teladan Prima Agro (TPA). TPA’s main field of activities is managing palm oil processing facilities established in East Kalimantan in 2004.
Under Widiyanti Putri’s leadership, TPA experienced rapid growth by developing palm oil plantations in the Berau Regency, Kutai Timor, Paser, and Kutai Kartanegara.
Since 2021, Widiyanti served as a Commissioner of PT Teladan Prima Agro. Previously, she worked as a Director of the same company for nine years, from 2012 until 2021.
In addition, since 2013, she has served as a Commissioner in several TPA subsidiaries and as a Commissioner of PT Teladan Agro Resources from 2007 until 2012.
Educational Background
In 1993, Widiyanti earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
Widiyanti is well known for her charitable activities. She has served as the Secretary-General of the Indonesian Heart Foundation (Yayasan Jantung Indonesia-YJI) from 2018-2024. During her YJI service, Widiyanti was credited with increasing public awareness of heart and arterial disease prevention.
Widiyanti has also volunteered her talents by serving in key positions at the Teledan Utama Foundation and the supervisory board at the Kawula Madani Foundation, which works to enhance public welfare.
Deputy Tourism Minister – Ni Luh Puspa
President Prabowo has appointed a Balinese woman to serve as the Deputy Tourism Minister (Wakil Menteri Pariwisata) under Widiyanti Putri Wardhana.
The new Deputy Tourism Minister, Ni Luh Enik Ermawati, is more commonly known as Ni Luh Puspa.
Ni Luh Puspa once worked as an on-air presenter on an Indonesian private television channel.
Born in Singaraja, Bali, in 1986, Ni Luh Puspa is an active participant on social media, including INSTAGRAM @niluhpuspa and TikTok @bi.luh.puspa.
DetikBali.com reports that Ni Luh Puspa is from a simple North Bali family that transmigrated to Sulawesi. When the future Deputy Tourism Minister was only 7 years old, her family returned to Bali. The first-born among three siblings, she was raised by her grandparents.
Before becoming a professional journalist, Ni Luh Puspa worked by remaining at home and helping her family. While still in High School, she worked briefly as a household maid (ART) and, at one point, reportedly sacrificed an academic scholarship to help a younger sibling.
Ni Luh also worked for periods as a door-to-door salesperson and joined a cleaning service crew. The young woman secured better employment positions through hard work and focus.
Journalistic Career
Ni Luh’s journalistic career began when she became an announcer at a Makassar radio station in 2010. From that point onward, she increased her understanding of the workings of mass media.
In 2012, she began working as a presenter on a Makassar Television Station while pursuing a degree at STIE Nobel Indonesia Makassar, graduating in 2016.
In 2018, Ni Luh was recruited by KOMPAS TV, which provided wider celebrity nationwide. At KOMPAS TV, she was given a regular eponymous TV slot – “NI LUH” that discussed social, political, and cultural topics.
Ni Luh Puspa has told the press that her appointment as a Deputy Tourism Minister was sudden and unexpected. She was contacted by Major Teddy – an assistant to President Prabowo, only two days before taking her oath of office.
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