Nandito Putra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has formed a new government body, the Mineral Industry Agency. The creation of this new institution was announced on Monday, August 25, 2025, after Prabowo inaugurated Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, as its new head at the State Palace in Jakarta.
Brian's appointment was finalized through Presidential Decree Number 77 of 2025. However, the government has yet to clearly define the scope and authority of this new institution.
Brian was sworn in simultaneously with several other officials, including the Chief Justice, the Head and Deputy Head of the North Java Coastal Authority Board, the Chief of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), and a number of Indonesian ambassadors.
Profile of Brian Yuliarto
Brian Yuliarto is an academic specializing in nano and quantum technology. He is a professor at the Faculty of Industrial Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). On February 19, 2025, he was appointed to lead the Ministry of Higher Education, replacing Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro.
His academic career began with a degree in Physics Engineering from ITB in 1999. He later completed his master's and doctoral studies in Quantum Engineering and System Science at the University of Tokyo in 2005.
At ITB, Brian has held numerous key positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technology (2022-2024) and Head of the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research Center (2019-2020). He also served as Head of the Physics Engineering Study Program (2016-2020) and Chair of the ITB Student Executive Board (2010-2016).
A candidate for the ITB Rector for the 2025-2030 period, Brian is currently a Visiting Professor at Tsukuba University in Japan. His research achievements have earned him recognition, including the Habibie Prize in 2024, a place on the World's Top 2% Scientist list in the same year, and the title of Indonesia's Top 1 Researcher in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in 2023.
Beyond academia, Brian Yuliarto has also contributed to development planning. He led the drafting of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) JIIPE and SEZ Patimban and was a member of the West Java Regional Development Planning Agency Committee from 2012 to 2016.
– Hendrik Yaputra and M. Rizki Yusrial contributed to the report.