Ni Made Sukmasari, Jakarta – Chief Economist of Permata Bank Josua Pardede assesses nominating former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as Supervisory Board of Danantara Investment Management Agency as an Indonesian government strategy to enhance international credibility and attract global investors.
According to him, with a wide political and business network and background, the presence of Tony Blair has the potential to open up greater access to the global investment market, particularly in Europe and the United States (US). Moreover, he said, Tony Blair was experienced in governing and investing.
He mentioned that Blair's experience could strengthen Danantara's management, which is committed to transparency and integrity. Tony Blair is known to have been involved in politics from a young age, even being appointed as the youngest British Prime Minister in the history of the United Kingdom, serving from 1997 to 2007.
On the other hand, Joshua was also aware of the potential for skepticism about political influence and independence of business decisions. Therefore, he believes it is important for Danantara to affirm the role and boundaries of the supervisory board to maintain public and investor trust.
He argues that the global figures in Danantara's supervisory board indicate the government is committed to achieving management standards equivalent to world-class sovereign wealth funds, such as Singapore's GIC or Temasek. He believes that global figures can bring international perspectives, and best investment practices, and strengthen Danantara's image as a credible and professional entity.
Additionally, he added that the global figures can alleviate investor concerns regarding domestic political conflicts. "Therefore, strong transparency in their roles and contributions is needed to maintain public trust," said Josua, on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, as quoted from Antara.
Concerning the Indonesian government, Tony Blair received an offer to become a Member of the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Capital City (IKN) during the administration of the 7th Indonesian President, Joko Widodo (Jokowi). In his statement, he said he was thrilled to participate in moving Indonesia's capital.
"This is truly a joy, actually a privilege, to be part of something that will be very pleasant. I think it's not only for Indonesia, but the outside world will also get a lot of inspiration from this," said Blair during his meeting with Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on February 28, 2020, as quoted from the official website of the Presidential Secretariat's Press, Media, and Information Bureau (BPMI Setpres).
– Melinda Kusuma Ningrum and Melynda Dwi Puspita contributed to the writing of this article.