Danantara Plans US$1 Billion Trust Fund, Invites Gates Foundation to Collaborate
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Danantara BPI Executive Body Rosan Perkasa Roeslani has announced plans to establish the Danantara Trust Fund. He also invited the Gates Foundation (formerly the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) to participate in the collaboration.
Rosan said the Danantara Trust Fund could accommodate 1 to 2.5 per cent of the dividends received by Danantara each year. He indicated the Trust Fund is projected to receive funding of up to US$1 billion.
"We have already run the numbers. At the beginning of the year we will indeed put in US$100 million first, and we have seen that the figures suggest within 5 to 6 years we could allocate US$1 billion to the Danantara Trust Fund," Rosan said at a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta after meeting global philanthropist Bill Gates on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, as quoted by Antara.
So what is the difference between Danantara and the Danantara Trust Fund?
Understanding the Danantara Trust Fund
Rosan explained that the Danantara Trust Fund is Danantara's philanthropic body. It will operate to implement empowerment programmes across various fields, including education and health.
"This collaboration plan is what we have already discussed with the Gates Foundation, for them to also jointly contribute funds alongside us," said Rosan, who currently also serves as Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
Rosan revealed that the plan had been communicated to the Gates Foundation on Tuesday, 6 May 2025. The desire to collaborate was reiterated by Rosan during a discussion session between President Prabowo Subianto and Bill Gates at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday, 7 May 2025.
Rosan claimed the potential for collaboration between the Danantara Trust Fund and the Gates Foundation was wide open. The same offer was conveyed by Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin to Bill Gates, who suggested the Danantara Trust Fund would likely resemble Temasek Trust in Singapore.
"I hope you can sit on the board structure. You could sit alongside Ray Dalio, your friend as well. You and Ray Dalio also sit together on the board of a Chinese philanthropy body in education. Mr Rosan with Danantara has sufficient budget as a catalyst," said Budi.
Regarding the collaboration, Rosan said he would discuss it further with Bill Gates's team. "We will continue the discussions with his team. We have already agreed. From his team, two people have been appointed — Ms Pipa and Mr Jamal from Seattle, and another from Singapore," Rosan said at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Danantara is a body that carries out government duties in the management of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) as stipulated in the Law on BUMN. This definition is set out in Government Regulation (PP) Number 10 of 2025 on the Organisation and Governance of BPI Danantara.
Danantara has the status of a legal entity wholly owned by the Government of Indonesia. In carrying out its duties, Danantara has the authority to manage dividends from investment holdings, operational holdings, and BUMN; approve additions and/or reductions in capital participation in BUMN sourced from dividend management; and establish investment and operational holdings together with the BUMN Minister.
Danantara's authority also includes approving proposals for write-offs of BUMN assets submitted by investment or operational holdings together with the BUMN Minister, as well as granting and receiving loans or pledging assets with presidential approval.
"To ratify and consult with the relevant committee of the House of Representatives on the corporate work plan and budget (RKAP) of investment and operational holdings," reads Article 4 paragraph (2) letter f of PP Number 10 of 2025.
President Prabowo has previously estimated that Danantara's asset value could reach US$1 trillion, or more than Rp16,800 trillion. He said Danantara's assets currently stand at around US$900 billion.
"If we manage them well and calculate our assets, it turns out we are wealthy. Danantara's wealth could break through US$1 trillion, and if managed well it could generate substantial funds for our nation," Prabowo said after the Danantara-BUMN Synergy Townhall Meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center on Monday, 28 April 2025.
Rosan said the Danantara Trust Fund could accommodate 1 to 2.5 per cent of the dividends received by Danantara each year. He indicated the Trust Fund is projected to receive funding of up to US$1 billion.
"We have already run the numbers. At the beginning of the year we will indeed put in US$100 million first, and we have seen that the figures suggest within 5 to 6 years we could allocate US$1 billion to the Danantara Trust Fund," Rosan said at a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta after meeting global philanthropist Bill Gates on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, as quoted by Antara.
So what is the difference between Danantara and the Danantara Trust Fund?
Understanding the Danantara Trust Fund
Rosan explained that the Danantara Trust Fund is Danantara's philanthropic body. It will operate to implement empowerment programmes across various fields, including education and health.
"This collaboration plan is what we have already discussed with the Gates Foundation, for them to also jointly contribute funds alongside us," said Rosan, who currently also serves as Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
Rosan revealed that the plan had been communicated to the Gates Foundation on Tuesday, 6 May 2025. The desire to collaborate was reiterated by Rosan during a discussion session between President Prabowo Subianto and Bill Gates at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday, 7 May 2025.
Rosan claimed the potential for collaboration between the Danantara Trust Fund and the Gates Foundation was wide open. The same offer was conveyed by Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin to Bill Gates, who suggested the Danantara Trust Fund would likely resemble Temasek Trust in Singapore.
"I hope you can sit on the board structure. You could sit alongside Ray Dalio, your friend as well. You and Ray Dalio also sit together on the board of a Chinese philanthropy body in education. Mr Rosan with Danantara has sufficient budget as a catalyst," said Budi.
Regarding the collaboration, Rosan said he would discuss it further with Bill Gates's team. "We will continue the discussions with his team. We have already agreed. From his team, two people have been appointed — Ms Pipa and Mr Jamal from Seattle, and another from Singapore," Rosan said at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Danantara is a body that carries out government duties in the management of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) as stipulated in the Law on BUMN. This definition is set out in Government Regulation (PP) Number 10 of 2025 on the Organisation and Governance of BPI Danantara.
Danantara has the status of a legal entity wholly owned by the Government of Indonesia. In carrying out its duties, Danantara has the authority to manage dividends from investment holdings, operational holdings, and BUMN; approve additions and/or reductions in capital participation in BUMN sourced from dividend management; and establish investment and operational holdings together with the BUMN Minister.
Danantara's authority also includes approving proposals for write-offs of BUMN assets submitted by investment or operational holdings together with the BUMN Minister, as well as granting and receiving loans or pledging assets with presidential approval.
"To ratify and consult with the relevant committee of the House of Representatives on the corporate work plan and budget (RKAP) of investment and operational holdings," reads Article 4 paragraph (2) letter f of PP Number 10 of 2025.
President Prabowo has previously estimated that Danantara's asset value could reach US$1 trillion, or more than Rp16,800 trillion. He said Danantara's assets currently stand at around US$900 billion.
"If we manage them well and calculate our assets, it turns out we are wealthy. Danantara's wealth could break through US$1 trillion, and if managed well it could generate substantial funds for our nation," Prabowo said after the Danantara-BUMN Synergy Townhall Meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center on Monday, 28 April 2025.