First Female BI Governor, Destry: Are We Still Discussing Gender?

Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Destry Damayanti feels that being known as the first female leader of the central bank in Indonesia is not something she considers extraordinary.

“Are we still discussing gender? In Indonesia, we actually no longer have gender [barriers],” Destry stated in the Kempinski Hotel area, Jakarta, on Thursday (3/9/2026).

According to her, regardless of gender, whether male or female, as long as one possesses clear leadership abilities, there should be no obstacles to leading an institution.

She asserted that since the era of independence, many female heroes had already achieved great renown long before gender issues became prominent in recent times.

“Ibu Kartini demonstrated that men and women are equal; what matters is that they possess competence, integrity, and leadership,” she explained.

“Therefore, it means that women and men, as long as they are deemed capable, also have the opportunity,” Destry emphasised.

Nevertheless, she expressed her gratitude to the President and the House of Representatives (DPR) for providing the trust and space for women to lead the central bank, including the deputy governors, such as Aida S. Budiman as senior deputy governor and Filianingsih Hendarta as deputy governor.

“We are grateful for the opportunity, but perhaps the gender stigma is something we are already accustomed to in Indonesia. We have great women working in sectors previously considered male-dominated, such as mining. Especially in the financial sector, there are many women,” she remarked.