Microsoft Appoints Gunawan Susanto as Country GM for Indonesia
US technology giant Microsoft has appointed Gunawan Susanto as its new Country General Manager (GM) for Indonesia. He replaces Dharma Simorangkir and will focus on scaling operations and nurturing more young digital talent through his leadership in this era of rapid artificial intelligence (AI) advancement.
“I am enthusiastic about joining Microsoft Indonesia; this is an opportunity for me to learn and contribute at the forefront of the AI era. Microsoft’s commitment to innovation and empowerment aligns closely with the belief that technology can be a powerful force for positive change,” Gunawan Susanto said in a statement from Microsoft received in Jakarta on Monday.
Gunawan Susanto’s appointment as the new GM for Indonesia reinforces Microsoft’s long-term commitment, including a $1.7 billion investment (equivalent to Rp27.6 trillion at the time of the 2024 announcement) over four years for local cloud and AI infrastructure. Since its introduction in Indonesia, the programme has engaged more than 2 million participants, with over 1.2 million people earning Microsoft-recognised credentials. This includes collaboration with the government, the enterprise sector, developers, and small business communities in Indonesia to expand access to cloud and AI.
President of Microsoft ASEAN, Mayank Wadhwa, said Gunawan’s arrival is expected to strengthen Microsoft’s role in supporting organisations in Indonesia to achieve digital transformation and even lead in the AI era. “With Gunawan’s experience and local understanding, we will help organisations in Indonesia turn that ambition into real impact, while advancing our commitment to empower every individual and organisation in this country,” Mayank said.
Before joining Microsoft, Gunawan had been actively leading in the technology industry for more than two decades. He was previously known for serving as President Director and CEO at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and IBM Indonesia. More recently, he also invested in Indonesia’s healthcare sector through a private equity fund and served as an Independent Commissioner at PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi (Mitratel).