Irene Umar

Vice Minister for Creative Economy, Indonesia

Speaker

Irene Umar is an Indonesian entrepreneur and innovator, now serving as Vice Minister of the Creative Economy. Her appointment by President Prabowo Subianto marks her as the first Buddhist to hold this cabinet position. She is known for her leadership as CEO and Founder of W3GG and Managing Partner at Discovery Nusantara Capital (DNC). Her background spans finance, investment, and social initiatives.

Umar graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from President University, where she was also the valedictorian. During her university years, she co-founded the President University Debating Club and established the President University Charity Club.

Her professional career began in the banking sector, where she served as an Associate Director at Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), with assignments in the United Arab Emirates, India, and Singapore. In this role, she managed critical financial areas, including shipping finance, project finance, and leverage finance. At DNC, she has driven investments in the creative economy, particularly the gaming ecosystem, establishing international investment relationships.

Beyond her business ventures, Umar is active in philanthropy. She co-founded One Indonesia, a non-profit organisation focused on improving education in Indonesia. She also leads the fun2bkind initiative, which provides free meals to those in need, and founded Loka Padang, a vegan restaurant featuring traditional Padang cuisine.