Who is she?

Retno Marsudi was until this week Indonesia’s ambassador to the Netherlands. She has been a career diplomat since 1986 and has served in a number of positions, including as a press attaché in Australia, director for Europe and America at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and ambassador to Norway and Iceland. She is 51 years old.

Ambassador Retno Marsudi of Indonesia. Source: Utenriksdepartementet UD’s flickr photostream, used under a creative commons license.

Why is she in the news?

On October 26, newly-inaugurated president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo appointed Retno as foreign minister in his new cabinet. Retno is the first woman to the hold the position in Indonesia’s 65-year history and is one of eight women—a new record—in Jokowi’s 34-member cabinet. She is one of 18 technocrats and professionals in the cabinet, and viewed as one of the most capable at that.

What can we expect from her?

Retno will continue her predecessor Marty Natalegawa’s push for greater Indonesian involvement on both the regional and world stages, and will play a significant role in Jokowi’s vision of making Indonesia a more outward-facing maritime power. Retno garnered a reputation as ambassador for her friendly demeanor, effective work style, and willingness to reach out to civil society for outside views. These traits will prove valuable as she pursues Indonesia’s increasingly proactive foreign policy. Her extensive experience could also help dispel lingering doubts over how effectively the administration of small city mayor-turned-president Jokowi will manage foreign policy.