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View all search resultsCreative economy needs stronger inter-ministerial ties: Deputy minister
Deputy Creative Economy Minister Irene Umar sat down with The Jakarta Post’s Maudey Khalisha to discuss the ministry’s priorities for driving growth, the need for education reform amid the rise of AI and cross-ministerial collaboration to strengthen Indonesia’s creative economy ecosystem globally.
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Deputy Creative Economy Minister Irene Umar gestures during an interview with The Jakarta Post at the ministry office in Autograph Tower, Thamrin Nine, Central Jakarta, on May 7, 2026. (JP/Iqro Rinaldi)
T
he government is seeking to position the creative economy as a new engine of growth, leveraging Indonesia’s large youth population, rising digital adoption and expanding global cultural influence, with the aim of the sector contributing 8 percent of GDP.
Deputy Creative Economy Minister Irene Umar sat down with The Jakarta Post’s Maudey Khalisha to discuss the ministry’s priorities for driving growth, the need for education reform amid the rise of artificial intelligence and cross-ministerial collaboration to strengthen Indonesia’s creative economy ecosystem globally.
Question: You come from outside the traditional bureaucratic system. What did the President ask you to focus on when you were brought in?
Answer: Why I was okay with jumping in here was because of what the leadership team [of the administration] told me. Basically, the creative economy is something new. We might not have the knowledge for this and hence we should do what needs to be done to bring the industry to the next level, to lead in the global stage.
Being in the industry for more than a decade, I've been fighting together with the industry, not only at the local level but also on the global stage.
So, I do see the potential, and I do see how Indonesia's creative economy warriors, as we call them, they really have the heart and passion to do it and they are hungry.
How has your experience in the industry shaped your role in bridging communication between different stakeholders in the creative economy ecosystem?
