Indonesia: the challenge of growth

Few would envy the task of Soedradjat Djiwandono, governor of Indonesia’s central bank. A US-educated technocrat and formerly minister of trade, Soedradjat is charged with the management of the rupiah, the supervision of the banking system, the reorganization and merger of failed banks, the control of inflation and the monitoring of public and private sector foreign debt.

Soedradjat recently gained some new duties: reassuring foreign investors during a period of political instability and co-ordinating policy with other central banks in the region to avoid a Mexico-style crisis in Southeast Asia.