Jakarta (ANTARA) – Juda Agung, former Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI), was officially sworn in as Indonesia’s Deputy Finance Minister for the remainder of the 2024–2029 term, replacing Thomas Djiwandono. The inauguration ceremony was held at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon. Agung has built a distinguished career in economics and monetary policy, despite beginning his academic journey in an unrelated field. Born in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Technology from the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) in 1987. He later pursued advanced studies in the United Kingdom, completing a master’s degree in finance, banking, and financial management at the University of Birmingham in 1995, followed by a PhD in economics from the same institution in 1999. His career at BI began in the Economic and Monetary Policy Department, where he also served at the bank’s London Representative Office between 1992 and 1999. He subsequently advanced through research roles, working as a junior economic researcher (1999–2002) and economic researcher (2002–2003) at the Directorate of Economic Research and Monetary Policy, before becoming a senior analyst. From 2006 to 2008, Agung served as Head of Division at the Directorate of Economic Research and Monetary Policy and was seconded to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He later held senior positions at BI, including Economic and Monetary Policy Advisor (2012–2013) and Head of Group at the same directorate (2013). In 2014, he was appointed Head of the Economic and Monetary Policy Department by then-Governor Agus D. W. Martowardojo. Agung’s international career expanded further when he served as IMF Executive Director from 2017 to 2019. He returned to BI in 2020 as Assistant Governor, overseeing Financial System Stability and Macroprudential Policy until 2022. On January 6, 2022, he was sworn in as BI Deputy Governor under Presidential Decree No. 147/P/2021, with a term set to run until 2027.