Irene Umar

Irene Umar (born 2 November 1984) is an Indonesian politician and professional who serves as the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy of Indonesia. She was appointed by President Prabowo Subianto and inaugurated on 21 October 2024. She comes from a professional background with extensive experience in the creative economy, finance, gaming, technology, and blockchain. Irene is one of 14 women serving as ministers and deputy ministers in the Kabinet Merah Putih.

Education

Irene spent her early childhood in Medan, North Sumatra. She began her education at Sutomo Kindergarten in 1987 and attended Sutomo Elementary School from 1989 to 1996. She subsequently attended Sutomo Junior High School for one year in 1997.

In 1997, Irene and her family moved to Jakarta, where she continued her education at Gandhi Memorial School. Following the unrest in Jakarta and several other Indonesian cities in 1998, Irene and her family moved to Malaysia. She completed her secondary education at Sayfol International School in Kuala Lumpur from 1998 to 2001.

After nearly discontinuing her education due to her family's financial difficulties in Malaysia, Irene returned to Jakarta in 2005 and pursued higher education at President University. She received a full scholarship throughout her studies, which helped ease the financial burden on her family. In 2008, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics, specializing in Banking and Finance, graduating magna cum laude.

Career

Early Career

Before entering the creative economy sector, Irene began her professional career in finance. While still a university student, she worked at JAC Consulting Indonesia in 2007. In 2008, she joined Batavia Prosperindo Aset Manajemen as an assistant manager.

From 2008 to 2015, Irene served as an Associate Director at Standard Chartered Bank, with assignments in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Singapore. She worked across several sectors, including shipping finance, project finance, and leveraged finance. This experience provided her with extensive knowledge of global finance and international economic dynamics.

Irene subsequently joined Discovery Nusantara Capital (DNC), a venture capital firm that invests in and supports Indonesian creative-sector businesses seeking to expand into global markets. From 2016 to 2024, she served as Managing Partner at DNC, where she focused on investment in the creative economy, particularly the gaming ecosystem. DNC developed investment relationships across several countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, and Canada.

From 2018 to 2023, Irene also served as a director at The Golden Space Global Capital Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based private investment company. In 2021, she founded W3GG, a Web3 gaming platform, and served as its Chief Executive Officer until 2024, when she stepped down following her appointment as Deputy Minister of Creative Economy.

Deputy Minister of Creative Economy

Irene has described her appointment as Deputy Minister of Creative Economy as one of her greatest professional achievements. Having spent most of her career in the private sector, she had not initially envisioned working in government. Her professional background had primarily focused on building companies, investing in innovation, and creating social impact through entrepreneurship and education.

According to Irene, her appointment represented recognition of her leadership, vision, and ability to execute at the highest level of public service. She has emphasized that serving as deputy minister is less about holding a position and more about creating broad social and economic impact. Her current mission includes implementing national-scale programs and expanding their impact throughout Indonesia.

Her appointment also increased the representation of women in Indonesia's national leadership. She has been described as the first Buddhist in Indonesian history to be appointed as a deputy minister or deputy head of a government agency.

Among the national and international initiatives in which Irene has been involved is Indonesia's participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, held from 13 April to 13 October 2025. Indonesia's participation was positioned as a strategic opportunity to expand the international market for Indonesian creative products and promote investment and international cooperation.

Irene emphasized the importance of post-event planning to ensure that Indonesia's participation in Expo 2025 generated sustainable economic benefits. Indonesia promoted export-ready creative products and pursued business-matching opportunities with potential partners in Japan, including in the gaming industry.

Irene was also involved in MASA Singapore 2026, a month-long creative industry initiative featuring Indonesian brands, creators, and cultural installations. The program included a weekend market at Takashimaya Shopping Centre and an exhibition at Gardens by the Bay, promoting Indonesian creative industries and strengthening cultural and economic ties between Indonesia and Singapore.

In 2025, Irene was also involved in the 80th anniversary celebrations of the independence of Indonesia. The Ministry of Creative Economy was appointed to organize the Independence Carnival, with Irene serving as the main coordinator of the organizing committee. The event featured approximately 1,400 drones forming visual representations of Indonesia's historical journey and national development.

Philanthropy and Other Activities

Outside of her business career, Irene has been active in social and philanthropic initiatives. She is a co-founder of One Indonesia, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of education in Indonesia by expanding educational access for young people in various regions. She was actively involved with One Indonesia from 2015 to 2024.

Her involvement in educational philanthropy began during her university years, when she taught underprivileged children. She has described education as a means of empowering individuals and creating broader social change. Irene was also involved in developing digital libraries across Indonesia through the President University Education Foundation.

She also led fun2bkind, formerly known as BerbagiLoka, a philanthropic initiative providing free food to people in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative distributed more than 30,000 portions of vegan food and more than one ton of rice to affected communities.

Before entering government, Irene also worked as a radio broadcaster at Kiss FM under the on-air name Irene Xavier. She hosted programs including Love Is in the Air and Club Eighties. She has also worked as a master of ceremonies at various off-air events.

References

Mawardi, Isal. "Prabowo Resmi Lantik 55 Wakil Menteri Kabinet Merah Putih". detiknews.
Kompas Cyber Media (21 October 2024). "Profil Irene Umar Wamen Ekonomi Kreatif, Awali Karier di Perbankan". KOMPAS.com.
Rosa, Nikita. "Sosok 14 Kartini di Kabinet Merah Putih". detikedu.
"Irene Umar". Ministry of Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia.
METRO TV (15 February 2026). [FULL] SANG BULDOSER PENDOBRAK BATAS | Q&A.
The Epicenter with Ronen Mense (8 December 2025). The Future of Web3, Gaming, and Southeast Asia Techpreneurship.
METRO TV (15 February 2026). Inilah Kisah Irene Umar yang Pernah Merasakan Kehidupan yang Begitu Sulit.
Halizah, Enon (14 April 2025). "Irene Umar: Bridging the Crypto Sector and the Creative Economy". Indodax Academy.
Safanja, Hani (12 November 2024). "Irene Umar Bagikan Pengalaman Berkarier, Tekankan Pola Pikir". IDN Times.
Rory Asyari (16 January 2026). Dari Banker Sukses ke Pemerintahan: Saya Nggak Takut Dikriminalisasi | Irene Umar.
Nushratu, Hana. "Irene Umar Catatkan Sejarah sebagai Wamen Perempuan Beragama Buddha". detiknews.
Antara News (14 February 2025). "Kemenekraf dorong perluasan produk kreatif di World Expo 2025 Osaka". Antara News.
Antara News (14 February 2025). "Kemenekraf dorong perluasan produk kreatif di World Expo 2025 Osaka". Antara News.
Kompas (15 October 2025). "Paviliun Indonesia World Expo 2025 Osaka, Diplomasi Ekonomi yang Memesona Dunia". Kompas.id.
"MASA showcases Indonesia's creative scene with Takashimaya fair and Gardens by the Bay exhibition". The Straits Times, 2 July 2026.
"Irene: Orchid Extravaganza Buktikan Kreativitas Indonesia Mampu Mendunia". TVRI News.
Ministry of Creative Economy/Bekraf (17 August 2025). "Formasi Drone Karya Anak Bangsa Jadi Daya Tarik Puncak Karnaval HUT ke-80 RI". Ministry of Creative Economy.
"Atraksi Drone Meriahkan HUT RI Ke-80". Tempo.
Ministry of Creative Economy/Bekraf (17 August 2025). "Formasi Drone Karya Anak Bangsa Jadi Daya Tarik Puncak Karnaval HUT ke-80 RI". Ministry of Creative Economy.
Makna Talks (26 September 2025). Gebrakan Dari Kementerian Baru | Makna Talks Specials Dengan Irene Umar.
Makna Talks (26 September 2025). Gebrakan Dari Kementerian Baru | Makna Talks Specials Dengan Irene Umar.
Meidyana, Anggie (21 February 2026). "Harmoni Imlek Nusantara 2026 Bersama Irene Umar". MetroTV.
"Baru 32 Tahun Jadi Bos Universitas Terkemuka, Ini Rahasia Irene Umar". SWA.
"Sempat Geluti Bidang Perbankan dan Kripto, Ini Profil Wamen Ekonomi Kreatif Irene Umar yang Berusia 40 Tahun". InvestorTrust.
Irene Umar. "Business 生意 is literally translated to meaning of life 生活的意义". LinkedIn.

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