Jokowi appoints Robert Pakpahan as new tax chief

TAX - JAKARTA. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has approved a proposal from Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati to appoint Robert Pakpahan, 58, as the new director general of taxation. 

An official at the Presidential Palace told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that Robert, currently the ministry's financing and risk management director general, would assume the role on Dec. 1 to replace Ken Dwijugiasteadi, who is retiring. 

Prior to leading the financing and risk management directorate general, Robert spent his entire career at the tax office, one of the country's most powerful institutions. 

Robert graduated from the State Accounting Academy (STAN) in 1985 and continued his bachelor degree there in 1987, and Ph.D. in Economics from North Carolina University in the United States in 1998.

Aside from currently serving as member of the board of commissioners in a number of state companies, Robert is also known to have served as the Finance Minister's expert staff for state revenues, the tax office's director for business transformation and director for taxation.