Ambassador Dino Patti Djalal is a Senior Advisor to The Asia Group, based in Indonesia. During his long and distinguished diplomatic career, Ambassador Djalal served as the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, and advisor to the President. He is also a one-time presidential candidate and an important figure in Indonesian civic and business life. With decades of experience at senior levels of Indonesian government and business, Ambassador Djalal provides strategic counsel for companies trying to navigate the complexities and opportunities of a rapidly changing Indonesia.
From 2010 to 2013, Ambassador Djalal served as Indonesia’s Ambassador to the United States, during which time trade, bilateral investment, and defense cooperation between the two countries saw tremendous growth. Ambassador Djalal also played a key role in elevating the U.S.-Indonesia bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership before returning to Jakarta to serve as Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Prior to serving as Ambassador, Djalal spent six years as Special Staff for International Affairs to then-President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Serving as a spokesperson, speechwriter, and advisor to the President, Ambassador Djalal was influential in Indonesia’s foreign policy and served as Indonesia’s Sherpa to the G8. Joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1987, Ambassador Djalal also served as Director of the North American Affairs division and at postings in London, Dili, and Washington, DC. For his service to Indonesia, in 2014 Ambassador Djalal earned the Bintang Mahaputra Adiprana, the country’s highest medal for meritorious service.
Beyond his career in the foreign ministry, Ambassador Djalal continues to be active in Indonesian political, civic, and business life. He is the founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, the founder of the young leader activism group Modernisator, an Asia Fellow at the Milken Institute Asia Center, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors at World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia. He is also a best-selling author of nine books, most notably Harus Bisa. In 2019, Ambassador Djalal launched a digital marketplace app called Waqara that modernized Indonesia’s popular umrah travel agency ecosystem – becoming the first former Indonesian diplomat to be the CEO of a startup company.
Ambassador Djalal received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Carleton University, his master’s in political science from Simon Fraser University, and his doctorate in international relations from the London School of Economics. He is married to Rosa Rai Djalal and has two children.