Arcandra selecting right-hand staff

New Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arcandra Tahar is selecting right-hand staff to assist him in doing his job.

He once mentioned two names ? Prahoro Nurtjahjo and Jafee Suardin ? as ?great people? who will assist him. Both of them got doctoral degree from Texas A&M University of the United Sates, which is also Arcandra?s alma mater, detik.com reported on Monday.

?I am bringing great people from the US. They are Dr. Prahoro and Dr. Jafee Suardin. Both of them were (graduated) from overseas (university). They are friends and will help me,? he was quoted as saying recently.

Aside from them, some people speculate he will also pick up two names ? Yuni Rusdinar and Johanes Widjanaroko ? in view of the fact that two actively accompanied the minister in events.

Brief profiles of the four are as follows:

1. Prahoro Nurtjahyo
He is a graduate of the Chemical Engineering School of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), received a PhD degree in Ocean Ongineering from Texas A&M University. Since 2013, he has been serving as COO in Houston-based consultancy firm Petroneering, where Arandra served as CEO prior to his appointment as minister.

2. Jafee Suardin
He is also a graduate of the ITB?s Chemical Engineering School. He received a PhD degree in Master Chemical Engineering - Process Safety Engineering from Texas A&M University. He now works at Shell International Exploration & Production as Technical HSE Engineer, Shell Project and Technology, Upstream Major Project.

3. Yuni Rusdinar
He holds a PhD degree from Australia?s Queensland University. Previously, he worked as First Deputy at the Presidential Chief of Staff office. He was installed into the position in August 2015, the time the office was led by Luhut B. Panjaitan, now Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs. He once worked at PT Freeport Indonesia as VP Government Relations.

4. Johanes Widjonarko
He is a graduate of the School of Geology at the Yogyakarta Veteran University. He served as vice head of SKK Migas for two years from February 2013 to January 2015. He was dismissed by Sudirman Said, Arcandra?s predecessor. Widjonarko is tipped to become vice minister. (*)