Pertamina reshuffles upstream leadership, appoints Sunaryanto as PHE CEO

State-owned energy company PT Pertamina (Persero) has overhauled the leadership of its upstream subholding, PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE), appointing veteran drilling executive Sunaryanto as president director as the company seeks to boost oil and gas production and accelerate field development.

Sunaryanto replaces Awang Lazuardi, while shareholders also created the new position of vice president director and appointed Virano Gazi Nasution to the role, according to Ruangenergi.com.

The leadership reshuffle comes as PHE, Indonesia's largest upstream oil and gas producer, faces growing pressure to increase exploration, sustain production from mature fields, commercialize new discoveries and support the government's energy self-sufficiency agenda.

Sunaryanto, widely known as Anto, most recently served as president director of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), overseeing Pertamina's upstream operations in eastern Indonesia from 2024 to 2026.

A mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Indonesia, he previously served as PHE's vice president for Drilling and Well Intervention between 2020 and 2024, where he was responsible for managing the company's drilling and well intervention programs to support national oil and gas production.

Earlier in his career, Sunaryanto was acting general manager of PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam in 2020 and executive vice president for East Kalimantan Operations at the company between 2018 and 2020. Before joining Pertamina, he worked for Total E&P Indonesie, the former operator of the Mahakam Block.

The appointment of Virano as deputy president director marks the introduction of a new position within PHE's organizational structure.

Virano brings experience from both the energy and telecommunications sectors. He previously served as president commissioner of PT Pertamina Hulu Rokan from 2023 to 2026 and president commissioner of PT Pertamina EP Exploration and Production between 2020 and 2023. Earlier in his career, he was a commissioner of PT Telkom Indonesia.

He holds a master's degree in Engineering Economic from Stanford University, a bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Arizona, and has completed executive education programs at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and the Wharton School.

As part of the board reshuffle, PHE also appointed Asep Samsul Arifin as exploration director and Rachmat Hidajat as director of development and production.

Asep most recently served as PHE's vice president for Upstream Business Planning and Portfolio Management and previously held several strategic planning and portfolio management roles within Pertamina Group.

Rachmat joins the board after serving as president director of PT Pertamina EP since 2025. He previously held positions including strategic planning and business development director at PHE and exploration and development director at PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy.

Other appointments include Mery Luciawaty as director of strategic planning, portfolio and commercial; Bayu Kusuma Dewanto, who retains his position as finance director; Dannif Danusaputro, who continues as director of investment and business development; Whisnu Bahriansyah, who remains director of risk management; and Ery Sulistyo Sutikno as director of human resources and corporate services.

The reshuffle also involves several changes to existing portfolios. Mery Luciawaty, previously director of development and production, moves to lead strategic planning, portfolio and commercial, replacing Edi Karyanto. Ery Sulistyo Sutikno succeeds in the renamed human resources and corporate services directorate, previously known as human resources and business support.

PHE serves as Pertamina's upstream subholding, managing the company's domestic and international oil and gas assets. The company plays a central role in Indonesia's efforts to reverse declining oil production through increased exploration, enhanced recovery from mature fields and the development of new upstream projects.

The new management team is expected to focus on raising oil and gas output, accelerating resource monetization, strengthening operational performance and supporting the government's target of achieving greater energy security and self-sufficiency.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak