Three persons compete for Pertamina?s top post

By Godang Sitompul

Minister of State Enterprises Rini Soemarno said there are now three names competing for the president director post of state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, which was left vacant by Karen Agustiawan who resigned at the end of September.

?Initally, there were seven names. Now, there are only three,? she said.

The names were selected by consultants PT Daya Dimensi Indonesia (DDI) and PPM. The selection process is now handled by a final assessment team, she said.

She refused to unveil the names of the three candidates, nor the names of the seven candidates on the first list. Quoting anonymous sources, press reports earlier said the seven candidates were Rinaldi Firmansyah (former president of state-controlled telecom firm PT Telkom), Budi Gunadi Sadikin (President of state-controlled Bank Mandiri), Sunarso (Director of Bank Mandiri), Zulkifli Zaini (former President of Bank Mandiri), and Dwi Sutjipto (President Director of state-controlled cement giant PT Semen Indonesia.

Meanwhile, internal candidates include Muhamad Husen (acting president of Pertamina), Hanung Budaya (Marketing and Commercial Director), Samsu Alam (former president of Pertamina EP), Roni Gunawan (President Director of Pertamina Biotermal Energi, and Gunung Sarjono (former president of Pertagas).

Editing by Johannes Simbolon