IAEI Inaugurates New Management and Holds National Working Meeting to Realize Indonesia as the Center of the World Islamic Economy

The Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Association of Islamic Economists (IAEI) officially held the Inauguration of the 2025-2030 Executive Board and National Working Meeting with the theme “Synergy to Make Indonesia the Center of the Islamic Economy” on Thursday-Friday, November 27-28, 2025, at The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Ballroom. This event aims to strengthen the organization's contribution to accelerating the national Islamic economy, as well as to follow up on the approval of the new board of directors after the 5th IAEI Congress.

Indonesia currently ranks third in the 2023 Global Islamic Economy Indicator with Islamic financial assets reaching IDR 9,529.21 trillion in Q1 2025 and Islamic financing growth exceeding conventional banking. Through the 2025-2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), the government aims to make Indonesia the center of the global Islamic economy by 2029.

IAEI Chairman, Prof. Dr. KH Nasaruddin Umar, MA, said that the inauguration of the board and the National Working Meeting were strategic moments for the consolidation and strengthening of IAEI's role in supporting the national sharia economic agenda.

“IAEI is ready to collaborate to strengthen research, policy, and human resource capacity to promote Indonesia's position as a major force in the global sharia economy,” he said.

Along with the inauguration agenda, IAEI also held a prominent scholar session as part of the National Working Meeting series. This session featured a number of national figures, including Drs. H. Muhammad Jusuf Kalla as the 10th and 12th Vice President of Indonesia, Dr. (HC) Airlangga Hartarto as the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Rosan Roeslani as the Minister of Investment and Downstreaming of the Republic of Indonesia as well as CEO of Danantara, Prof. Dr. Yusril Ihza Mahendra as Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Rachmat Pambudy as Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, and Prof. Dr. Arif Satria as Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), each of whom presented strategic views on the direction of Islamic economic development in Indonesia.

IAEI also held a National Working Meeting to determine several priority focuses, including the formulation of a 2025-2030 strategic work program in line with government programs and policies in an effort to increase national sharia financial literacy and inclusion, strengthen the halal industry ecosystem, optimize sharia social funds, and promote economic and digital finance innovation.

With the inauguration and Rakernas, IAEI reaffirmed its commitment to being a catalyst for national Islamic economic development and strengthening Indonesia's competitiveness at the global level, as well as increasing synergy between the government, academics, industry players, and international institutions.

IAEI is a national professional organization that brings together academics and practitioners of Islamic economics. Established in 2004, IAEI is active in policy research, human resource development, and strengthening the Islamic economic ecosystem through synergy with the government, industry, and international institutions.