Ilham Akbar Habibie, the eldest son of Indonesia’s third president B.J. Habibie, is a name synonymous not only with legacy but also with innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
While he carries forward his father’s legacy, Ilham also charts his own course—bringing a distinct blend of personal vision to Indonesia’s future. On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Ilham welcomed the editorial team of JakartaDaily.id to Wisma Habibie dan Ainun.
Located in the Patra Kuningan area of South Jakarta, the residence—once home to the late President B.J. Habibie and his wife, Hasri Ainun Habibie—has served as more than just a symbol of national memory.
Supported by a large meeting room and an extensive library, the building has quietly witnessed pivotal moments in Indonesia’s history, particularly during the post-crisis era of 1998.
In a warm and reflective hour-long conversation, Ilham shared his thoughts on a range of pressing issues. From global macroeconomic shifts to opportunities within Indonesia’s innovation and startup ecosystems, he offered a forward-looking perspective—combining analytical depth with constructive optimism.
The discussion became more personal when politics entered the frame. Would he consider another run for public office after his unsuccessful bid for Vice Governor of West Java in 2024? Ilham paused thoughtfully before responding:
“Would I do it again in the future? Perhaps,” he said with a light chuckle. “I think I would not say I wouldn’t exclude it.”
The West Java General Election Commission (KPU Jawa Barat) officially declared Dedi Mulyadi and Erwan Setiawan as the elected Governor and Vice Governor of West Java in the 2024 regional election.
Ilham, who ran as the vice gubernatorial candidate alongside Ahmad Syaikhu under the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) banner—supported by a coalition that included NasDem and PPP—brought a forward-thinking, technocratic edge to the ticket.
However, the pair was ultimately defeated by the Dedi-Erwan ticket, which was backed by a broader coalition including Gerindra, Golkar, Democrat, PAN, PSI, and several smaller parties.
Dedi and Erwan won by a wide margin, securing 14,130,192 votes against Syaikhu and Ilham’s 4,260,072.
Ilham then reflected further on what the experience had taught him.
“Basically, what I learned in politics is there has to be something like a momentum. It happens very spontaneously sometimes,” he said.
“But I think it’s good to have a solid political understanding, so you know what’s happening and you can participate if there’s an opportunity. So that’s what I can say right now. We all know that the next election will be in another four years, so we’ll see.”
Ilham currently serves as an Advisor to the Research and Development Agency (Balitbang) of the Golkar Party, the second largest political party in Indonesia and a central force in Indonesian politics since its establishment in 1964.
This position reflects his involvement in shaping the party’s policy and strategic development, aligning with his background in technology and innovation.
Outside the political arena, Ilham Akbar Habibie remains deeply engaged in Indonesia’s industrial and technological development—particularly through business ventures and institutional leadership roles. Though he no longer holds executive positions, Ilham continues to serve as a commissioner and non-executive chairman in various companies, maintaining strategic oversight rather than operational control.
“I’m still active in business across several sectors,” he said. “But I no longer serve as a CEO or managing director. At this point, my roles are more advisory in nature.”
One of his most notable endeavors is PT Regio Aviasi Industri (RAI), a domestic aircraft manufacturer that seeks to realize the dream of producing commercial planes designed and built in Indonesia. The initiative continues the legacy of his father, B.J. Habibie, a pioneering figure in Indonesia’s aerospace industry.
Founded with former Indonesia Stock Exchange CEO Erry Firmansyah, RAI focuses on the Regio Prop program—a follow-up to the N-250 aircraft project developed during the Habibie presidency. The effort symbolizes Ilham’s commitment to advancing national capabilities in high-tech manufacturing, particularly in aviation.
Born and raised in West Germany, Ilham spent over three decades abroad, pursuing education and professional experience. He completed his studies at the Technical University of Munich, earning his doctorate in aerospace engineering with summa cum laude honors. He later worked at Boeing from 1994 to 1996 before returning to Indonesia to help shape the country’s technological direction.
Ilham’s extensive resume spans leadership roles across the public and private sectors. These include stints as President Director of PT Ilthabi Rekatama and PT Ilthabi Bara Utama, as well as commissioner at PT Pollux Barelang Mega Superblok Meisterstadt Batam—a high-profile property development project in Batam.
In the organizational sphere, Ilham has also played key roles in national and professional bodies. He served as Chairman of the National ICT Council Implementation Team (Wantiknas), Chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneurs Association (ISMI), and is currently the Chairman of the Indonesian Engineers Association (PII) for the 2024–2027 period.
At PII, Ilham said he will prioritize the establishment of a Professional Engineering Council, as mandated by Law No. 11 of 2014 on Engineering—a decade-old mandate still awaiting full implementation.
“The function is to strengthen the role of engineers by standardizing certification, making sure that the quality of engineers meets a nationally recognized standard,” Ilham said. “So the quality of the industry is, of course, also strengthened—and therefore the quality of the products and services that we provide to our people will continue improving year after year.”
Another major agenda, he added, is to modernize PII itself.
“It needs to be better digitalized, decentralized to allow more effective decision-making, and we must provide support for engineers when they encounter legal challenges,” he said.
That support, Ilham emphasized, includes legal advocacy—“lembaga bantuan hukum”—for engineers who face legal hurdles in the field.
Despite producing some 140,000 engineering graduates annually, Indonesia faces a persistent shortfall of professional engineers. As of 2023, the country has only about 5,300 engineers per one million people—well below Vietnam’s 9,000 and South Korea’s 25,000 per million. A 2022 report noted that just 10,900 Indonesian engineers were officially certified as professionals.
As Indonesia races to modernize its infrastructure, manufacturing, and digital economy, Ilham Akbar Habibie stands as a reminder that vision must be paired with structure—and that legacies, when built on knowledge and action, can become a nation’s foundation for lasting progress.
“Something has to start first,” he said. “And I think it’s about the people.”