Ignasius Jonan, Transportation Minister:
I'm just the foreman

HAVING had to change jobs from being CEO of the state-owned railway company KIA, to transportation minister in the newly-formed cabinet of President Joko Widodo, Ignasius Jonan describes his new responsibilities through an interesting analogy. Whereas his worldview used to be from a train, for the next five years, he must view everything from a helicopter. "Each area has its own specific problem but the four dimensions of my new responsibilityland, sea, air and railwaymust get equal attention," said Jonan.

True to his word, for the required photo session, he refused to pose in front of anything that had the logo of a transportation company, not even with those depicting Indonesia's marine resources, so much flouted by the president as the country's new source of future prosperity. "Just take normal pictures," said Jonan leaning on a massive desk, adding that "I work in the dining pantry because this desk is too big."

November 11, 2014