Karen Agustiawan facts for kids

Karen Galaila Agustiawan (born Galaila Karen Kardinah; 19 October 1958) is an Indonesian business leader. She was the president director and CEO of Indonesia's state oil and gas company Pertamina. She held this important role from 2009 to 2014. In 2011, the magazine Forbes recognized her as a top business leader. They placed her first on their list of "Asia's 50 Power Businesswomen."

Early Life and Education

Karen Agustiawan was born on October 19, 1958. Her father, Dr. Sumiyatno, was a notable figure. He was the first Indonesian representative to the World Health Organization. He also led the Biofarma pharmaceutical company.

In 1983, Karen finished her studies at the Bandung Institute of Technology. She earned a degree in Engineering physics. She first thought about becoming a professor. However, her father encouraged her to work in business instead.

Starting Her Career

After graduating, Karen began working at Mobil. She was a quality controller for projects that involved seismic drilling. Later, she became a project leader in the company's Exploration Computing Department.

In 1998, she moved to Landmark Concurrent Solusi. This company was the Indonesian branch of Landmark Graphics Corporation. When Landmark merged with Halliburton, Karen received a promotion in 2002. She became the project manager for oil and gas accounts.

Leading Pertamina

In 2006, Karen Agustiawan made history at Pertamina. She became the first woman to lead the company's upstream division. This division handles finding and producing oil and gas.

Becoming CEO

In February 2009, she was appointed CEO and president director of Pertamina. This made her the first woman to hold this top position. During her time as CEO, she helped develop new energy sources. These included methods like coal bed methane extraction. She also set up a system to distribute liquefied natural gas with Perusahaan Listrik Negara.

In June 2013, the government reappointed her for a second five-year term. She was one of the few CEOs of Pertamina to complete her full term.

Leaving Pertamina and New Role

In August 2014, it was announced that Karen Agustiawan had resigned from Pertamina. The minister for state-owned enterprises, Dahlan Iskan, stated she had an offer. She was offered teaching duties at Harvard University in the United States. She accepted this offer right away. At Harvard, she joined the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. She became an International Council Member there.

Personal Life

Karen Agustiawan is married to Herman Agustiawan. He works at Indonesia's National Energy Council. They have three children together.