Indonesia’s newly created sovereign wealth fund Daya Anagata Nusantara, or Danantara, has appointed Nadine Zamira Syarief from pulpwood giant Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) to lead its sustainability ambitions.
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In her new role as senior vice president of sustainability, Syarief will oversee the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles across Danantara’s investment portfolio and work to align investments with Indonesia’s climate commitments and sustainable development goals.
Modelled on sovereign wealth funds such as Singapore’s Temasek and Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional, Danantara is tasked with mobilising domestic and foreign capital for strategic sectors. It launched in February to manage nearly US$900 billion in state assets, which include Bank Mandiri, energy company Pertamina, electricity firm PLN and state mining company MIND ID.
Before joining Danantara, Syarief was senior manager of sustainability and ESG at APRIL Group, one of Indonesia’s largest pulp and paper producers under the Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) group of companies. At APRIL, she worked on the firm’s sustainability commitments, including its Riau Ecosystem Restoration programme and the implementation of a landscape-level conservation and community engagement activities.
Over her career, Syarief has worked for conservation group WWF, certification body Rainforest Alliance, German development organisation GIZ, retailer The Body Shop, and the United Nations Development Programme. She also co-founded the non-profit LeafPlus, which focuses on sustainability literacy and youth empowerment.
Her move to Danantara Indonesia comes as the sovereign wealth fund positions itself to play a pivotal role in financing Indonesia’s transition to a low-carbon economy. The fund is expected to attract global investors interested in sustainable development, particularly in renewable energy and nature-based solutions. Critics have raised concerns over transparency, accountability and potential conflicts of interest.
