Bambang Kesowo


Bambang Kesowo is a retired bureaucrat and politician. He is known for being a few of Indonesian state bureaucrats to have risen from a lowest rank to the Minister of a ministry in continuous way and not a political party member to reaching his way to Ministership.

Early life and education

Bambang was graduated from Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University in 1968. During his time as Gadjah Mada student, he was active in Indonesian National Student Movement a nationalist-marhaenist student organization. He later took Master of Law specializing in Laws in Intellectual Property Rights from Harvard Law School. He took his doctorate in 1999 and obtained Doctor of Law from Gadjah Mada University in 2005.

Careers

After graduated from Gadjah Mada, he become an Analyst at Bureau of Analyst and Formulation of Law at [Ministry of Ministry of State Secretariat (Indonesia)|State Secretariat (Indonesia)|State Secretariat] in 1968. He later risen to the rank of Deputy Assistant of Law, Assistant to the State Secretariat in Governmental Affairs, Deputy Assistant of General Affairs, Assistant to the State Secretariat in Governmental Affairs, Deputy Assistant of General Affairs, Assistant to the State Secretariat in Governmental Affairs and Non-Department Agencies, Head of State Secretariat, Bureau of Legal Affairs and Formulation of Law, Vice Cabinet Secretary, Secretary of Vice President, and finally Minister of State Secretary.
His mastery in intellectual property rights made him as high-level negotiators and representative from Indonesia government with various International Organizations such as WIPO and United Nations, during his time in State Secretariat.

Political Relation

He supported Megawati Soekarnoputri, despite hailed from high rank officials of Suharto Administration and Suharto Administration stance against her. He is pro democracy. He also left legacy to democracy in Indonesia by drafting Government in Lieu of Law No. 2/1998 which ensure Freedom of Speech in Public.

Post-Ministerial Careers

After no longer become minister, he retired. His expert opinion was crucial for advising People's Representative Council in making of Omnibus Law on Job Creation.
He supported National Research and Innovation Agency formation. On 13 October 2021, he appointed as Member of BRIN Steering Committee by Joko Widodo, recalled him from his long retirement to government work.