Indonesia Appoints Ray Dalio as Advisor on Upstart Sovereign Wealth Fund Danantara
On Monday 24 March 2025, the newly created Sovereign Wealth Fund (#SWF) of Indonesia, Danantara, that it has hired Ray Dalio as an special advisor to mange its USD 900 billion fund. The name Danantara is a combination of two words: Daya which means strength, power or capability and Anagata which means future. So Danantara can be translated ‘Power for the Future.’
Ray Dalio is well-known as a successful and specialist in the China investment space. Among the other advisors, it is worth noting the presence of former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, former UK PM Tony Blair and US economist Jeffrey Sachs.
It was only last month in February 2025 that the Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto officially launched Danantara in a bid to boost the development of his country. President Subianto stated that the primary focus of Danantara will be to support the industrialization initiative and domestic beneficiation (#LVA) of Indonesia’s rich mineral resources. The goal of the Government of Indonesia is to sustain a near double-digit economic growth rate throughout till 20230.
Ray Dalio is the founder of Bridgewater Associates which manages the world’s largest hedge fund. He has also written several books on economy and finance and his net worth estimated at UUSD16.2 billion places him in the Top 100 richest persons in the world.
Initially, the team will be allocated a USD 20 billion tranche to invest on a pilot basis. If all goes well, then Danantara is prepared to put all of its nearly one trillion dollars into play. Danatara is assembling a ‘dream team’ to manage its funds and hopes to derive significant benefits from the astute counsel of its top panel.
