The Forbes Global CEO Conference was first held in Singapore in 2001 and has since been hosted in various countries each year. Jakarta earlier hosted the Forbes Global CEO Forum in 2016.
“Forbes is planning to hold the CEO Global Forum again on October 14–15, 2025, and President Prabowo Subianto has been invited to speak directly before more than 400 CEOs and leading figures from around the world. Steve Forbes himself conveyed this plan directly to President Prabowo,” Investment Minister Rosan Perkasa Roeslani noted in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday evening (July 23).
Roeslani, who accompanied President Prabowo during his meeting with Steve Forbes at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta (July 23), explained that Forbes, a U.S. citizen residing in New Jersey, personally traveled to Jakarta to hand the formal invitation to the president.
The two engaged in a nearly two-hour discussion covering various issues, including economics, investment, trade, and Indonesia-U.S. relations.
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Following the meeting, Steve Forbes shared his reasons for specifically inviting President Prabowo to speak at the upcoming Forbes Global CEO Conference in October.
“The progress Indonesia has made — and more importantly, is poised to achieve — will be of great significance to the global community. I believe it will serve as an inspiration to other nations. The policies your president is formulating are truly inspiring,” Forbes stated.
He also expressed hope that President Prabowo would speak about his deregulation policies that have created a more open and conducive business environment.
“He has made remarkable progress in deregulation. Agricultural output is rising, and there is an active fight against corruption, which makes doing business in Indonesia smoother and easier,” Forbes said in response to a journalist’s question.
Lastly, Forbes noted that Indonesia has made significant strides — including toward becoming a more democratic nation — since the late 1990s.
He expressed confidence that Indonesia will continue making substantial progress, especially under President Prabowo’s leadership.
“It is like a rocket slowly lifting off and then surging forward. We see Indonesia as a rocket moving at full speed, eliminating business barriers and enabling its people to improve their quality of life. Given the size and potential of this country, we believe Indonesia will become a source of inspiration not only for Asia but for the world,” Steve Forbes told ANTARA after meeting with President Prabowo on Wednesday.
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Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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