William P. Sabandar

Guiding Force in Sustainable Reconstruction

Meet William Sabandar, a distinguished authority in transportation and post-disaster reconstruction. His career trajectory commenced as a civil servant at the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, fueled by a civil engineering degree. Seeking to broaden his horizons, William pursued postgraduate studies in Australia and New Zealand, culminating in a PhD in geography.

Returning to Indonesia in 2005, William embarked on a transformative leadership journey. He orchestrated the recovery of the Nias Islands through involvement with the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR). His enduring commitment to disaster recovery and environmental preservation entrusted him with spearheading restoration initiatives, including Cyclone Nargis recovery in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady River Delta, the Presidential Work Unit for Development Monitoring and Control (UKP4), efforts to combat deforestation and climate change through REDD+ Agency, and leading a task force to accelerate clean and renewable energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).

William’s impactful leadership extended to MRT Jakarta, where he championed sustainability through the groundbreaking #UbahJakarta campaign. As President Director of PT MRT Jakarta, he revolutionized Indonesia’s transportation landscape while combating traffic congestion and its ripple effects on productivity and air quality.

Among his myriad achievements, William garnered recognition as Indonesia’s Best CEO 2021 and 2022, along with the honor of presiding over the Indonesian Smart Transportation Association (ITS Indonesia) for 2020-2023. His dedication to publication and disaster management further underscores his profound contributions.

William Sabandar’s journey, dedicated to transformative and sustainable reconstruction, resonates through his roles as Commissioner of PT MRT Jakarta and esteemed member of Coaction Indonesia’s Board of Trustees.