Jakarta. Major General Ariyo Windutomo was sworn in on Friday as the chief of the Presidential Secretariat, joining the growing number of active and retired military officers in President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.

Ariyo, a 1996 graduate of the Military Academy, is no stranger to the president, having previously worked with Prabowo during his tenure as defense minister under President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s second term.

He succeeds Heru Budi Hartono, a seasoned bureaucrat who served under Jokowi and spent two years as Jakarta’s acting governor from 2022.

Before his appointment, Ariyo was the head of the oversight committee at the Defense University, a role that earned him a promotion to major general.

The Presidential Secretariat now operates under the Ministry of State Secretariat following the dissolution of the Cabinet Secretariat.

State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi announced that Heru Budi has been reassigned as a special staff member within the ministry.

“Hopefully, this rotation will enable both officials to adapt and bring innovation to their new roles. Our ministry serves as the last safeguard for all presidential decisions, so we can’t afford a mistake,” Prasetyo said after the inauguration ceremony.

He claimed that Ariyo’s military background was not the primary factor in his appointment, stating that the president selected him based on his proven track record and collaboration at the Defense Ministry.

Regarding Heru’s reassignment, Prasetyo pointed to the former secretariat chief’s extensive experience during Jokowi’s administration, describing it as a valuable asset for the ministry.

“We are fortunate to retain his expertise within the ministry,” Prasetyo added.