Learned from the Spoiled Adolescent Lifestyle
Of course, no one would have thought that the figure who spent his teenage years having fun and being spoiled is actually successful as an academic, as well as a practitioner in the field of Islamic economics. He is Adiwarman Azwar Karim, SE., MBA., M.A.E.P.
So far, Adi is known as a figure who always contributes to the development of Islamic banking and economics, as well as fighting for the sharia division in conventional banks. So no wonder, on August 24, 2021, Adi was trusted to become the President Commissioner of Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI).
The man who was born June 29, 1963 has many titles in his name. Adi is a graduate of IPB University majoring in Social Economics in 1986. He began to be interested in the world of Islamic economics from a book entitled 'Basic Values of Islamic Economics' written by his lecturer at IPB.
While studying at IPB University majoring in socio-economics, it turned out that in 1983, he also studied at the University of Indonesia and earned a Bachelor of Economics degree in 1989.
After graduating from IPB University, Adi was offered a scholarship to continue his master's education in finance at Boston University, United States with a thesis on Islamic Economics in Iran. Thus, he postponed his education at the University of Indonesia.
Seiring berjalannya pendidikannya di Universitas Boston, ia juga sedang menjalankan masa studinya di European University Belgium dan berhasil meraih gelar MBA tahun 1988. Di tahun 1992, Praktisi Ekonomi Syariah ini telah menyelesaikan studinya di Boston University, Amerika Serikat dengan gelar M.A.E.P.
This IPB University graduate has entered the banking world in 1992. He started by occupying a position as a staff at Bank Muamalat. Before setting foot at Bank Muamalat, he also worked as an employee at the National Development Planning Agency. After successfully becoming a staff member at Bank Muamalat, in 1998, he successfully led and became Deputy President Director of Bank Muamalat until 2001.
Graduated with a promising education as a graduate of Boston University and an M.A.E.P degree, Adi was assigned as a Research Associate at Oxford Islamic Studies, United Kingdom.
Apparently, before he resigned from Bank Muamalat, in 1999, Adi, along with several prominent Indonesian Muslim intellectuals founded The International Institute of Islamic Thought Indonesia.
He also started his business by establishing a Sharia Business Consulting company called Karim Consulting Indonesia, which has succeeded in establishing the establishment of Sharia units in a number of banks in Indonesia.
Successfully becoming the founder of a Sharia business consulting company, he has also joined several large organizations and companies in Indonesia. In 2015-2020, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Daily Executive Board of the MUI National Sharia Council.
In 2011-2012, he was a member of the International Islamic Financial Markets (IIFM) Sharia Advisory Panel. Then, he was trusted to be the Deputy of the Sharia Finance Standing Committee of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) as well as the Sharia Supervisory Board at several sharia financial institutions such as Great Eastern Sharia Insurance from 2002 to 2012.
Apart from being an academic and practitioner of Islamic Economics, Adi is also a best seller book author of Islamic Economics. Some of the books are entitled; Islamic Bank : Fiqh and Financial Analysis, Islamic Microeconomics, Islamic Macroeconomics, History of Islamic Economic Thought, Islamic Economics: A Study of Contemporary Economics. Apart from being a successful best sellerauthor, he has also written articles on Islamic Economics in various national and international forums.
In addition to being an academic, a practitioner of sharia economics, and a writer, he has also been asked to give a lecture at the Integrated Religious Recitation Wirid activity held at the Great Mosque of West Sumatra.
In his short "tausiyah", he stated that "Success is not only because of ourselves but because Allah SWT moves His creatures to help us. For that, don't forget to thank everyone around us."
With all his hard work in the career world, Adi has been blessed with three children from his marriage to Rustika Thamrin. Who would have thought that once a naughty teenager could succeed in becoming the great person he is today.
Surely, his success cannot be separated from the obedient upbringing of his family. Although he had enjoyed his juvenile delinquency, with the support and upbringing of his family and closest people, he managed to become the person he is today.(*)
