Portrait of the Career and Achievements of Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf, Husband of Najwa Shihab, a Renowned Lawyer in the Financial Sector

Born in Surakarta, Ibrahim began his legal career after earning a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of Indonesia in 1997. He then continued his education at the international level by obtaining a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Melbourne, Australia, in 2009 through the Australian Development Scholarship. Previously, he also served as a research fellow at Harvard Law School in the East Asian Legal Studies Program during the period of 2002–2003.

Ibrahim's professional career soared when he was trusted to become a senior partner at AHP, one of the leading law firms in Indonesia and part of Rajah & Tann Asia. In 2024, he was officially appointed as Managing Partner, replacing Bono Daru Adji.

One of his greatest achievements was when he led the legal advisory team in the Palapa Ring project, the largest telecommunications project in Indonesia. This project includes the construction of over 11,000 kilometers of underwater fiber optic cables connecting remote areas of Indonesia and providing equitable high-speed internet access. Ibrahim played a crucial role in providing legal advice to PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (PII) regarding government guarantees and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement in the project.

In addition to the Palapa Ring project, Ibrahim is also involved in various other large transactions, such as financing hydropower projects in Lampung and South Sumatra, a rights issue for Bank Mandiri worth USD 1.24 billion, as well as acquisitions and restructuring of multinational companies.

His abilities have also been recognized by various global legal rating agencies. Chambers Asia Pacific ranks him in Band 1 for the Restructuring & Insolvency field and Band 2 for Banking & Finance. He is also listed among leading lawyers by IFLR1000 and Legal Media 360.

Beyond his profession as a legal practitioner, Ibrahim also contributes to the field of education. He is noted as a business law lecturer at the Indonesian Jentera School of Law (STH), a progressive higher education institution aimed at producing law graduates who are integrity-driven and sensitive to social justice issues.

Ibrahim also served as one of the main commissioners of Narasi TV, which was established together with Najwa Shihab. Ibrahim has now returned to the presence of God Almighty at the age of 54.