Prof. Asnawi Abdullah, a distinguished public health professor with over 30 years of experience in healthcare sector, currently serves as Director General for Health Policy within the Ministry of Health—a strategic role responsible for formulating national health policies. He also the Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Indonesian Public Health Higher Education Institutions (AIPTKMI). He began his career as a Civil Servant in 1995 with the Provincial Health Office and, transitioning to academia in 2011, held prominent leadership positions at University Muhammadiyah Aceh, including Dean of the Faculty of Public Health and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs. Prof. Asnawi was appointed Professor in 2018, demonstrating his commitment to both policy and education. His widely cited research (3324 citations), reflected in an h-index of 19 and an i10-index of 26, focuses on critical areas of health systems strengthening and health financing, with particular emphasis on maternal and child health, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Prof. Asnawi's academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree from the University of Indonesia (1994), Master's degrees from Monash University (2001) and the London School of Economics (LSE, 2006), a Graduate Diploma from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM, University of London, 2006), and a Doctorate from Monash University (2011).