Emmy Yuhassarie Ruru
A Beloved Wife, Mother, and Teacher
Emmy was a well-rounded lawyer who devoted much of her life to pursuing her passion as an educator. During her college days at University of Airlangga, the meeting her mentor, Prof. Soetandjo Wigjnosoebroto - a humble and prominent researcher in law and sociology - has shaped her understanding of law. Due to her mentor, her approach to law was geared to a more nuanced socio-legal approach, which was distinct from most Indonesian lawyers who tend to be normative. Under Prof. Soentandyo she discovered and honed her skills as a researcher and educator.
Emmy furthered her studies at the University California -Berkeley, and majored in International Law. As a Fulbright-Hays scholar, she took a introductory course of the US Legal System, where she met her future husband, Bacelius Ruru. He was a fellow diaspora who graduated from Harvard Law School and was a public servant at Ministry of Finance. Upon finishing her studies at BerkeleyLaw, she was admitted as Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
Upon her return to Indonesia, Emmy pursued her passion by teaching international law at the University of Indonesia. Her passion for knowledge continued to encourage her to establish the Center for Legal Studies (PPH), a non-profit organization aimed to elevate the legal knowledge of the Indonesian citizens, back in 1989.
As the Chairman and the Program Manager of PPH, Emmy worked with various renowned organizations such as the WorldBank, the ASEAN Secretariat, the Supreme Court of Indonesia, the Indonesian Capital Market Supervisory Body (BAPEPAM), the Indonesian Police Department, the Bank of Indonesia, the Ministry of the State Secretary of the Republic of Indonesia (Kementerian Sekretariat Negara RI), and the Indonesian Stock Exchange. She was involved with many projects, including on Alternative Dispute Resolution, Good Corporate Governance, and the Capital Market.
In 2005 Emmy was called to serve as the Advisor to the Minister of Communication and Information of the Republic of Indonesia, as well as two other Ministers from the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises. She was also appointed as the Commissioner at PT Inalum-a Joint Venture, which was established by both the Government of Indonesia and the Japanese Consortium. She carried a mission to protect the Republic’s interests upon the dissolution of the Joint Venture.
Her expertise in corporate law and the capital market also brought her to be entrusted as the Independent Commissioner of PT BFI Tbk, as well as PT PNMIM. She was also appointed to be committees and advisors at various institutions such as the Expert Committee in Indonesian Emiten Association (AEI), OJK External Ethics Committee Level Governance, a Risk Committee member of Board of Trustee University of Indonesia, as well as the Advisor to the CEO of PT Indosat Tbk.
Emmy’s robust career did not hinder her role as a loving wife, a mother of two, and an artist. She was a gifted painter, and she enjoyed all forms of art, including music, dance, and painting. She believed her artistic gift not only added colors to her life but also help shaped her to be a well-rounded lawyer with human insight.
Realizing her impact in the legal sphere and the needs of Indonesia today, the remaining members of her family and students collaborated and established EYR Center for Legal Studies. Its aims are to enhance the public’s knowledge on various issues from a legal perspective using a socio-legal approach, especially in the fields of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Corporate Law, Climate Change, and Digital Transformation. Chaired by Bacelius Ruru, EYR Center for Legal Studies rolled out its programs through social media to provide accessible information for the public.