Emil Salim (born in Lahat, South Sumatra, Indonesia, 8 June 1930) is an Indonesian economist and former politician.
Born of Minangkabau parents, both from the village of Koto Gadang in West Sumatra.
His uncle is Agus Salim, one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Indonesia and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the early 1950s.
Salim graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Indonesia in 1959.
He obtained a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and returned to Indonesia to a teaching position at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Indonesia in 1964.
He became one of the well-known group of 'Berkeley Mafia' economic advisers, working closely with Professor Widjojo Nitisastro.
In 1977 he was appointed to the position of professor of economic development at the University of Indonesia.
Salim has held a number of government positions, including:
1966: member of the team of economic advisers to President Suharto
1967-68: member of the team of advisers to the Minister of Manpower.
1967-1969: Chairman of the technical team of the Council for Economic Stability and a member of the Gotong Royong Parliament.
1969: Vice Chairman of Bappenas (the National Development Planning Agency)
1971: Minister of State for the Improvement of the State Apparatus.
1973-1978: Minister of Transportation
1978-1983: Minister of State for Development Supervision and the Environment
1983-1993: Minister of State for Population and the Environment
2007-2010: Member of the Advisory Council to President Yudhoyono, as the adviser for environment and sustainable development issues
2010-2014: Chairperson, The Advisory Council to President YudhoyonoSalim has chaired the Foundation for Sustainable Development and the Kehati Foundation, and co-chaired the United States-Indonesia Society.
He is a member of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals.