As a specialist in public finance, fiscal policy and labor economics, H.E. Dr Sri Mulyani Indrawati was chosen as the Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) representing 12 countries in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, from 2002 to 2004. In October 2004, she received her first cabinet appointment as Indonesia's Minister of Development Planning.

In 2005, Sri Mulyani was appointed as Indonesia's Minister of Finance. During this period, she was instrumental in stabilizing the economy, maintaining prudent fiscal policy, decreasing the cost of borrowing, managing the debt level and creating trust among investors. She also introduced extensive reforms and created fundamental changes in the Ministry.

In 2016, Sri Mulyani Indrawati came back to public service when President Joko Widodo appointed her as the Minister of Finance. In 2018, she was awarded as the "Best Minister in the World" at the World Government Summit in Dubai. That same year, Global Markets awarded her with the "Finance Minister of the Year - East Asia Pacific" Award at the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bali.