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article 26 Aug 2026

An Enclave for the Super Rich?

The Orde Baru reboots on Serangan Island, Bali

Bali's Serangan Island: an international financial centre rising on reclaimed land tangled in New Order dynasties, tax havens and mangrove destruction.

article 5 Aug 2026

"Meet Me at the Starbucks That Was Bombed"

The Thamrin attack from twelve storeys up -- Jakarta, 14 January 2016

Gary Dean recalls the 2016 Jakarta Starbucks bombing from his 12th-floor office window—eyewitness photos, messages, and Indonesia's swift aftermath.

article 31 Mar 2026

Digital Sovereignty

It's Time for Indonesia to Act

Europe built a sovereign office suite in 72 hours. Indonesia has talked digital sovereignty for 20 years. Gary Dean on why that must change now.

article 31 Mar 2026

Kedaulatan Digital

Sudah Saatnya Indonesia Bertindak

Gary Dean: Eropa luncurkan Euro-Office berdaulat dalam tiga hari. Mengapa Indonesia, setelah dua dekade wacana, harus segera bertindak.

article 22 Mar 2026

Doing Business in Indonesia 2026

Looking Back After 25 Years

Gary Dean's 2026 update on doing business in Indonesia: how Javanese culture, patronage, musyawarah and law shape investment 25 years after Reformasi.

article 13 Mar 2026

Nominee Land Ownership in Bali

The Law Finally Catches Up

Bali's nominee land schemes for foreigners are now criminal offences under Indonesian law. Learn the risks and legal alternatives available.

article 7 Dec 2024 by ProSocial Knowledgebase

Applied Anthropology

Bridging Theory and Practice for Real-World Impact

Explore applied anthropology's practical methods for solving real-world challenges in public health, sustainability, urban planning, and social justice.

article 2 Sep 2024

Defining Dharma

ways, paths, cultures, outlooks

Explore dharma's Sanskrit roots and its evolution into an adaptive ethical framework—still relevant for secular life, ethics and modern culture.

article 30 May 2020

Indonesia 2020: Consolidate, and Respond

An open letter to my friends and clients in Indonesia.

Indonesia's SMEs face pandemic fallout. Gary Dean urges consolidation, market pivots, and strategic responses to survive the post-COVID economy.

article 13 Dec 2019

After Buddhism

A review of Stephen Batchelor's "After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age"

A review of Batchelor's After Buddhism: sharp philological demolition and vivid history, but a secular dharma left without institutions to sustain it.

article 14 Aug 2014

Gary Dean

From the West, Northward to the East

Gary Dean: Perth-born, Indonesian citizen since 1996. Founder of Okusi group, exploring prosociality, Indonesian business, and open technology.

article 1 Mar 2013 by Jakarta Expat

Meet Gary Dean

A Jakarta Expat interview with Gary Dean

Gary Dean's journey from Australian programmer to Jakarta business consultant, on Indonesian bureaucracy, investment and three decades in Indonesia.

article 1 Jul 2001

Doing Business in Indonesia

From a Western Perspective

Guide to Indonesian business culture, law, joint ventures and investment—essential context for Western entrepreneurs. Written 2001; see the 2026 update.