Sherly Tjoanda

Sherly Tjoanda Laos (born 8 August 1982) is an Indonesian politician and businesswoman who has served as the Governor of North Maluku since 20 February 2025. She is the first female governor of the province, having been elected in 2024 following the death of her husband, Benny Laos, who was a gubernatorial candidate.

Sherly Tjoanda Laos
Official portrait, 2025
Governor of North Maluku
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 February 2025 (2025-02-20)
Preceded by	Abdul Gani Kasuba
Personal details
Born	Sherly Tjoanda (1982-08-08) 8 August 1982 (age 42) Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Benny Laos ​ ​ (m. 2005; death 2024)​
Children	3
Alma mater	Petra University, Inholland University
Occupation	Politician, businesswoman

Early life and education

Sherly Tjoanda was born on 8 August 1982, in Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia, to Paulus Tjoanda and Maria Margaretha Liem. She is of Chinese descent.^[1] She pursued her undergraduate studies at Petra University in Surabaya, majoring in International Business Management, and later earned a master's degree from Inholland University in the Netherlands.^{[2][circular reference]}

Career

Prior to her political career, Tjoanda was actively involved in several organizations. She served as the Chair of the TP PKK (Family Welfare Movement) in Morotai from 2017 to 2022.^[3] She also chaired the Bela Peduli Foundation, which supports social initiatives such as aid for orphans, and was engaged with the Indonesian Farmers' Harmony Association. In addition, she held the position of Director at PT Bela Group, a company she co-developed with her husband.^[4]

Political career

In 2024, Tjoanda entered politics following the tragic death of her husband, Benny Laos, in a speedboat accident on 12 October 2024. Originally a gubernatorial candidate, Laos's passing led a coalition of eight political parties—including NasDem, PKB, Democrats, PAN, PPP, Gelora, PSI, and the Labor Party—to nominate Tjoanda as his replacement.^[5] Running with Sarbin Sehe as her deputy, she won the election with 50.73% of the vote based on preliminary counts, defeating competitors including incumbent figures.^[6] She was inaugurated as Governor of North Maluku on 20 February 2025, marking her as the province’s first female governor.^[7]

Personal life

Sherly Tjoanda was married to Benny Laos, a businessman former regent of Morotai, from 2005 until his death in 2024. The couple had three children: Edbert (born 11 March 2006), Edelyn (born 18 April 2007), and Edrick (born 8 July 2009).^[6]