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The Bakrie Professorship in Southeast Asia Policy was launched on 18 November 2010 at the Chinese Heritage Centre in Nanyang Technological University. Established to deepen knowledge of the region and its largest country, Indonesia, the professorship was made possible through a generous grant of $3 million from the Bakrie Center Foundation of Indonesia (led by Mr. Anindya Novyan Bakrie), and a matching grant from the Singapore Government. Its establishment is in line with the donor's belief in intellectual values and social responsibility and expectation of the Chair holders' commitment to advancing knowledge and deepening understanding of the domain they are appointed to. The Bakrie Professorship in Southeast Asia Policy will be a prime anchor in providing insights into Southeast Asia policy. The Chair holders are expected to mentor the younger faculty members and research scholars, as well as serve as a beacon to attract and retain other illustrious academics with an interest in Southeast Asia.

The first scholar to hold this distinguished Chair is Ambassador Barry Desker, Dean of RSIS, who writes extensively on global security issues, often from an international political economy perspective. He also has an abiding interest in Indonesia; an interest he developed and cultivated during the time he was Singapore's ambassador to the country from 1986 to 1993. Ambassador Desker was appointed by Mr. Eddie Teo, Chairman of the RSIS Board of Governors, to hold the Chair concurrently from 1 April 2011.

Besides this grant, the Bakrie Center Foundation also donated $600,000, which, together with a matching grant from the Singapore Government, provided for a Bakrie Graduate Fellowship scholarship fund at RSIS over a period of five years beginning in 2011.