State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina president director Karen Agustiawan has resigned from her current position to pursue a teaching career at Harvard University and to spend more time with family.

"We have received Karen's resignation letter and we are going to guarantee her request," State-Owned Minister Dahlan Iskan told reporters in Jakarta on Monday.

He said Karen had previously sought to leave her position but the government rejected her request to leave the company.

"Harvard University has been in contact with Karen so she is ready to teach there immediately," he said as quoted by the Antara news agency.

The 55-year-old woman has been working in the most bankable state-owned firm for the past six years.

"She has been devoting herself and her abilities to Pertamina for the past six years. She has been able to resolve many problems," the former electricity firm PT PLN president director continued.

Karen, who graduated from Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)'s engineering physics department, led Pertamina to become a Fortune Global 500 company.

Dahlan denied that her resignation was related to the government's plan to increase fuel prices.

"It is not true. She really wants to teach," he said.

He also refused to mention who would be her successor. (nfo)