Bob Pickard (businessman): Difference between revisions

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In March 2022, Pickard became the Director General of Communications at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a [[multilateral development bank]] and [[international financial institution]], to lead its global communications strategy.<ref name=Global230615>{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Laurie |title=Former Canadian AIIB official says he was 'advised' to flee China after resignation |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9770347/bob-pickard-aiib-china/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |work=[[Global News]] |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=2023-06-15}}</ref> In June 2023, Pickard publicly resigned in protest over what he described as the undue influence of the [[Chinese Communist Party]] in AIIB’s everyday operations which he said constituted a failure of transparent governance and created a “toxic culture” inside the bank.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffiths |first1=James |last2=Chase |first2=Steven |title=Ottawa halts participation in China-led development bank |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-ottawa-launching-review-of-canadas-membership-in-china-led-development/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=2023-06-15 |location=[[Toronto]] |pages=A1,A8}}</ref><ref name=CBC>{{cite web |last=Brewster |first=Murray |title=Asian infrastructure bank can't be reformed unless China changes course, former executive says |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/asian-infrastructure-investment-bank-china-canada-1.7056058 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=11 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Joe |date=2023-06-14 |title=Canadian quits Chinese-founded development bank, complains Communist Party members dominate it |url=https://apnews.com/article/china-asian-investment-bank-canadian-resigns-ad390655ab33bf6df5b98a3886b67bb7 |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=[[Associated Press]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Chen |first=Laurie |date=2023-06-14 |title=China-led AIIB's communications chief quits, criticises bank's management |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/china-led-aiibs-comms-chief-quits-criticises-banks-management-2023-06-14/ |access-date=2023-06-14}}</ref> Pickard ultimately fled China after his resignation.<ref name=Global230615/> The government of Canada froze its participation with the AIIB after Pickard's allegations and is conducting an extended review of the country’s membership in the bank in consultation with other G7 countries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ljunggren |first1=David |title=Ottawa halts activity with China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9768236/canada-china-asian-infrastructure-investment-bank/ |work=[[Global News]] |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=2023-06-14}}</ref>
In March 2022, Pickard became the Director General of Communications at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a [[multilateral development bank]] and [[international financial institution]], to lead its global communications strategy.<ref name=Global230615>{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Laurie |title=Former Canadian AIIB official says he was 'advised' to flee China after resignation |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9770347/bob-pickard-aiib-china/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |work=[[Global News]] |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=2023-06-15}}</ref> In June 2023, Pickard publicly resigned in protest over what he described as the undue influence of the [[Chinese Communist Party]] in AIIB’s everyday operations which he said constituted a failure of transparent governance and created a “toxic culture” inside the bank.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffiths |first1=James |last2=Chase |first2=Steven |title=Ottawa halts participation in China-led development bank |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-ottawa-launching-review-of-canadas-membership-in-china-led-development/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=2023-06-15 |location=[[Toronto]] |pages=A1,A8}}</ref><ref name=CBC>{{cite web |last=Brewster |first=Murray |title=Asian infrastructure bank can't be reformed unless China changes course, former executive says |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/asian-infrastructure-investment-bank-china-canada-1.7056058 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=11 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Joe |date=2023-06-14 |title=Canadian quits Chinese-founded development bank, complains Communist Party members dominate it |url=https://apnews.com/article/china-asian-investment-bank-canadian-resigns-ad390655ab33bf6df5b98a3886b67bb7 |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=[[Associated Press]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Chen |first=Laurie |date=2023-06-14 |title=China-led AIIB's communications chief quits, criticises bank's management |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/china-led-aiibs-comms-chief-quits-criticises-banks-management-2023-06-14/ |access-date=2023-06-14}}</ref> Pickard ultimately fled China after his resignation.<ref name=Global230615/> The government of Canada froze its participation with the AIIB after Pickard's allegations and is conducting an extended review of the country’s membership in the bank in consultation with other G7 countries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ljunggren |first1=David |title=Ottawa halts activity with China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9768236/canada-china-asian-infrastructure-investment-bank/ |work=[[Global News]] |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=2023-06-14}}</ref>


An AIIB internal investigation claimed that it "follows the highest standards of multilateral governance, that its governance is functioning as intended, and that there was no evidence of undue influence on decisions taken by the Board of Directors or Management."<ref>{{cite web |last=Chase |first=Steven |title=Former staff of China-led bank dispute ex-PR chief’s allegations of Beijing influence |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-asian-infrastructure-investment-bank-china-criticism/ |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=31 August 2023}}</ref> In front of a [[House of Commons of Canada]] committee on Canada-China relations later that year, Pickard testified that "so long as we have the Chinese Communist Party trying to work to undermine Western democracies...it is impossible" for the AIIB to be reformed.<ref name=CBC/>
An AIIB internal investigation claimed that it "follows the highest standards of multilateral governance, that its governance is functioning as intended, and that there was no evidence of undue influence on decisions taken by the Board of Directors or Management."<ref>{{cite web |last=Chase |first=Steven |title=Former staff of China-led bank dispute ex-PR chief’s allegations of Beijing influence |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-asian-infrastructure-investment-bank-china-criticism/ |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=31 August 2023}}</ref> In front of a [[House of Commons of Canada]] committee on Canada-China relations later that year, Pickard testified that "so long as we have the Chinese Communist Party trying to work to undermine Western democracies...it is impossible" for the AIIB to be reformed.<ref name=CBC/><ref>{{cite web |title=Special Committee on the Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship |url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/CACN/Evidence/EV12798633/CACNEV30-E.PDF |publisher=House of Commons Canada |date=11 December 2023}}</ref>


==Further reading==
==Further reading==

Revision as of 08:06, 3 April 2024

Bob Pickard
Born
Robert Pickard

NationalityCanadian
EducationQueen's University[1][better source needed]

Bob Pickard is a Canadian businessman and the former global communications director of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). He is known for his work in public relations, managing the Asia-Pacific region of Burson-Marsteller,[2] Huntsworth,[3] and leading the market entry of Edelman into Japan.[2] Pickard co-founded Environics Communications in 1994.[2] He was recognized in the PR Week "Global Power Book", which lists influential communicators in the industry.[4]

  • Vice President at Hill & Knowlton Canada, led firms technology practice (1987? 2002 - 15)[2]

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank whistleblowing

In March 2022, Pickard became the Director General of Communications at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a multilateral development bank and international financial institution, to lead its global communications strategy.[5] In June 2023, Pickard publicly resigned in protest over what he described as the undue influence of the Chinese Communist Party in AIIB’s everyday operations which he said constituted a failure of transparent governance and created a “toxic culture” inside the bank.[6][7][8][9] Pickard ultimately fled China after his resignation.[5] The government of Canada froze its participation with the AIIB after Pickard's allegations and is conducting an extended review of the country’s membership in the bank in consultation with other G7 countries.[10]

An AIIB internal investigation claimed that it "follows the highest standards of multilateral governance, that its governance is functioning as intended, and that there was no evidence of undue influence on decisions taken by the Board of Directors or Management."[11] In front of a House of Commons of Canada committee on Canada-China relations later that year, Pickard testified that "so long as we have the Chinese Communist Party trying to work to undermine Western democracies...it is impossible" for the AIIB to be reformed.[7][12]

Further reading

References

  1. ^ a b c "Bob Pickard Named CEO Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific" (Press Release). 26 January 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e O'Reilly, Gemma (25 January 2010). "Burson-Marsteller hires industry stalwart Bob Pickard to lead Asia-Pacific". PRWeek.
  3. ^ Chen, Sophie (16 January 2014). "Chris Tang joins Huntsworth as regional CEO; Bob Pickard promoted to APAC chairman". Campaign Asia.
  4. ^ "PR Week Global Power Book 2015".
  5. ^ a b Chen, Laurie (2023-06-15). "Former Canadian AIIB official says he was 'advised' to flee China after resignation". Global News. Reuters. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  6. ^ Griffiths, James; Chase, Steven (2023-06-15). "Ottawa halts participation in China-led development bank". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. pp. A1, A8. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b Brewster, Murray (11 December 2023). "Asian infrastructure bank can't be reformed unless China changes course, former executive says". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  8. ^ McDonald, Joe (2023-06-14). "Canadian quits Chinese-founded development bank, complains Communist Party members dominate it". Associated Press. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  9. ^ Chen, Laurie (2023-06-14). "China-led AIIB's communications chief quits, criticises bank's management". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  10. ^ Ljunggren, David (2023-06-14). "Ottawa halts activity with China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank". Global News. Reuters.
  11. ^ Chase, Steven (31 August 2023). "Former staff of China-led bank dispute ex-PR chief's allegations of Beijing influence". The Globe and Mail.
  12. ^ "Special Committee on the Canada–People's Republic of China Relationship" (PDF). House of Commons Canada. 11 December 2023.