Bob Pickard (businessman)
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Bob Pickard is a Canadian businessman and the former global communications director of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Career
- Prior to PR, active in public affairs and served as a political aide to several Canadian federal Cabinet ministers[1]
- Vice President at Hill & Knowlton Canada, led firms technology practice (1987? 2002 - 15)[1]
- Executive vice-president and co-founder of Environics Communications (1994)[1]
- Edelman Managing Director for Korea in 2002, opened Tokyo office in 2005 (15 year career in NA before Asia)[1]
In February 2010, Pickard became the president and CEO of Burson-Marsteller's Asia-Pacific operations.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3][4][5][6] Pickard ultimately fled China after his resignation.[2] 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.[7]
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."[8] 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.[4]
Further reading
References
- ^ a b c d e O'Reilly, Gemma (25 January 2010). "Burson-Marsteller hires industry stalwart Bob Pickard to lead Asia-Pacific". PRWeek.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Brewster, Murray (11 December 2023). "Asian infrastructure bank can't be reformed unless China changes course, former executive says". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ McDonald, Joe (2023-06-14). "Canadian quits Chinese-founded development bank, complains Communist Party members dominate it". Associated Press. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
- ^ Chen, Laurie (2023-06-14). "China-led AIIB's communications chief quits, criticises bank's management". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
- ^ Ljunggren, David (2023-06-14). "Ottawa halts activity with China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank". Global News. Reuters.
- ^ Chase, Steven (31 August 2023). "Former staff of China-led bank dispute ex-PR chief's allegations of Beijing influence". The Globe and Mail.