Rajiv Kumar joins Ficci as DG

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) today announced the appointment of Rajiv Kumar as its director general, a newly created post.

Kumar’s appointment is being seen as part of a change at the Delhi-based lobby group. In his new role, Kumar will “assist” Ficci secretary general Amit Mitra in areas with a macroeconomic and international trade focus.

While ruling out a change of guard, Mitra told Business Standard that Kumar would help take some “load off my shoulders”, as the industry chamber is expanding its agenda and presence in several new areas.

Kumar had recently quit Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations to join as Director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies. Despite several attempts, Kumar could not be reached over the phone.

He was also once Chief Economist at Confederation of Indian Industry, a rival industry chamber.

“I am not going anywhere. The title of DG is to reduce my burden. It is not humanly possible for one person to do the amount of work we have,” said Mitra. Apart from heading the industry chamber, Mitra is an independent director on the National Aviation Company board. He is also chairman of an expert committee to monitor public-private partnership projects in the railways and also heads a government-appointed three-member committee to review television audience measurement systems.

Ficci, he said, is also in the process of hiring a new Chief Financial Officer and head of human resources, in an attempt to organise its expanding presence in various committees and public-private partnership initiatives, prominent among these being Invest India. Vijay Topa is going to head Invest India, a not-for-profit company aimed at helping foreign players looking to invest in the country.

“He (Kumar) will add to the top management at Ficci and will attend all the important executive meetings on my nomination. It has been done according to a report on our organisation, which suggested adding human capital at the top level to guide the chamber towards the next trajectory,” Mitra said.

Mitra said Kumar will be an “integral” part of the industry chamber. “Both of us have a similar education background and have global exposure. Therefore, it is going to be a synergic relationship and I have great expectations from him,” he said over the phone.