Amitabh Kant joins Fairfax as senior advisor after G20 Sherpa role

Amitabh Kant was India's G20 Sherpa for the 2023 Summit that took place in New Delhi. In the run-up to the summit, Kant worked towards building international consensus on key issues

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited on Friday announced that it has appointed Amitabh Kant, the former G20 Sherpa, as a senior advisor.

 

In a statement, which is owned by Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa, Fairfax said that former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant’s extensive expertise in economic development, innovation, and sustainable growth is expected to significantly benefit the company’s long-term investment approach in India. It further stated that with Kant’s industry insights and leadership experience, Fairfax will continue identifying and executing on opportunities within the region.

 

“As India is pursuing an ambitious roadmap toward becoming a developed economy by 2047, Fairfax expects many opportunities for it and its affiliates, including Fairfax India Holdings Corporation (Fairfax India) to participate and benefit from the ‘Viksit Bharat’ initiative, which aims to help India transition from a $4 trillion economy to a $30-plus trillion powerhouse,” Watsa said.

 

Commenting on the appointment of Amitabh Kant as a senior advisor, Fairfax Chairman and CEO Prem Watsa said Amitabh had outstanding experience in many of the key areas where India aimed to grow significantly in the coming years. “…what we really value is his high integrity and alignment with the values of Fairfax. We look forward to working with him to further enhance Fairfax’s long-term objectives, delivering lasting value for our investors and stakeholders, while upholding our core values of honesty, transparency, and entrepreneurial spirit,” Watsa said.

 

The news comes days after Kant stepped down from his role as India’s G20 Sherpa, thereby marking an end to a 45-year career in government at various positions. He announced on LinkedIn, adding that he is ready to embrace new opportunities.

 

Kant was India’s G20 Sherpa for the 2023 Summit that took place in New Delhi. In the run-up to the summit, Kant worked towards building international consensus on key issues. He was also the longest-serving CEO of NITI Aayog, where he served from 2016 to 2022. NITI Aayog is India’s official policy think tank.

 

Kant has previously worked as the Secretary of the Department for Industrial Policy and Promotion between 2014 and 2016, where he was a key driver of flagship national initiatives like ‘Startup India’ and ‘Make in India’.