Ajay Bhushan Pandey appointed as V-P of investment at AIIB in Beijing

Former Finance Secretary and CEO of Aadhaar Ajay Bhushan Pandey has taken over as Vice President of Investment Solutions for the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in which India is the second largest shareholder after China.

As Vice President of Investment solutions, Pandey provides strategic leadership and oversees three key departments, the Sectors, Themes and Finance Solutions Department (STF), the Sustainability and Fiduciary Solutions Department (SFD) and the Portfolio Management Department (PMD), AIIB said in a statement on Wednesday.

"I am delighted to announce Pandey's appointment to this important leadership role Jin Liqun, AIIB President and Chair of the Board of Directors, said.

"He brings with him decades of highly relevant experience leading transformational change, including a pivotal role with the Government of India in shaping the country's digital and financial infrastructure, that will greatly benefit the Bank as we continue to grow and strengthen our operations, the bank's statement quoted him as saying.

"I look forward to working closely with him as we finance the Infrastructure for Tomorrow to improve the lives of millions around the world, he said.

According to the bank's official data, China is the largest shareholder of AIIB with 26.54 per cent voting shares. India is the second largest shareholder with 7.58 per cent, followed by Russia, 5.9 per cent and Germany with 4.1 per cent.

Prior to joining AIIB, Pandey served in prominent leadership roles within the Government of India for over three decades.

He helped shape India's digital and financial infrastructure through transformative initiatives such as Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), and the National Infrastructure Pipeline, the press release said.

His ability to integrate technology, policy and infrastructure has enabled him to design and implement strategies that combine innovative financial policies, legislative frameworks and project management, it said.

Pandey holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.

The AIIB is a multilateral development bank dedicated to financing infrastructure for tomorrow, with sustainability at its core.

The AIIB began operations in 2016, now has 110 approved members worldwide, is capitalised at USD 100 billion, and is AAA-rated by major international credit rating agencies, the bank's press release said.

The bank collaborates with partners to mobilise capital and invest in infrastructure and other productive sectors that foster sustainable economic development and enhance regional connectivity, it said.