UNITED NATIONS: An Indian UN Assistant Secretary General, dealing with the UN pension fund investments, has resigned suddenly, according to a spokesperson. No reason was given for the resignation of Sudhir Rajkumar that was announced on Sunday by Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Rajkumar also held the title of Representative of the Secretary-General for the investment of the assets of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.
The resignation is to be effective on Tuesday, Dujarric said. The announcement was unusual coming on a Sunday and with a very short notice period.
Dujarric said: “The Secretary-General has accepted the resignation and thanks Mr Rajkumar for his service in managing the assets of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund. The Secretary-General wishes Mr Rajkumar the very best in his future endeavours.”
Rajkumar was appointed to the position in 2017.
He had earlier been the head of the global pension advisory programme at the World Bank Treasury, providing advisory services to pension funds for several countries, according to the UN.
He had also been a member on the External Advisory Committee on Investments of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Investment Committee of the United Nations Office for Project Services, and as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Centre for Pension Management.
Before joining the World Bank in east Africa, he worked in a managerial capacity with Shriram Group in India.