Ajay Bhushan Pandey, a distinguished civil servant and technology leader with decades of experience in shaping India’s digital and financial ecosystem, has been appointed Vice President (Investment Solutions) at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The multilateral development bank, headquartered in Beijing, made the announcement through an official update on its website. Pandey will now oversee AIIB’s Sectors, Themes and Finance Solutions Department, Sustainability and Fiduciary Solutions Department, and the Portfolio Management Department, bringing his expansive leadership experience to the global stage.
Prior to joining AIIB, Pandey served as the Chairperson of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) for over three years. In this role, he worked extensively to raise awareness on corporate governance, strengthened auditing standards, and initiated disciplinary proceedings against erring audit firms, defending the statutory authority’s mandate in key judicial forums. His leadership emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and regulatory compliance in India’s corporate sector.
Pandey also held the crucial position of Finance Secretary, Government of India, during a historic period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. His tenure was notable for the landmark reduction in corporate tax rates and the implementation of massive direct benefit transfers using Aadhaar-linked systems under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. As Revenue Secretary, he led comprehensive tax reforms, launched the faceless assessment and appeal system, and expanded the use of data analytics to enhance tax compliance and reduce fraud.
His transformative impact was also evident during his time as Chairman of GSTN, where he stabilized the newly introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) system across India. He integrated technology-based interventions such as auto-filled forms, e-invoicing, and real-time data analytics to improve revenue collection and simplify compliance. Previously, as CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Pandey successfully rolled out Aadhaar to over 1.2 billion citizens and defended the initiative’s privacy and legal framework before the Supreme Court of India.
With academic credentials including a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, Pandey brings a rare blend of deep technical knowledge and governance experience to AIIB. His appointment strengthens India’s representation in the institution, where the country remains its second-largest shareholder.
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