The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), headquartered in Beijing, has pushed back against accusations thrown by Bob Pickard, the bank’s outgoing global communications lead. The dispute escalated on June 14, when Pickard, a self-proclaimed patriotic Canadian, announced his resignation on Twitter, condemning the bank for being heavily influenced by Communist Party members and harbouring what he called ‘one of the most toxic cultures imaginable.’
Pickard, who took office as the director-general of the communications department in March 2022, argued that Canada’s interests were not being served through its membership with AIIB. Jin Liqun, president and chair of the board of directors and a known member of the Chinese Communist Party, leads AIIB, as per the bank’s official website.
In a counterstatement, AIIB termed Pickard’s recent public remarks as baseless and disappointing. The bank defended its standing, lauding its multilateral mission and its team, which boasts diversity, consisting of 65 nationalities and members serving its 106 global members, many since its formation in 2016.
In the aftermath of Pickard’s departure, the AIIB reassured that the search for a successor is underway. In the interim, an acting director general will maintain communication efforts.
In light of the unfolding events, the Canadian government has paused all activities with AIIB. Canada’s finance minister and deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, announced an immediate halt on all government-led activity at the bank during a press briefing, leaving all options open following the completion of a prompt review.
The news comes after AIIB’s recent appointment of Teresa Lin to the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) in May. Ludger Schuknecht, AIIB’s vice president and corporate secretary, emphasized the significance of having external members on the ARC, noting their independent judgment provides crucial insight into the bank’s risk management and internal control systems.
This news story is based on an article from marketing-interactive.com.
