Secretary-General Kofi Annan has named leading Indian American business consultant Rajat Gupta as his special adviser in a bid to press ahead with reform and his campaign to improve United Nations management.
Gupta, senior partner worldwide and former Managing Director of McKinsey & Company, will act as personal adviser to Annan on overall strategy.
He will also participate in the deputy secretary-general's coordination committee overseeing implementation of the summit decisions.
"Gupta will help to ensure that the overall management reform program is in line with best global practice and provide focused, specialist assistance on key issues of concern," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary general, told reporters.
Asked why Gupta was needed for the job, the spokesman said that he will bring in "a fresh pair of eyes from the outside world" and bring UN management reform in line with best practices in other organizations.
In response to another question about Gupta's hiring without a public competitive process, the spokesman said the secretary-general was free to hire whoever he saw fit as a special advisor.
"Gupta's biography shows that he is qualified for the job," Dujarric added.
On yet another query as to whether it was appropriate for Gupta to be hired on a dollar-a-year contract given that such appointments were being reviewed, the spokesman said the review of the dollar-a-year policy did not mean that such appointments will be ended.
"Review does not mean it would be abandoned, but part of the review... is the need for the dollar-a-year and for those, when actually employed, to fill out financial disclosure forms, which Gupta will do," he said.
