Amitabh Kant Appointed Senior Adviser to Canada-Based Fairfax Financial After Stepping Down as India’s G20 Sherpa.
Appointment
In June 2025, senior Indian bureaucrat Amitabh Kant was appointed Senior Adviser to Fairfax Financial Holdings, a Canada-based global insurance and investment firm. He recently stepped down as India’s G20 Sherpa, marking the end of a 45-year career in public service
- Amitabh Kant will guide Fairfax India Holdings Corporation and its affiliates in identifying strategic investment opportunities aligned with India’s "Viksit Bharat" initiative—aiming to transform India from a USD 4 trillion to a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047.
- Fairfax is already active in sectors like insurance, logistics, infrastructure, and airport operations, with stakes in entities such as Go Digit General Insurance and Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
Main Point :- (i) Amitabh Kant brings a wealth of experience from his tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog, where he spearheaded landmark programmes like the Aspirational Districts Programme, Make in India, Startup India, and efforts that improved India’s Ease of Doing Business ranking by 79 places. He also previously served as India’s G20 Sherpa, instrumental in forging consensus for the 2023 New Delhi Declaration.
(ii) Prem Watsa, Chairman and CEO of Fairfax, praised Kant’s depth of knowledge in digital infrastructure, urban renewal, industrial reform, and tourism. Watsa highlighted that Kant’s values—honesty, transparency, and integrity—perfectly align with Fairfax’s corporate ethos.
(iii) This strategic appointment underscores Fairfax’s long-term investment strategy in India. Kant’s role is expected to enhance the firm’s ability to leverage policy insights, public–private coordination, and sustainable growth channels, reinforcing confidence among global investors in the Indian market.
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