From left: Prof. Sudip Rakshit,
VP Research; Mr. Harinder Kohli;
AIT Pres. Said Irandoust; Mr. Javed Hamid; Dr. Nitin
Afzulpurkar,
and Mr. Karma Rana.
On 7 May 2009, AIT President Said Irandoust and some AIT
colleagues had a brainstorming meeting with external resource persons
Mr. Harinder Kohli and Mr. Javed Hamid on topics
related to the long-term economic and social outlook for Asia,
implications for tertiary education, experiences in
Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) and prospects for AIT.
Mr. Kohli serves as the Vice-Chairman of the AIT Institute-level
Advisory Board and is President and CEO of the Centennial Group and a
board member of several private corporations in Asia and the USA. He
worked at the World Bank for twenty-five years where he was Director of
the Maghreb and Iran Department, Director of the Technical Department
for Europe and Central Asia, and Director of the Information,
Technology and Facilities Department. Mr. Kohli has written widely on
Public- Private Partnerships for Infrastructure Development and
financial development. Before joining the World Bank, Mr. Kohli worked
in the private sector in India. He was educated at Punjab University
and Harvard Business School.
Mr. Javed Hamid worked for the International Finance Corporation
(IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, for 27 years with his last
assignment being that of Director of East Asia and Pacific Region from
1997 to 2006. He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School
and the University of Cambridge. Mr. Hamid set-up the first
private business school in Pakistan, namely the Lahore University
of Management Sciences (LUMS); and is now working on setting-up a
second private business school in Karachi through a tie-up with a major
school in the UK.
Dr. Nitin Afzulpurkar, Associate Dean, School of
Engineering and Technology (SET) and Director of the AIT Undergraduate
Programs, has been the main focal person from AIT in this interaction.
Vice President for Research Professor S. K. Rakshit, Professor
Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, Dean, SET, Mr. Karma Rana, Institute
Secretary, and Mr. Shawn Kelly, AIT News and Media Specialist,
participated in the discussions. During the informal interaction over
dinner, Dr. Afzulpurkar invited some of his students, and Mr. Kohli and
Mr. Hamid, enjoyed meeting with them and the ensuing discussions they
had on several topics.
The AIT administration learned a great deal from the senior
executives’ combined experience and knowledge, during an intense
half-day of brainstorming. Mr. Kohli and Mr. Hamid also
offered to provide their professional advice and feedback on a possible
Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model currently be considered by
AIT.
President Irandoust has been invited by Mr. Kohli to attend the “Fourth
Global Meeting of the Emerging Markets Forum” which will take place in
Mumbai, India from 23-25 June 2009. AIT intends to develop a more
concrete proposal from the discussions. The annual Emerging Markets
Forum is a very high-powered event, with the participation of
world-renowned personalities. Dr. Afzulpurkar and Mr. Kelly will also
be accompanying President Irandoust to the Forum. Mr. Kohli has also
kindly permitted AIT to use the platform to conduct video-interviews
with some of the high-level delegates who will be attending the
Forum.
Kohli, AIT Pres. Said Irandoust and Mr. Javed
Hamid.
