Kathmandu. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), an umbrella organization of the private sector in Nepal, has appointed economist and private sector development expert Dr. Gopal Prasad Tiwari as the Director General. President of FNCCI Anjan Shrestha handed over the appointment letter to him at the Secretariat on Wednesday.
Dr. Welcoming Dr. Tiwari, President Shrestha said that Dr. Tiwari’s multi-faceted credibility, academic skills and practical experience in advocacy of the private sector have joined the Federation at a critical juncture.
“Dr. Tiwari’s deep grasp on Nepal’s economic structure. Tiwari’s deep grip, extensive international experience and the trust of stakeholders will take the FNCCI’s institutional image to a new height. His leadership will be crucial in making our policy advocacy more effective, implementing highly effective reform agendas and creating a dynamic and globally competitive environment for Nepali enterprises.” President Shrestha said.
With this appointment, Dr. Tiwari has returned. Earlier, he had held the leadership of the Secretariat as the Acting Director General of the Federation from 2018 to 2019. He has more than 25 years of specialized experience in the field of macroeconomic policy, investment reforms and public-private partnership (PPP).
Dr. Tiwari’s professional journey has also been linked to major multilateral organizations and international donor agencies. He has served as Executive and Advisor to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), ÷World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Labour Organization (ILO) and most recently USAID’s ‘Ready Nepal’ project.
His institutional involvement in the financial and business sector of Nepal is noteworthy. Dr. Tiwari has previously worked as Director General of Confederation of Bank and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN), Senior Technical Expert in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Strategic Advisor at the Nepal-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In addition to his institutional responsibilities, he is also the honorary secretary general of the Economic Association of Nepal, former president of the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON), and Phil. Dr. Jan-U. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Sandal Institute and a professor at the Department of Public Policy, Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Studies at Tribhuvan University (Kirtipur). In the early stages of his career, he has also served as a senior economic journalist in leading national dailies such as Kantipur Media Group, The Himalayan Times and Space Time Today.
Dr. Tiwari is considered to be the main architect of the Structural Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) in Nepal. Tiwari managed the secretariat of the high-level ‘Nepal Business Forum’ under the IFC for many years. He has also played an active technical role in the formulation of important economic and business laws such as the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act and the Industrial Enterprise Act.
Dr. Tiwari, who has a PhD in Economics on the topic of improving the business environment of the private sector. Tiwari has also published various research books on trade diplomacy and industrial development. These include ‘Self-reliant Economy and Potential Areas for Export Promotion’ (2023).
