As an Indian Administrative Service officer, he has the kind of varied and extensive experience across key sectors to guide the board and prepare the company for the next stage of our growth
Primus Partners, an India-focused consulting firmset up by veteran Industry leaders in consulting who extensively advice private and public sector clients, has announced the appointment of senior retired IAS officer Umesh Kumar as an Independent Director on the firm’s Board, effective 1 st October.
A 1983 batch Rajasthan cadre officer, Umesh Kumar brings to the table 35 years of experience in leadership roles in diverse economic sectors -- both at the state level as well as with the Government of India. He has managed several large public sector undertakings and has also served as India’s representative on the Board of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, the Philippines.
Announcing his appointment, Nilaya Varma, Co-Founder & CEO, Primus Partners, said: “As an Indian Administrative Service officer, he has the kind of varied and extensive experience across key sectors to guide the board and prepare the company for the next stage of our growth.”
“Primus Partners has been playing a crucial role in helping its global and domestic clients to set up and expand businesses that are intricately linked to the India growth story. I look forward to using my experience in public sector to guide Primus Partners in its mission,” said Umesh Kumar. He added the reason for him to join the board included the vison and passion of the founder group at Primus Partners for being part of India’s growth story and nurturing Indian Talent.
In an illustrious career, Umesh Kumar has been chairman of key corporations such as the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation, the Rajasthan Housing Board and the all-important Rajasthan Industrial Development & Investment Corporation (RIICO), which helped attract investment to the state.
He has also served on the Board of NABARD and Bank of India. His three-year stint as Executive Director at ADB is still remembered for the wide-ranging organizational reforms he initiated, especially with regards to delegation and decentralization, and for shifting the Bank’s focus from approvalsto implementation and disbursement.
In his tenure with the Central Government, Umesh Kumar – whose expertise lies in policy formulation and strategic planning --served in the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, and was in charge of areas such as financial inclusion, electronic transactions, the ambitious ATM roll-out across the country, regional rural banks and cooperative credit institutions. He also headed the committee that drafted the Micro Finance Institutions(Development & Regulation) Bill.
At various times, he has also served on the Boards of the Bank of India and NABARD, the Indian government’s apex development finance institution.