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| Bob Pickard |
Bob Pickard, a veteran of Huntsworth, Burson-Marsteller and Edelman, today resigned as global communications chief for the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank after a 16-month stint.
“As a patriotic Canadian, this was my only course,” he tweeted. “The Bank is dominated by Communist Party members and also has one of the most toxic cultures imaginable.”
Pickard added: “Communist Party hacks hold the cards at the Bank. They deal with some board members as useful idiots.”
The AIIB funds infrastructure projects outside China to expand the reach and political influence of its government.
Pickard believes Canada’s best interests are not being served as one of the 106 members of the bank. France, UK, Australia, Russia and most of Asia are members.
In accepting Pickard’s resignation, the AIIB called his characterization of the Bank “baseless and disappointing.”
It plans to soon launch a search for his replacement.
Prior to the AIIB, Pickard served as Asia/Pacific chair at Huntsworth, Asia/Pacific CEO at Burson-Marsteller, and North Asia president at Edelman.
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