Dileep Nair
Encyclopedia
Dileep Nair was the United Nations
Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services and head of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
. In that capacity, he oversaw investigations of wrong doings related to the United Nations in a range of countries including within the headquarters. The Oil-for-food scandal was initially investigated by Dileep Nair's office before turning it over to the investigating body headed by former United States
Federal Reserve Chairman
, Paul Volcker
.
Nair completed a bachelor's degree
in mechanical engineering
from McGill University
in Montreal
in 1973. From 1974, he worked in Singapore's Housing and Development Board. And in 1979, he joined the Administrative Service, working in the Ministry of Finance. During his time in the finance ministry, he earned a Master's degree in public administration
from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
in the United States
.
In 1986, Nair rose to the post of Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry where he was involved in the Uruguay Round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) negotiations, as well as with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN). From 1989 to 1997, Nair was Singapore's Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Defence. In 1997, he left the civil service to become the CEO of the Post Office Savings Bank of Singapore
; the bank was acquired in 1998 by the Development Bank of Singapore and Nair stayed on as DBS's Managing Director.
Nair was appointed to a five-year term as United Nations
Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services on 24 April 2000, succeeding Karl Paschke in that position. In 2000, he wanted to determine vulnerability of the United Nations
' Oil-for-Food Programme
for Iraq
. Benon Sevan
, the head of the programme, along with UN Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette, rejected any such investigation, claiming that it would be too expensive to be worthwhile.http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48225-2004Nov13?language=printer
In 2004, Nair was investigated for unspecified internal accusations of graft
and sexual harassment
against female staff; on November 17, 2004, Secretary General Kofi Annan
accepted a report clearing Nair of the charges. Annan's acceptance of the report prompted the UN staff union to call a vote of no confidence and withdraw support from Annan. Nair relinquished his post upon expiration of his five year contract and returned to his native Singapore on 23 April 2005.
He has since been appointed the Singapore Consul General in the emirate of Dubai
.http://notesapp.internet.gov.sg/mfa/dipCon/dipCon.nsf/SMDetailsAgent?OpenAgent&id=44
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services and head of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services is a United Nations organ whose primary purpose is to perform world-wide audit, investigation, inspection, programme monitoring, evaluation and consulting services to the United Nations Secretariat and the rest of the United Nations...
. In that capacity, he oversaw investigations of wrong doings related to the United Nations in a range of countries including within the headquarters. The Oil-for-food scandal was initially investigated by Dileep Nair's office before turning it over to the investigating body headed by former United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Federal Reserve Chairman
Chairman of the Federal Reserve
The Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is the head of the central banking system of the United States. Known colloquially as "Chairman of the Fed," or in market circles "Fed Chairman" or "Fed Chief"...
, Paul Volcker
Paul Volcker
Paul Adolph Volcker, Jr. is an American economist. He was the Chairman of the Federal Reserve under United States Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan from August 1979 to August 1987. He is widely credited with ending the high levels of inflation seen in the United States in the 1970s and...
.
Nair completed a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1973. From 1974, he worked in Singapore's Housing and Development Board. And in 1979, he joined the Administrative Service, working in the Ministry of Finance. During his time in the finance ministry, he earned a Master's degree in public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1986, Nair rose to the post of Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry where he was involved in the Uruguay Round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
(GATT) negotiations, as well as with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN rarely ), is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has...
(ASEAN). From 1989 to 1997, Nair was Singapore's Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Defence. In 1997, he left the civil service to become the CEO of the Post Office Savings Bank of Singapore
POSBank
POSBank is a brand of consumer banking services offered by DBS Bank in Singapore, after it was acquired by the latter in November 1998. Prior to this, it was a major public bank which began life as the Post Office Savings Bank, offering low-cost banking services to Singaporeans...
; the bank was acquired in 1998 by the Development Bank of Singapore and Nair stayed on as DBS's Managing Director.
Nair was appointed to a five-year term as United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services on 24 April 2000, succeeding Karl Paschke in that position. In 2000, he wanted to determine vulnerability of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' Oil-for-Food Programme
Oil-for-Food Programme
The Oil-for-Food Programme , established by the United Nations in 1995 was established with the stated intent to allow Iraq to sell oil on the world market in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian needs for ordinary Iraqi citizens without allowing Iraq to boost its military...
for Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Benon Sevan
Benon Sevan
Benon Vahe Sevan was the head of the United Nations' Oil-for-Food Programme, established in 1996 and charged with preventing Iraq's government from using the proceeds from oil exports for anything but food, medicine and other items to benefit the civilian population.Born into an Armenian-Cypriot...
, the head of the programme, along with UN Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette, rejected any such investigation, claiming that it would be too expensive to be worthwhile.http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48225-2004Nov13?language=printer
In 2004, Nair was investigated for unspecified internal accusations of graft
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
against female staff; on November 17, 2004, Secretary General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
accepted a report clearing Nair of the charges. Annan's acceptance of the report prompted the UN staff union to call a vote of no confidence and withdraw support from Annan. Nair relinquished his post upon expiration of his five year contract and returned to his native Singapore on 23 April 2005.
He has since been appointed the Singapore Consul General in the emirate of Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
.http://notesapp.internet.gov.sg/mfa/dipCon/dipCon.nsf/SMDetailsAgent?OpenAgent&id=44