Trump taps Indian-American lawyer as US representative to World Bank’s lending arm IBRD

Washington, May 5

US President Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American lawyer Ashok Michael Pinto as a representative to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank’s lending arm.

Pinto, who has worked as a Special Assistant and Associate Counsel to former president George W Bush, was on Monday nominated as US Alternate Executive Director of IBRD for a term of two years.

If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace Erik Bethel, who has resigned from the post.

Pinto currently serves as Counsellor to the Under Secretary for International Affairs at the United States Department of the Treasury.

With a BA from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law, Pinto was a Counsellor to General Counsel at Treasury.

He also held senior leadership roles in the United States Congress, including Chief Investigative Counsel and Policy Director to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in the Senate, Chief Counsel for Investigations to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in the House of Representatives, and Special Counsel to the Committee on the Judiciary in the Senate.

Pinto was Special Assistant and Associate Counsel to former president Bush during private practice at two international law firms. He was also a law clerk to Judge F A Little, Jr. of the United State District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

Trump had announced his intent to nominate Pinto for this position on April 9. —PTI