Arun Kashyap

Arun Kashyap is a recognized strategic actor and big-picture thinker in inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. He has worked in most regions of the world with governments, civil society, private sector and foundations on policy, capacity development, and implementing multi-sector initiatives. He promotes an integrated development approach and has built successful Public Private Partnerships and partnerships among unlikely associates. He has extensive experience in managing change with multi-national teams, fostering multi-stakeholder ownership of global agreements and leading them through effective strategies at the ground level. 

Most recently, Arun served as United Nations Resident Coordinator & Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Jamaica, Bahamas, Bermuda, Turks & Caicos and Cayman Islands. Arun was associated with a number of highly visible UN programs – to formulate UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), combating climate change and sustaining resilience, Business Call to Action, strengthening rule of law, enhancing access to justice and building social cohesion for equitable and human rights-based development.

In 2016 Arun launched KASHYAP DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATES, an advisory company, to deliver Integrated Analysis & Implementation of Evidence-based Initiatives; Partnerships; Innovation to Foster Equity, Strengthen Welfare and Build Resilience of Marginalized Communities while achieving UNSDGs/Implementation of the Paris-Agreement.

He is currently working on leadership strategies to achieve UNSDGs and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. He is a member of the Expert Advisory Group, The World NCD Federation – Developing Operational guidelines on “Prevention, Surveillance and Management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in primary and secondary health-care settings”. As a Visiting Scholar at the East West Center (EWC), he mentored and coached its Leadership programs’ participants and contributed to exploring EWC’s niche as a Center of Excellence for leadership training.

Among prior UN special assignments, Dr. Kashyap served as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Regional Director of UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Regional Centre in Bangkok and worked on strategically improving the effectiveness of the region’s UNDP country offices. As interim head of UNDP Maldives, he supported the country’s transition to democracy, strengthening disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.

In addition to being Associate Director, Global Environment Division of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, Arun has overseen capacity development activities in environment, agriculture, forestry, and human health in the Asia Pacific region for the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International’s Regional Office in Malaysia.
 
Dr. Kashyap began his career in the Indian civil service. His commitment and work have been recognized by other prestigious programs, including the Robert McNamara World Bank Fellowship Award, the Asian Development Bank doctoral Fellowship Award, Commonwealth Fellowship, East West Centre Fellowship Award, and his involvement with the Prince of Wales’s Business & Environment Programme and the Kennedy School of Government Executive Program on Climate Change and Development. Arun’s academic background includes a Ph.D. in economics & business administration from the EWC/University of Hawaii, masters’ degrees in business administration, economics, and physics, and a post-graduate diploma in Forestry.

Arun is a member of the Board of directors of World Savvy and a member of the Advisory Board of Radius Alliance.