Biswo Poudel Wins a Protracted Battle for Governorship

A 1.5-month-long battle for governorship has ended, finally, with the government appointing economist Biswo Poudel as the 18th Governor. 

A search committee formed under Finance Minister Bishu Paudel had recommended three names for the chief of Nepal Rastra Bank, the country’s central bank: Paudel, Acting Governor Neelam Dhungana and former Secretary Dinesh Bhattarai. The governor’s post had remained vacant since April 7, after the end of Maha Prasad Adhikari’s tenure. 

Before the cabinet decision, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba had a discussion regarding the appointment where Deuba reportedly proposed Gunakar Bhatta, executive director of the central bank, for the position. In the absence of consensus, the NC leader proposed Poudel as a compromise candidate.

A PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California at Berkeley, Poudel served as a Board of Trustee for the Ullens Education Foundation before his appointment as the vice-chair of the National Planning Commission. 

He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors (BoD) of Middle Tamor Hydropower Company (73MW), as a BoD member of the Sanima Bank, as an economic advisor and economist at the International Labor Organization and the Office of Millennium Challenge Nepal, respectively.