New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh media advisor and senior journalist, Sanjaya Baru has been named new secretary general of the apex industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci). Mr Baru will assume the charge from September 1, Ficci president Pankaj Patel said in a statement.

He will replace A. Didar Singh. “With Dr  Singh nearing completion of five years as secretary general of FICCI, he has been for some time been looking for a relatively lighter role within the organisation and in view of this, the FICCI committee has decided to appoint the renowned economist and journalist Dr Sanjaya Baru at the helm of FICCI as its secretary general," said Mr Patel.

Dr  Singh would now be holding the position of the principal advisor to Ficci president from September 1. Past secretary general of Ficci also includes Amit Mitra, who is currently finance minister of West Bengal.