UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday appointed Rajat Kumar Gupta, the former managing director worldwide of MacKinsey, a global consulting firm,as his special adviser for UN management reforms.

    Gupta will act as a personal adviser to the secretary-general on overall strategy and participate in a committee led by Deputy Secretary-General Lousie Frechette to implement the decisions of the September World Summit on UN management reforms, UN spokesman Stephanie Dujarric told reporters.

    Gupta will help to ensure that the overall management reform program is in line with best global practice and provide focused, specialist assistance on key issues of concern, Dujarric said.

    Gupta was managing director of McKinsey & Company from 1994 to 2003 and is currently a senior partner of the firm. He will receive a symbolic annual salary of one dollar from the United Nations. Enditem