Arun Venkataraman, a leading Indian-American, has been sworn in as the Asst. Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service

FREMONT, CA: Arun Venkataraman, a well-known Indian-American expert on international trade policy, has been named Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service for the International Trade Administration. Venkataraman will oversee a team of over 1,400 people in 106 offices across the United States and 78 countries internationally, helping US companies in markets that account for 95 percent of global GDP and 97 percent of US trade. Over a thousand career experts specialize in export promotion, commercial diplomacy, and foreign direct investment to assist US corporations in expanding into overseas markets and attracting foreign direct investment into the US.

According to an official statement, Venkataraman was chosen by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the US Senate to manage the federal government's efforts to boost exports and encourage foreign investment. The Commerce Secretary commented on Arun's expertise in trade law and commercial policy and how that would be a tremendous asset. The Commerce Department works to help US firms and employees recover from the economic damage caused by COVID-19. The Indian-American has over 20 years of international trade expertise advising firms, international organizations, and the US government. Before his appointment, he was the secretary of commerce's counselor, advising the department on trade and other foreign economic issues.

Arun was a senior director at Visa prior to entering the Biden administration. He oversaw a global government engagement strategy on various international policy topics, including the digital economy, trade, tax, and sanctions. Under the Obama administration, he served as the director of policy for the International Trade Administration. He also has extensive legal experience, working as a legal officer for the World Trade Organization and as a Trade and Investment Policy Advisor at Steptoe & Johnson LLP. He also worked as a legal clerk at the US Court of International Trade for Judge Jane A Restani. Venkataraman graduated from Columbia Law School with a Juris Doctor (JD), a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a BA from Tufts University.