The Information Technology Industry Council hired former State Department deputy assistant secretary-cyber and international communications and information policy, Rob Strayer, as executive vice president-policy, the ITI said in a news release. He will lead ITI’s global policy division, and oversee ITI’s global policy teams in Europe, India and Latin America.

Brian Hook, one of the State Department’s lead officials on Iran policy and sanctions, resigned from his role as special representative for Iran and senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the agency said Aug. 6. Hook’s position will be filled by Elliott Abrams, who will also continue his role as the State Department’s special representative for Venezuela.

Hook has been heavily involved in the Trump administration’s push to convince the United Nations to renew its arms embargo against Iran and has threatened snapback sanctions if the ban is not extended (see 2006090047). Hook also helped oversee a U.S.-Switzerland trade channel established last year that allowed humanitarian exports to Iran under strict conditions (see 2001300020).

Joanne Osendarp, a former senior counsel on trade for Canada, will become the co-head of McDermott Will's International Trade Group. Eric Parnes, who worked on Osendarp's team at Hughes Hubbard, is also being named a partner at McDermott Will. The other five members of Osendarp's team from her old law firm also were hired: Dean Pinkert, former commissioner of the U.S. International Trade Commission; Tim Hruby, Lynn Kamarck, Alan Kashdan and Conor Gilligan.