The Bureau of Industry and Security has completed hiring leaders as part of a restructuring of its export administration offices, the agency announced July 30. The latest hire, Julia Khersonsky, a former State Department foreign affairs officer, joined the Bureau of Industry and Security this month as the agency’s first deputy assistant secretary for strategic trade, where she will oversee the offices of National Security and Technology Transfer Controls, Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance, and Exporter Services. BIS earlier this year appointed longtime BIS officials Matt Borman to be the agency’s new principal deputy assistant secretary and Eric Longnecker to be its new deputy assistant secretary for technology security (see 2405070005). BIS announced its internal restructuring plans at its annual conference in March.
The House Financial Services Committee has named Kim Betz its new staff director, replacing Matt Hoffman, who has taken a private-sector job, the panel announced July 29. Betz has been serving as chief counsel to the committee’s Republicans. The committee has been involved in the congressional debate over outbound investment restrictions and the Treasury Department’s new beneficial ownership information reporting rule (see 2407090053 and 2401300081).
Charlie Steele, former chief counsel for the Office of Foreign Assets Control, has joined London-based legal advisory firm Outer Temple Chambers as a professional associate, he announced on LinkedIn. Steele, who left OFAC in 2020, said his work at Outer Temple will focus on sanctions issues, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and anti-money laundering. He said he will continue to operate the Law Office of Charles Steele, his Washington, D.C.-based solo practice.
Samuel Cutler, a former sanctions and export control lawyer with Miller & Chevalier, joined the Office of Foreign Assets Control as an enforcement officer, he announced last week on LinkedIn. Cutler said he began the new role this month.
Emily McGlone, a former sanctions investigator and compliance officer with the Treasury Department, has joined JPMorgan Chase as vice president sanctions lead, she announced this week. McGlone left Treasury in October and spent about eight months as a foreign affairs officer with the State Department before joining JPMorgan this month, according to her LinkedIn profile.
President Joe Biden plans to nominate Carl Bentzel and Louis Sola to continue serving on the Federal Maritime Commission, the White House announced July 11. Both have been FMC members since 2019. Commissioners serve five-year terms.
Gerald Moody, former assistant chief for the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit of DOJ's Fraud Section, has joined Akin as a partner in the white collar defense and government investigations practice, the firm announced. Moody worked at DOJ for over eight years, starting as a federal prosecutor in the FCPA unit in 2016 and serving as assistant chief beginning in January 2021.
USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service this week swore in six new officials to advocate for U.S. agricultural exports around the world. FAS will station the officers in Beijing as well as Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; Hanoi, Vietnam; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Guatemala City, Guatemala. FAS Undersecretary Alexis Taylor said the new officers will "bolster our Foreign Service as they begin their critical work of safeguarding and promoting U.S. agricultural interests, a task that is increasingly vital in today’s competitive and dynamic global agricultural trade environment.”
Jessica Lewis, who leads the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, will leave the government this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced July 9. Lewis worked on a range of defense trade issues during her three years with the State Department, including the Biden administration's revamped arms transfer policies (see 2302230049 and 2111040056) and its efforts to harmonize defense export controls with Australia and the U.K. as part of the AUKUS partnership (see 2305240061 and 2309270007). Blinken said Lewis is returning "to private life."
Charlotte Baskin-Gerwitz, a former Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions compliance officer, has joined J.P. Morgan as its vice president of global sanctions advisory, she announced July 1 on LinkedIn. Baskin-Gerwitz, who left OFAC in 2023, most recently worked as an associate in Morrison Foerster’s national security practice.