Alex Wong, former U.S. principal deputy national security adviser for the Trump administration, has joined South Korea-based business conglomerate Hanwha Group as its global chief strategy officer, the company announced this week. Wong previously oversaw White House policy on issues related to defense, international relations and intelligence. He will be based in Washington, D.C., in the newly created role.
Ross Kennedy, the founder of an advisory firm who joined the Bureau of Industry and Security in March (see 2504030073), has been named the acting assistant secretary of export enforcement, according to the agency's website and Kennedy's LinkedIn page. The agency is awaiting Senate confirmation for its permanent enforcement chief (see 2507230053). Kennedy, who previously was a BIS senior adviser, replaces John Sonderman, who is listed as the principal deputy assistant secretary for export enforcement.
The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination for Landon Heid to be the assistant secretary for export administration at the Bureau of Industry and Security. Steven Haines is serving in that role on an interim basis as he awaits Senate confirmation as assistant secretary for industry and analysis within the International Trade Administration, according to a BIS official. Spokespeople for BIS and the White House didn't respond to requests for comment.
Benjamin Haas, former Bureau of Industry and Security chief of staff during the Biden administration, has joined Highland Creek Advisors, a new Washington management consultancy, according to the firm's website. Haas left BIS in January.
Will Hunt has left his position as a senior adviser with the Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Administration to join the House Select Committee on China as a senior fellow. Hunt first joined BIS in 2023 before leaving the agency this month, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Anne Fisher, a former official with the Bureau of Industry and Security's chief counsel office, has joined Hogan Lovells' international trade and investment practice, the firm said. Fisher, who left BIS in July after first joining in October 2022, will advise on U.S. export control laws, economic sanctions, customs, foreign investment and other issues. She was at Hogan Lovells before going to BIS.
Stephanie Connor left her position as assistant director of the Office of Foreign Asset Control's Policy Division to join Holland & Knight's international trade group. Connor, who first joined OFAC in 2022 as an assistant chief counsel, will advise on OFAC sanctions issues, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. regulations, and more.
Veronica Dragalin, former assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California and former chief prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office for Moldova, has joined Jones Day's investigations and white collar defense practice, the firm announced. Dragalin has worked on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act matters, among other white collar issues.
Jennifer Kennedy Gellie, former chief of DOJ's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section in the National Security Division, has joined Pillsbury's international trade group. Gellie left DOJ in January after nearly a decade with the agency, where she worked on cases involving export controls, sanctions, corporate crime and other similar issues. Pillsbury said she will help clients "navigate enforcement and compliance for sanctions, export-control, Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and trade matters."
Alan Turley, the Commerce Department's minister-counselor for commercial affairs stationed at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo, is retiring from the department in September, he announced on LinkedIn. Turley has served in that position since 2021 after working as Commerce's deputy assistant secretary for China and Mongolia during 2016-21.