Sahar Hafeez, a former senior adviser in the Bureau of Industry and Security undersecretary’s office (see 2107270016 and 2107280051), has rejoined Pillsbury Winthrop as an international trade and national security lawyer, the firm announced this week. Hafeez was most recently a senior adviser to the assistant secretary for industry and analysis at the Commerce Department before leaving government last month.
President Donald Trump has nominated Jeffrey Kessler to be the Bureau of Industry and Security undersecretary, according to the Feb. 3 edition of the Congressional Record. If confirmed, Kessler would replace Biden administration official Alan Estevez in overseeing BIS. The White House didn't respond to a request for more information on Kessler, who is a Washington trade lawyer who was assistant secretary of commerce for enforcement and compliance during Trump's first term. Kessler didn't respond to a request for comment.
Paul Rosen, former assistant secretary for investment security at the Treasury Department, has joined Latham & Watkins as a partner in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and national security practice, the firm announced. At Treasury, Rosen oversaw CFIUS and its investment screening and enforcement activities.
Patrick Dierfield, a former senior sanctions compliance manager with cryptocurrency exchange Okcoin, is joining the Office of Foreign Assets Control as a sanctions regulations adviser, he announced on LinkedIn. Dierfield joined OFAC this month.
Kelley Drye added four attorneys from Sandler Travis to its export controls and economic sanctions team, the firm announced. The new additions are partner Kristine Pirnia, special counsel Catherine Cayce, associates Narges Kahvazadeh and Sanam Bhalla, along with non-attorney export controls specialist Molly Stevens.
Holland & Knight opened a new national security and defense industry group that will be led by Washington, D.C.-based partner and former general counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Jason Klitenic. Other members of the group include former members of the U.S. intelligence community, federal law enforcement officers from DOJ, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and the Commerce Department. The group will focus on issues involving national security, including U.S. defense and intelligence contracting, international trade and cross-border regulatory compliance and defense appropriations.
Former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has joined the Council on Foreign Relations as a distinguished fellow, the think tank announced this week. Raimondo will co-chair a new CFR task force on economic security and will also work on issues related to economic policy, U.S. competitiveness and artificial intelligence.
Ivan Kanapathy, former senior vice president at Beacon Global Strategies, has been named the senior director for Asia at the National Security Council, the firm announced Jan. 21. Kanapathy, who served on the NSC under the first Trump administration, has voiced support for U.S. unilateral and extraterritorial trade controls against China (see 2306160043) and has criticized the Treasury Department for being slow to update its Non-Specially Designated Nationals Chinese Military Industrial Complex List (see 2402130050).
Jeremy Pelter will serve as the acting Commerce Department secretary and David Lebryk will serve as the acting Treasury Department secretary as nominees Howard Luntnick and Scott Bessent, respectively, look to be confirmed for those roles by the Senate, according to the White House. Pelter previously served as acting undersecretary for the Bureau of Industry and Security when President Joe Biden first took office in 2021 2101290059 and 2109080062). Lebryk previously served as Treasury’s fiscal assistant secretary.
John Goodrich, founder of trade compliance consultancy J.D. Goodrich and Associates, retired as of Jan. 1, according to his LinkedIn profile. The company’s website says that it’s no longer taking new clients.