On October 11, the U.S. Embassy and Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga invited members to Business After Hours at Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga, Grand Bar with a high-level U.S. official Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets, Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Department of Commerce who shortly introduced members with the Commerce Department's priorities and prospects on cooperation. in the coming years. 

The introduction of the Assistant Secretary was followed by the traditional business card raffle and a tour around the hotel.

About the Speaker: 

ARUN VENKATARAMAN
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets, and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Global Markets

Arun was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 7, 2022, to lead the federal government’s efforts to promote exports abroad and attract inward investment. He was officially sworn in on April 25, 2022.

Venkataraman has over 20 years of experience advising companies, international organizations and the U.S. government on international trade issues. Most recently, he served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce, advising the Department of Commerce on trade and other international economic matters. Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Arun was a Senior Director at Visa, leading global government engagement strategy on a range of international policy issues including digital economy, trade, tax and sanctions. He also served as Trade & Investment Policy Advisor at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he counseled multinational firms and other organizations on e-commerce, intellectual property rights and U.S. and foreign trade policies.

During the Obama Administration, Venkataraman served as ITA’s first-ever Director of Policy, where he helped shape the U.S. government’s responses to critical challenges faced by firms in the U.S. and in markets around the world, including China and India. He also served in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) where he led the development and implementation of U.S.-India trade policy, for which he received the agency’s Kelly Award for outstanding performance and extraordinary leadership. He also served as USTR’s Associate General Counsel, representing the United States in litigation before the World Trade Organization and in negotiations on international trade agreements. Prior to USTR, Arun was a Legal Officer at the World Trade Organization, and served as Law Clerk for Judge Jane A. Restani at the U.S. Court of International Trade.

Born in Coimbatore, India, and raised in Houston, Venkataraman holds a juris doctorate from Columbia Law School, a Master of Arts in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University.

Online registration is no longer available. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact AmCham office and we will put your name on the wait list.

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