The Ambassador Alliance is an exclusive, membership-based advisory board within IEA reserved for distinguished ambassadors who have served their countries at home and abroad. Members of the Ambassador Alliance will join IEA’s quality network of peer Alliance members made up of select global leaders from the fields of business, government, finance and academia.
Ambassador Alliance members are invited to partake in all IEA Programs and events to share their international and diplomatic experience, network with major stakeholders from a variety of fields, and nurture new multilateral and bilateral opportunities that address critical economic challenges. The interplay between increasing global economic competition and the world’s current economic climate calls upon durable, equitable, and broadly supported solutions to achieve long-term growth and stability. Members will contribute to and benefit from IEA’s Programs and events, helping to create a space in which Members can discuss the critical issues affecting the state of the world economy.
Working with Harvard Professors and Alliance members, IEA has developed a unique interactive approach towards solving the critical business issues, by bringing leaders together in conducive settings via IEA Programs. Ambassador Alliance members have year-round access to IEA Programs, which are simultaneously practical, sensitive to time constraints, and designed to advance the interests of members’ countries and create jobs. IEA Programs include innovative joint research, student outreach and events, such as in-person, online, telepresence and the Global Investment Symposium held during the opening of the UN General Assembly.
Additionally, Ambassador Alliance members are offered insight on how key global economic trends affect countries’ investment climates through combined market research from Harvard professors and the Insight Alliance. Members of the Ambassador Alliance are encouraged to hold private meetings throughout the year with IEA to discuss the investment climate and the economic policies of the countries in which they have served, hold questions and interact with potential international investors. Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, Co-chair of IEA's Advisory Board, is the Co-Chair of the Ambassador Alliance.
MEMBER NATIONS
Representing The Commonwealth of Australia
His Excellency Kim C. Beazley
Kim Beazley became Ambassador of Australia to the United States in September 2009. Beazley previously served as Australia’s deputy prime minister (1995-96) and leader of the Australian Labor Party (1996-2001) and leader of the opposition (2005-06). He was elected to the Federal Parliament in 1980 and has represented the electorates of Swan (1980-96) and Brand (1996-2007). In addition, he was a minister in the Hawke and Keating Labor governments (1983-96) holding, at various times, the portfolios of defense, finance, transport and communications, employment education and training, aviation, and special minister of state.
After his retirement from politics in 2007, Beazley was appointed Winthrop professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Western Australia. In July 2008, he was appointed chancellor of the Australian National University, a position he held until December 2009. In 2009, Beazley was also awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for service to the Parliament of Australia for his contributions to the development of government policies in defense and international relations, and as an advocate for indigenous people.
Born in Perth, Beazley obtained a bachelor’s of arts and master’s of arts degree at the University of Western Australia. He was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for Western Australia in 1973 and completed a master of philosophy at Oxford University. He is married with three daughters.
Representing The Federative Republic of Brazil
His Excellency Mauro L.I. Vieira
Mauro Luiz Iecker Vieira became ambassador of Brazil to the United States on Feb. 24, 2010, having previously served as Brazil’s ambassador to Argentina since 2004.
Ambassador Vieira also served in Washington before, from 1978 to 1982 as second secretary at the Brazilian Embassy, later holding diplomatic posts in Mexico, Uruguay and France. In 1989, he was an advisor to center-left candidate Ulysses Guimarães in an unsuccessful presidential bid. During the government of Jose Sarney, Ambassador Vieira was an assistant to Science and Technology Minister RenatoArcher along with Celso Amorim, Brazil’s current foreign minister. Ambassador Vieira went on to serve under Amorim at the Ministry of Social Security and as Amorim’s cabinet chief at Itamaraty, Brazil’s Ministry of External Relations.
Born Feb. 15, 1951, Ambassador Vieira obtained a bachelor’s degree in law from the Universidade Federal Fluminense in 1973. He also studied at the Instituto Rio Branco, the diplomatic academy of Brazil’s Foreign Ministry, before entering the diplomatic corps in 1974. In addition, Ambassador Vieira earned certificates in English language study at the University of Michigan and Cambridge University, and studied French at the Université de Nancy in France.
Representing Canada
His Excellency Gary Doer
Gary Doer assumed his responsibilities as ambassador of Canada the United States in October 2009. Ambassador Doer previously served as premier of Manitoba for 10 years, during which time he worked extensively with U.S. governors to enhance Canada - U.S. cooperation on trade, agriculture, water protection, climate change and renewable energy.
Ambassador Doer won three consecutive elections as premier of Manitoba with successive increased majorities. In 2005, he was named by Business Week magazine as one of the top 20 international leaders on climate change. His government introduced balanced budgets during each of his 10 years in office while reducing many taxes, including a plan to eliminate small business taxes. As premier, he also led strategic investments in health care, education, training and infrastructure.
Representing The Republic of Chile
His Excellency Octavio Errazuriz
Octavio Errazuriz Guilisasti presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on June 4, 2012 assuming the role of Chile's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Mr. Errazuriz — currently an adviser to the Copesa Group (Consorcio Periodístico de Chile) — entered the Chilean Foreign Service in 1963 and served until 2001. He has also been President of the Asia Pacific Chamber of Commerce since its creation in 2001, and Director of the Fundación Chilena del Pacifico. His early service the Ministry for Foreign Affairs concerned the United Nations affairs, the Organization of American States and the Diplomatic Academy of the Arts. He was promoted to the rank of Ambassador in 1985.
Among other posts in the Foreign Ministry, Mr. Errazuriz was Deputy National Coordinator of the Rio Group (2001), Director for Asia-Pacific and Oceania (2000‑2001) and Director of General Foreign Policy (1988‑1989).During the 1980s and 1990s, he also served as the Chilean Ambassador to several countries, including China (1997‑2000) and, concurrently, Malaysia, Viet Nam and Brunei Darussalam(1994‑1997). He was also his Government’s Ambassador to the United States (1989‑1990), as well as to Ecuador (1985‑1988).
Mr. Errazuriz studied law at the University of Chile and then took courses in the Department of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia in the United States. He was awarded a law degree on 22 January 1968 by the Supreme Court of Chile.
Representing The Republic of Colombia
His Excellency Néstor Osorio
In 2010 Mr. Osorio was designated as Ambassador Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations in New York.
Néstor Osorio graduated as Doctor in Law from the University del Rosario in Bogotá (1970). Then he took post-graduate studies in Public Law and obtained in 1974 the title of Doctor in Administrative Law at L'Université de Droit, d'Economie et de Sciences Sociales de Paris. He also obtained the Diploma of the International Institute of Public Administration (MSc) in Paris.
From 1974 to 1978, he held the posts of Legal Advisor, Secretary General and Deputy Director at the Colombian Planning Department. Between 1978 and 1982 he was Deputy of the Permanent Delegation of Colombia to the International Coffee Organization in London and subsequently; from 1982 to 1994 he was the Head of the Delegation. From 1992 to 1994 Mr. Osorio was also the Director of the European office of the Colombian Coffee Federation in Brussels. From 1994 to 1999 he was the first Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
In this capacity he served as Chairman of the WTO Trade Policy Review Body; Chairman of the International Textiles and Clothing Bureau and Chairman of the WTO Committee on Agriculture. As Chief Trade Negotiator, Ambassador OSORIO was actively involved in Ministerial Conferences and many multilateral trade negotiations. Subsequent to relinquishing his position as Ambassador, he assisted developing countries on the preparation of trade negotiations in agriculture in his capacity as international consultant of F.A.O. and UNCTAD and WTO. Between 2000-2002 he was Special Advisor of the Colombian Government on coffee and trade affairs.
On 1 March 2002 he was appointed Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization. In May 2007 the International Coffee Council re appointed him until 2012.
Her Excellency Carolina Barco
Former Ambassador of Colombia to the United States, from August 2006 to July 2010. Ambassador Barco, who most recently served as the Colombian minister of foreign affairs (2002-06), has a long career in the public sector, including postings as director of the City Planning Department in Bogotá and adviser to the ministries of Development, Culture and Environment, as well as to the National Planning Department and the Office of the Mayor of Bogotá.
Ambassador Barco also worked as an international cooperation adviser to the U.N. Development Program, as a researcher at Universidad de los Andes, and as a member of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s Board of Directors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social and economic sciences and a master’s degree in business administration and urban and regional planning.
Representing The Kingdom of Denmark
His Excellency Peter Taksøe-Jensen
Peter Taksøe-Jensen is the current Danish Ambassador to the United States. Prior to commencing his position in Washington, Taksøe-Jensen was the Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs at the United Nations.
Before joining the United Nations in 2008, the Ambassador served for more than two decades in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs working in different areas in the Ministry primarily within the areas of foreign policy, security policy, arms control, and international law. He also served on various government commissions.
Ambassador Taksøe-Jensen has been posted to the Danish Embassy in Vienna and to Brussels as a member of Denmark’s representation to the European Union. Well known in international legal circles, Ambassador Taksøe-Jensen has been the driving force behind a number of Danish policies and initiatives to strengthen and develop international law. Taksøe-Jensen holds a degree in law from the University of Copenhagen. He has lectured at numerous courses on EU Law and EU Policies and negotiations.
His Excellency Carsten Staur
Carsten Staur has served as Denmark’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations since 1 March 2007. Ambassador Staur has an extensive background in development cooperation. He was State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2001 to 2007 and in this capacity he had the operational and managerial responsibility for the implementation of Denmark’s development assistance programme (Danida).
As State Secretary, he was also in charge of Denmark’s cooperation with the United Nations system and the World Bank. He was Member of the Board of the Global Fund against Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria from 2005-2007 and has served as Chairman of the joint UNDP and UNFPA Board in 2007.
Prior to that Ambassador Staur was Under Secretary for Bilateral Development Cooperation 2000-2001. From 1998-2000, he served as Under Secretary for Administrative Affairs (organization, personnel, budgets and information technology) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was Denmark’s Ambassador to Israel from 1996-1998 and Director for Development Policy and Planning from 1994 to 1996. Carsten Staur joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark in 1981. He is born in 1954, married to Ms. Marie-Louise Wandel, Senior Adviser in UNICEF, and holds a MA degree (History and Literature) from the University of Copenhagen.
Representing The Republic of Ecuador
Her Excellency Nathalie Cely
Since January 18, 2012, Nathalie Cely has served as the Ambassador of Ecuador to the United States. From May 2009 until November 2011, she was Coordinating Minister of Production, Employment and Competitiveness. Ambassador Cely served as Ecuador’s Coordinating Minister of Social Development from March 2007 to April 2009, during which time, she articulated the politics of socio-economic inclusion to integrate training, technical assistance and building opportunities for men and women, improving their quality of life.
At the same time, she guaranteed rights for all people, especially for the most vulnerable, by creating assistance and generating minimum skills/competencies through the provision of education, health and quality housing for everyone. An economist, Ambassador Cely served in the private sector from 2002 to 2007.
She was president of Edúcate, a foundation that works to better the quality of education through the measuring and personalization of learning by using information and communication technology. She also was president of and directed the strategies and operations of Stratega, a foundation dedicated to promoting the development of sustainable business with the partnership and the innovation of small Ecuadorian businesses in a search for an equal and competitive Ecuador.
Ambassador Cely is an author of various publications about economic-related topics. Her vision has made her a thought leader on issues of economic development and the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized businesses. She graduated from the Universidad Católica de Guayaquil in 1990. During her years of study, she received many important awards, including the Filantrópica in 1985, 1986 and 1987; and the Facultad de Economía in 1987. With a grant from the Inter-American Development Bank, she attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, graduating in 2001 with a Master’s in Public Administration and a Diploma in Public and Social Policy.
She also received the Edward Mason Award for Academic Contribution to the Community. As a research associate for Harvard’s Economic Development Center, Ambassador Cely conducted research with internationally renowned professors. From 2005-2008, she was a doctoral degree candidate in the FLASCO, Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences. Her doctoral thesis was the “Determinants of Collective Action in Generating Private and Public Property of Associative Networks.”
Representing The French Republic
His Excellency Pierre Vimont
Former Ambassador of France to the United States, from August 2007 to October 2010. Pierre Vimont is currently the Executive Secretary General of the European External Action Service. Ambassador Vimont previously served chief of staff to the French minister of foreign affairs (2002-07) and as ambassador and permanent representative of France to the European Union 1999-2002).
Ambassador Vimont joined the Foreign Service in 1977 and was first posted to London as first secretary from 1978 to 1981. He then spent the next four years with the Press and Information Office at the Quai d’Orsay. Returning to Europe, he served as second counselor with the Permanent Representation of France to the European Communities in Brussels (1986-1990), and was subsequently chief of staff to the minister delegate for European affairs from 1990 to 1993. Ambassador Vimont went on to serve as director for development and scientific, technical and educational cooperation, and then for cultural, scientific and technical relations. He was deputy director-general of the entire Cultural, Scientific and Technical Relations Department from 1996 to 1997 and then director of European Cooperation from 1997 to 1999. Ambassador Vimont holds a law degree and is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies and the National School of Administration (ENA).
Representing Georgia
His Excellency Temuri Yakobashvili
Temuri Yakobashvili became Ambassador of Georgia to the United States on Feb. 23, 2011. Ambassador Yakobashvili previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Reintegration in the Georgian government. In that capacity, he was the architect of Georgia’s “engagement strategy” for improving relations between Georgia and the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He has also held various senior positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he joined in 1991, including director of the Department for the USA, Canada and Latin America.
In addition, Ambassador Yakobashvili is co-founder and executive vice president of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS), a leading think tank in the Caucasus region; co-founder of the Atlantic Council of Georgia and the Council of Foreign Relations of Georgia; a member of the Governing Board of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA); and he was a visiting researcher at the Silk Road Study Center of Uppsala University in Sweden in 2006. He also regularly contributes to local and international media on issues of domestic and regional security and transformation.
Ambassador Yakobashvili holds a degree in physics from Tbilisi State University. While at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he also completed mid-career diplomatic courses at the Center of Political and Diplomatic Studies at Oxford University (1998), and he participated in the Yale World Fellows Program (2002) and the Executive Security Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (2004). Ambassador Yakobashvili is married to Yana Fremer, a senior television journalist, and they have two children.
His Excellency Alexander Lomaia
Ambassador Lomaia was appointed Georgia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 2009. Lomaia briefly served as Georgia’s ambassador to Russia in 1991. From 1993 to 1995 he served as Secretary General of the Georgian Christian-Democratic Union.
He then engaged in journalism and worked for the Eurasian Fund in Georgia. From 2003 to 2004, Lomaia served as the Executive Director of the Open Society Georgia Foundation (Soros Foundation) and was noted for his support of the peaceful Rose Revolution which ousted then-President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze in November of 2003. Lomaia received the post of Minister for Education and Science in the new government of President Mikheil Saakashvili and spearheaded a large-scale reform in Georgia’s education system. He became Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia in 2007 and Permanent Representative to the UN in 2009.
His Excellency Batu Kutelia
Former Georgian Ambassador to the United States. Ambassador Kutelia recieved a Master's Degree in Engineering Physical Faculty of Georgian Technical University in 1995. in 2000, he obtained a PhD from the same University. Before being named Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, Canada and Mexico from Georgia in 2008, Mr. Kutelia served as First Deputy Minister of Defense of Georgia.
Mr Kutelia has also held numerous other positions within the Georgian government, such as Deputy Minister of Defense of Georgia (2007), Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (2006), Head of Foreign Intelligence Special Service of Georgia (2005-2006), Deputy Minsiter of State Security of Georgia (2004), Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2003-2004), Deputy Director of the Military-Political Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (2000-2003), and Head of Military Cooperation Division, Military-Political Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (1998-2000).
Representing The Federal Republic of Germany
His Excellency Dr. Hans Peter Wittig
Ambassador Dr. Peter Wittig was appointed Germany's Permanent Representative to the UN in December of 2009. He joined the German Foreign Service in 1982. Ambassador Wittig served in Madrid, New York (Permanent Mission to the United Nations), Bonn (as private secretary to the Foreign Minister) and as Ambassador to Lebanon. While Ambassador to Cyprus he also acted as Special Envoy of the German Government for the Cyprus Question.
In 2002 Dr. Wittig was appointed Ambassador in the Directorate-General for the United Nations and Global Issues in the Foreign Office in Berlin and became Director-General in 2006. After reading History, Political Science and Law at Bonn, Freiburg, Canterbury and Oxford Universities, he taught as Assistant Professor at the University of Freiburg.
His Excellency Klaus Scharioth
Former Ambassador of Germany to the United States from 2006 to 2011. Ambassador Scharioth, who joined the Foreign Service in 1976, previously served as state secretary of the Federal Foreign Office (2002-06), political director and head of the Political Directorate-General (1999-2002), head of the International Security and North America Directorate (1998-99), head of the Office of the Foreign Minister (1998), head of the Defense and Security Policy Division at the Federal Foreign Office (1996-97), and chef de cabinet to the NATO secretary-general in Brussels (1993-96).
In addition, he worked in the International Law Division of the Federal Foreign Office (1990-93), the German Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (1986-90), the Policy Planning Staff of the Federal Foreign Office (1982-86), the German Embassy in Ecuador (1979-82), and the Asia Division, Press Division and State Secretary’s Office at the Federal Foreign Office (1977-79). Ambassador Scharioth holds a master’s of arts degree, a law degree and a doctorate from the Fletcher School of Diplomacy.
Representing Greece
His Excellency Vassilis Kaskarelis
Vassilis Kaskarelis was appointed ambassador of Greece to the United States on June 24, 2009 having previously served as Greece’s permanent representative to the European Union in Brussels since 2004. Prior to that, he was the Greek permanent representative to NATO in Brussels (2000-04), while also serving as negotiator for the confidence-building measures between Greece and Turkey (2000-03), as well as deputy permanent representative of Greece to the United Nations in New York (1995-2000).
Between 1976 and 1993, Ambassador Kaskarelis served in Ankara (Turkey), in Nicosia (Republic of Cyprus), in Venice (Italy) as consul, in Berlin (Germany) as head of the Greek Military Mission and after the collapse of the Berlin Wall as consul general, and in Athens at the Turkish Desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1993 to 1995, he was also head of the cabinet of the secretary-general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Kaskarelis graduated from the Universities of Thessaloniki and Athens, where he studied economics, politics and law.
Representing The Republic of India
Her Excellency Meera Shankar
Former Ambassador of India to the United States, serving from 2009 to 2011. Ambassador Shankar, who joined the Foreign Service in 1973, most recently served as India’s ambassador to Germany (2005-09). After promotion to the rank of additional secretary in 2002, she held the responsibility for the United Nations and International Security.
In addition, she has served as director in the Prime Minister’s Office (1985-91), minister (commerce) at the Indian Embassy in Washington (1991-95), and head of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations in New Delhi overseeing India’s cultural diplomacy. She also headed two important divisions in the Ministry of External Affairs dealing with the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and relations with Nepal and Bhutan.
Representing The Italian Republic
His Excellency Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata
Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata assumed his responsibilities as Ambassador of Italy to the United States on Oct. 1, 2009. Terzi’s most recent overseas posting was as ambassador of Italy to Israel (2002-04). He also previously served as Italy’s permanent representative to the United Nations, where he also headed the Italian Delegation to the Security Council, which Italy had joined as nonpermanent member for the 2007-08 term.
Security Council reform, Afghanistan, humanitarian intervention and protection of civilians in armed conflicts were among the major issues that Ambassador Terzi focused on during his presence on the council. He had served in New York on a prior occasion, from 1993 to 1998, as first counselor for political affairs and later as minister and deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.
Prior to his latest New York assignment, Terzi served in the Foreign Ministry in Rome as deputy secretary-general, director-general for multilateral political affairs and human rights, and political director. During those four years, his responsibilities included major international security and political issues, especially in the framework of the U.N. Security Council, the U.N. General Assembly, and the U.N. Council on Human Rights, as well as the Council of the European Union, NATO, the G-8, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
He also advised the foreign minister on international security, focusing on the Western Balkans, the Middle East, Afghanistan, East Africa, nuclear proliferation, terrorism and human rights. During his initial two years at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Terzi served as a protocol officer.
Then in 1975, he was posted as first secretary for political affairs at the Italian Embassy in Paris. After returning to Rome in 1978 as special assistant to the secretary-general, he went to Canada to serve as economic and commercial counselor for almost five years, a period of sharp growth in economic and high-tech cooperation between Italy and Canada. In 1987, he returned to Rome to serve first at the Department for Economic Affaires, focusing on high technology exchange, and later as head of one of the Offices of the Department of Personnel and Human Resources.
His next foreign assignment was to NATO in Brussels, where he was political adviser to the Italian Mission to the North Atlantic Council in the immediate aftermath of the Cold War, German reunification, and the first Gulf War. Ambassador Terzi holds a law degree at the University of Milan, specializing in international law.
His Excellency Cesare Maria Ragaglini
Cesare Maria Ragaglini was appointed Ambassador of Italy to the United Nations on October 8, 2009. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Ragaglini was the Foreign Ministry’s Director-General for the Mediterranean and the Middle East since November 2006. He was appointed the Prime Minister’s representative (sherpa) to the Group of Eight (G-8) at the end of 2004 and was in charge of preparations for the Gleneagles and Saint Petersburg summits.
Mr. Ragaglini was Chef de Cabinet to the Foreign Minister from 2002 to 2004, a position he took up after serving as the Prime Minister’s representative in the Balkans in 2001. He was concurrently Deputy Diplomatic Adviser to the Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002.
His overseas service also included appointments as Head of the Italian diplomatic mission in Baghdad, Iraq, from 1996 to 1999. In 1992 he was named Deputy Head of Mission at Italy’s Embassy in New Delhi, India, serving there until 1995. He was Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Intelligence Unit from 1989 to 1992; First Secretary at Italy’s Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, between 1984 and 1987; and Consul in Tehran, Iran, from 1981 to 1984. He joined the Foreign Service in May 1978. Born in Massa, Italy, on 6 February 1953, Mr. Ragaglini was educated in Brussels, Belgium, and Florence, Italy.
Representing Japan
His Excellency Ichiro Fujisaki
Ichiro Fujisaki became ambassador of Japan to the United States on June 4, 2008.Ambassador Fujisaki previously served as ambassador and permanent representative to the International Organizations in Geneva (2005-08) and as Japan’s deputy minister for foreign affairs, during which time he was also the prime minister's personal representative (Sherpa) to the G8 Summit and Japan's chief negotiator for free trade agreements (2002-05).
Prior to that, from 1999 to 2002, Ambassador Fujisaki served as the director-general of the North American Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he joined in 1969.
Representing The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Her Excellency Alia Hatoug-Bouran
President Barack Obama accepted the credentials of the first female Jordanian ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Alia Hatoug-Bouran, at the White House on Thursday, September 16th, 2010.
In presenting her credentials, Ambassador Bouran conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein’s greetings and expressed the appreciation of the Jordanian government for the close support and cooperation shown by the United States, ever since diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1949. Ambassador Bouran also conveyed His Majesty’s profound admiration for President Obama’s tremendous efforts and commitment to move the peace process forward.
Ambassador Bouran said that she looked forward to assuming her new post and building upon her country’s close ties with Washington, that have shared a rich history of political, economic and cultural cooperation. Ambassador Bouran’s previous posts included Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United Kingdom, and Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and also the European Communities. She also held ministerial positions and was Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and Minister of Environment.
Representing The Republic of Kenya
His Excellency Macharia Kamau
Representing Mexico
His Excellency Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana became ambassador of Mexico to the United States on Feb. 27, 2007. Ambassador Sarukhan previously served as the top foreign policy advisor and international spokesman to current Mexican President Felipe Calderón during the presidential campaign and in the transition team.
A career diplomat, he also served as consul general of Mexico in New York and as chief of staff to the secretary of foreign relations. For his posting in Washington, Ambassador Sarukhan will work to implement President Calderon’s priorities on the different issues of the Mexico-U.S. bilateral agenda.
His Excellency Claude Heller
Ambassador Claude Heller is Mexico’s Permanent Representative to the UN where he is the Chair of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. Mr Claude Heller was born in Mexico City on May 2, 1949. He was awarded an International Relations Degree at El Colegio de México (1968-1972).
Mr Heller is a member of the Mexican Diplomatic service since 1980, Ambassador of Mexico to France, Permanent Representative to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States and other countries in Europe. He is the author of several books and articles related to foreign policy and has been lecturer in Universities, Research Centers and other foreign institutions.
Representing The Kingdom of Morocco
His Excellency Aziz Mekouar
Former Ambassador of Morocco to the United States from 2002 to 2011. Before his current assignment, Ambassador Mekouar served as ambassador to Italy (1999-2002). He was elected Independent Chairman of the Council of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in November 2001 and re-elected in 2003. He had previously been appointed ambassador to Portugal (1993-1999) and to Angola (1986-1993).
Ambassador Mekouar has also served as minister plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Morocco (1985-1986), permanent representative of Morocco to the International Bureau for Information Technology (1978-1985), and first counselor and deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Morocco in Rome (1977-1985). He attended the French High School Charles Lepierre in Lisbon, Portugal, and obtained a graduate degree from the Higher School of Commerce (HEC) in Paris, France, in 1974.
Representing The Kingdom of the Netherlands
Her Excellency Renée Jones-Bos
Mrs. Renée Jones-Bos is the 44th representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United States of America. Ambassador Jones-Bos presented her Letters of Credential to President George W. Bush on September 18, 2008.
This appointment marks a return to the United States for Ambassador Jones-Bos, where she initially served as First Secretary to the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington from 1987 to 1990. Ambassador Jones-Bos possesses extensive experience in diplomacy and has steadily risen through the ranks of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to her appointment to Washington, Ambassador Jones-Bos served as the Director-General for Regional Policy and Consular Affairs and as Ambassador -at- Large for Human Rights.
Ambassador Jones-Bos also served as the Head of the Security Council Task Force of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previous duties within the Ministry also included: Deputy Chief of Mission to the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic; Head of Recruitment & Training; and postings in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Paramibo, Suriname; and Moscow, USSR.
Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Jones-Bos began her career as a translator/interpreter. The Ambassador speaks, French, German, Italian and Russian.
Ambassador Jones-Bos has held several board positions throughout her career with many institutions including: the Supervisory Board of the Leiden University Medical Center; the Netherlands Society for International Affairs; the Advisory Board of the University of Tilburg; and the Selection Board of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Representing The Kingdom of the Netherlands
His Excellency Herman Schaper
Appointed the Netherlands' Permanent Representative to the United Nations in August of 2009. From 2001 until the summer of 2005, Herman Schaper was Deputy Director-General for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague. As of 1 September 2005 he will be the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to NATO.
His previous positions at the Ministry Foreign Affairs and abroad include Director of the European Affairs Department, Director of the Security Policy Department, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN and Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO.
From 1981-1982 he represented the Democrats '66 party in the Dutch Parliament. He had previously worked as a researcher at the Netherlands Society for International Affairs. He has published a dozen articles on Dutch foreign policy, European security and transatlantic relations. Herman Schaper has a degree in modern history from the University of Leiden and a master's in international relations from the University of Virginia (USA).
Representing The Republic of Panama
His Excellency Mario Jaramillo
Mario E. Jaramillo became Ambassador of Panama to the United States on February 17, 2011. On July 2010, Jaramillo was chosen out of 92 candidates to become the Executive Secretary of the National Concertation for Development, a national forum for dialogue between the government, political parties and civil society sponsored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), aimed at developing a National Plan to strengthen democracy and combat poverty and inequality.
Jaramillo comes from the private sector, where he was Chairman of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE) and Vice Chairman of the National Council of Private Enterprise (CONEP). He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Panama’s Chamber of Commerce for the past fourteen years; the Private Sector Council for Educational Assistance (COSPAE), and the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FUNDES), among others.
From 1993 – 1999, Ambassador Jaramillo served as Director for the National Secretariat of Science and Technology (SENACYT). He also represented the Government of Panama on the Board of UNION FENOSA, an international company dedicated to the production and distribution of gas and electricity in Panama. At the time, he was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Panamanian National Institute of Professional Formation, representing the private sector.
Jaramillo is an active member of the Rotary Club and of the Association of the US ARMY since 1986. He graduated from Business Management with Emphasis in Marketing at Louisiana State University and earned a Masters Degree in Business Management from INCAE Business School, a prestigious academic institution founded by Harvard Business School, USAID and the Central American private sector.
Representing The Republic of Poland
His Excellency Robert Kupiecki
Robert Kupiecki was appointed the Polish Ambassador to the United States on June 6, 2008. Born in Warsaw in 1967, Ambassador Robert Kupiecki obtained his Master's Degree with Distinction at the Department of History at the Warsaw University, a Ph.D. in political science, and specializes in international relations. The Ambassador is also a graduate of the National School of Public Administration and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
During his studies at the National School of Public Administration in 1993, he was on the placement at the Texas Department of Commerce affiliated with the L.B.J. School of Public Affairs in Austin, Texas. Upon his graduation, Mr. Kupiecki worked as junior lecturer at the Historical Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences where, under the guidance of Professor Krystyna Kersten and Professor Tomasz Szarota, he studied modern history. Mr. Kupiecki began working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994.
He has worked on all levels of public administration during his career, starting from the position of Expert through Head of Division and Deputy Director of Department to Deputy Ambassador in one of Poland's most important diplomatic missions - the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to NATO and Western European Union (WEU) in Brussels (from 1999 to 2004).
From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Kupiecki was the Director of the Ministry's Security Policy Department. In the foreign affairs service his rank is that of titular ambassador. In 1990s, he was one of the pillars of Poland's accession to NATO. He has participated and led Polish delegations participating in the works of various international organisations including NATO, OSCE, UN and other forums dealing with disarmament, armament control, weapons of mass destruction and non-proliferation issues.
Ambassador Kupiecki is a recognised expert in the field of security policy. He is also the author and co-author of some half a dozen books and a few dozen articles on modern history and international relations.
Representing The State of Qatar
His Excellency Ali Fahad Al-Shawany Al-Hajri
Ali Bin Fahad Al-Hajri became ambassador of Qatar to the United States on April 7, 2008. Ambassador Al-Hajri previously served as director of the European and American Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006-08) and Qatari ambassador to Italy with non-residency ambassador status to Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and San Marino (2000-05).
During that same time, he was also the Qatari representative to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the U.N. World Food Program.
In addition, Ambassador Al-Hajri was a member of the Qatari Permanent Delegation to the United Nations in New York (1997-2000), a diplomat at the Qatari Embassy in Morocco (1995-97), a diplomat at the Qatari General Consulate in Dubai (1985-93), and a third secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry (1983).
Ambassador Al-Hajri holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern Colorado, and he has been awarded the Grand Knight of the Cross by the Republic of Italy.
Representing The Republic of Serbia
His Excellency Vladimir Petrovic
From February to October 2008 he served as the Charge d’Affairs a.i. In February of 2009 he was appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the United States of America.
Until spring 2002 Mr. Petrovic worked for Pope, McGlamry, Kilpatrick & Morrison LLP, CARE – USA, and Gray, Rust, St. Amand, Moffett & Brieske in Atlanta Georgia. In 2002 Mr. Petrovic concluded Democratic Campaign Management Program. Mr. Petrovic partook in the Joseph Moore for Alderman Campaign in Chicago, Illinois, as well as being the Field Director of the David Fink for Congress Campaign from June to November 2002. Mr Petrovic was also a member of the coordinated campaign, which included Jennifer Granholm for Governor and Carl Levin for Senate Campaign.
From January to June 2003 Mr. Petrovic partook in the Joseph Mario Moreno for Cicero Town President as a Campaign Manager for the Mayoral Race. In July 2003 Mr. Petrovic joined State of Illinois as a Director of Personnel in the Capital Development Board, until July 2004 when he became the Deputy Director of Illinois Trade Office. He was involved in fundraising efforts for different democratic candidates, and numerous campaigns in the US.
Mr. Petrovic returned to Serbia 2007 to be a part of the newly elected government as a Minister Counselor in the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. On August 20th 2007 he became the Minister Counselor and the Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of the Serbia in Washington.
His Excellency Feodor Starcevic
Ambassador Starcevic was born June 30, 1942. In May of 2009 he assumed the role of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary as the Republic of Serbia’s Permanent Representative to the UN.
He attended the University of Belgrade, graduating from School of Law and School of Journalism of the Vjesnik Daily in Zagreb. He then joined the Federal Secratariat for Foreign Affairs of the SFR of Yugoslavia in Belgrade, serving as attaché to the US and Canadian Department of North and South America (FSFA) from 1969-1971. He continued on to serve as Counselor for the Permanent Mission of the SFR of Yugoslavia to the UN from 1971-1984.
In 1986 Ambassador Starcevic became Head for the Division of Political and Legal Affairs at the Department of Public Information at the UN in New York. He was then indoctrinated as Head of the Department for International Organizations (FSFA) in 1988. In 1995 he became the Director of the UN Information Center for India and Bhutan in New Delhi, serving until 2004.
June 2007 saw Ambassador Starcevic appointed as Assistant Foreign Minister/Director General, Directorate General of Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. The Ambassador also speaks both English and French.
Representing The Republic of Singapore
Her Excellency Chan Heng Chee
Chan Heng Chee took up her appointment as Singapore’s ambassador to the United States in July 1996. Educated at the University of Singapore and Cornell University, she began her career in 1989 when she served as Singapore’s permanent representative to the United Nations and was concurrently high commissioner to Canada, and ambassador to Mexico. Before her appointment, she was the executive director of the Singapore International Foundation and director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. She was the founder director of the Institute of Policy Studies and is on secondment from her post as professor in the Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore.
Chee has received a number of awards including, the National Book Award for "The Dynamics of One Party Dominance: The PAP at the Grassroots" (1978), the National Book Award in 1986 for "A Sensation of Independence: A Political Biography of David Marshall," and Singapore’s first "Woman of the Year, 1991" award. She has also received honorary degrees of doctor of letters in 1994 from the University of Newcastle, Australia and from the University of Buckingham in 1998. She received the Inaugural International Woman of the Year Award 1998 by the Organization of Chinese American Women.
Representing The Slovak Republic
His Excellency Peter Burian
Ambassador Peter Burian is the current Slovak Ambassador to the United States of America. Born in Hlohovec, Peter Burian graduated in Oriental Studies at St. Petersburg University in the USSR and entered the service of the Czechoslovakian foreign ministry in 1983.
Following the breakup of Czechoslovakia on 1 January 1993, he was appointed chargé d'affaires at the newly independent Slovakia's embassy in Washington D.C. and, shortly after, deputy chief of mission. He was also Slovakia's permanent representative to the UN from 22 December 2004 to November 2008. He became the Slovak Ambassador to the US in December 2008.
Representing The Kingdom of Spain
His Excellency Jorge Dezcallar de Mazarredo
Jorge Dezcallar de Mazarredo became ambassador of Spain to the United States on August 21, 2008. Dezcallar is a law graduate with a degree in international studies from the Diplomatic School in Spain, and he joined the Foreign Service in 1971.
He has served various postings in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including secretary in the Consular and Commercial Representation in Warsaw (1972-74), secretary in the Consulate General in New York (1974-78), secretary and later counselor at the Spanish Embassy in Montevideo (1978-81), deputy general director of North Africa and the Near and Middle East (1983-85), general director of foreign policy for Africa and the Middle East (1985-93), general director of political affairs (1993-96), and special mission ambassador for foreign policy and common security (1996-97).
Dezcallar served as Spain’s ambassador to Morocco (1997-2001), director of the Superior Center of Defense Information and later the National Center of Intelligence (2001-04), ambassador to the Holy Seat and the Sovereign and Military Order of Malta (2004-06), and general-secretary of the International Strategy Council of Repsol (2006-08).
His Excellency Jorge Pablo de Laiglesia
Spanish Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Juan Pablo de Laiglesia is the Secretary General of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI). After graduating in Law, he began his Diplomatic Career in 1973 with a first mission with the diplomatic representation of Spain in Colombia. Afterwards, he worked for the United Nations Office in Geneva (1977). Later, he was sent to Portugal.
Back in Spain, he was appointed Deputy Director of Mexico, Central American and the Caribbean Countries in 1984. A year later, he became Director General of Foreign Policy for Latin America at the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation. In 1988, he was appointed Spanish Ambassador to Guatemala and, later, to Mexico, holding that post until 1996. The same year, he participated in a Special Mission for Peace Keeping Operations and he held that post until 1998, when he was appointed Spanish Ambassador to Poland.
Before becoming Secretary General at the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (2004), Juan Pablo de Laiglesia was Ambassador on Special Mission for the Coordination of Relations with the European Neighbouring Countries. De Laiglesia has also been a lecturer in the Spanish Diplomatic School and has written many articles on Foreign Policy and International Relations of Spain. He has been decorated several times in Spain and abroad. Juan Pablo de Laiglesia was born on the 6th August 1948 in Madrid.
Representing The Kingdom of Sweden
His Excellency Jonas Hafström
Jonas Hafström became ambassador of Sweden to the United States on Aug. 29, 2007. Ambassador Hafström previously served as Sweden’s ambassador to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Burma/Myanmar (2004-07), prior to which he was a member of the Swedish Defense Committee (1998-99), as well as deputy director-general and head of the Department for Consular Affairs and Civil Law in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2000-04).
In addition, he has served various postings under former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Moderate Party Carl Bildt, including: foreign policy advisor (1987-2000), head of the party’s International Bureau (1994-2000), assistant undersecretary (1991-94), and press secretary (1987-91).
Ambassador Hafström, a noncommissioned reserve captain in the Swedish Army, also held numerous other public sector postings throughout the 1980s, including head of section in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, first secretary to the Swedish Embassy in Washington and in Tehran, and press secretary to the minister of justice.
Representing The Swiss Confederation
His Excellency Manuel Sager
He was appointed Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States of America in October 2010 and formally presented his credentials to President Barack Obama on December 7, 2010.
Manuel Sager was born in Menziken in the Canton of Aargovia in 1955. He graduated with a Ph.D. from the Law School of the University of Zurich and earned a Master of Laws and Letters (L.L.M.) degree at Duke University Law School. In 1986, he passed the bar in the State of Arizona and worked as an associate attorney at the law firm of O’Connor, Cavanagh, et al., in Phoenix for two years.
In 1988, he began his career with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and was posted as a diplomat in training in Bern and Athens. From 1990 to 1995, he worked in the FDFA's Directorate of International Law in Bern, specializing in International Humanitarian Law. From 1995 to 1999, he served as Deputy Consul General in New York, and from 1999 to 2001 as Head of Communications of the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, D.C.
From 2001 to 2002, he headed the Coordination Office for Humanitarian Law EAPC/PfP of the Directorate of International Law. From 2002 to 2005, he served as Head of Communications, first in the FDFA, thereafter in the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Sager worked as Executive Director, with the title of ambassador, at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. From 2008 to 2010, also with the title of ambassador, he headed the Political Affairs Division in the FDFA responsible for coordinating thematic foreign policy.
His Excellency Paul Sager
Paul Seger assumed his role as Switzerland's Permanent Representative to the United Nations on June 4, 2012. From July 2003 until his new appointment, Mr. Seger served as Legal Adviser and Head of the Directorate of International Law of Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.From 2000 to 2003, he was Deputy Chief of Mission of the Swiss Embassy in Buenos Aires.
From 1995 to 2000, Mr. Seger was Head of the International Law Section and Deputy Head of the Division for International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Prior to that, he served as Legal Adviser for Switzerland’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York and Deputy Chief of Mission of the Swiss Embassy in Kinshasa.
Mr. Seger has a law degree from the University of Basel and is a lecturer at its law faculty. He speaks German, English, French and Spanish. Born on 26 December 1958 in Basel, he is married with two sons.
Representing Ukraine
His Excellency Oleksandr Motsyk
Ambassador Oleksandr Motsyk was appointed to serve as Ukraine's seventh Ambassador to the United States of America (since Ukraine declared Independence in August of 1991) on Friday, June 11, 2010, by President Viktor Yanukovych. Ambassador Motsyk previously served as Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland from December of 2005 to May of 2010.
Motsyk is a career diplomat and before serving as Ambassador to Poland he held several high level positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, served as Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkey and in the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN in NYC.
Motsyk Alexander was born May 3, 1955 in the village Horodets Volodymeretskoho region Rivne region of Ukraine. In 1981 he graduated from Kyiv State University and in 1981 entered the diplomatic service. Alexander Motsyk is married and has two daughters.
Representing The United Kingdom of Great Britain
His Excellency Nigel Scheinwald
Nigel Sheinwald became the British ambassador to the United States on Oct. 10, 2007. For the previous four years, Ambassador Sheinwald served as foreign policy and defense adviser to the prime minister as well as head of the Cabinet Office of Defense and Overseas Secretariat.
Ambassador Sheinwald, who joined the Diplomatic Service in 1976, has also served as the British ambassador and permanent representative to the European Union in Brussels from 2000 to 2003, as Europe director at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 1998-2000, and FCO press secretary and head of the News Department from 1995 1998.
In addition, he was head of the UK Representations Political and Institutional Section in Brussels (1993-95), deputy head of the FCO European Union (Internal) Department (1989-92), and deputy head of the FCO Policy Planning Staff (1987-89). Other posting abroad include Washington (1983-87), Japan (1976-77), Moscow (1978-79), and Zimbabwe (1979-81), including the Lancaster House Conference.
COUNTRY MEMBER PRESENTATION
Heads of State and Ministers present investment opportunities
PRIVATE MEETINGS WITH HEADS OF STATE AND MINISTERS
Results-focused discussions on trade and investment
