Locke Statement on President Obama’s Intent to Nominate Suresh Kumar as U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Director General

President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Suresh Kumar, an experienced global trade professional, as the new Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service.

The Commerce Department and its Foreign Commercial Service play an integral role in promoting U.S. exports, which are critical to rebuilding the American economy and creating jobs here at home. Through our worldwide network of trade specialists in more than 80 countries we are committed to helping U.S. companies export American-made products and services,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. “Suresh has the experience to help U.S. companies expand their markets and bottom lines through exporting.”

Kumar currently serves as president & managing partner of KaiZen Innovation. He served as special advisor to the Clinton Foundation where he worked with governments in Sub-Saharan Africa and corporate CEOs to establish private-public partnerships to stimulate economic development in the region.

Kumar previously served on the Group Operating Committee at Johnson & Johnson and as vice president of consumer products for Latin America at Warner Lambert/Pfizer. Kumar has published on global management and served as adjunct faculty member at the Schulich School of Business at Toronto’s York University, Bombay University, India, and has been appointed Professor of International Business at Rutgers University EMBA program. Between 1970 and 1985, Kumar was a news anchor on national television in India.

Kumar has an Economics degree from Delhi University, an MBA from Bombay University, and is alum of the Thunderbird International Consortium Program. In 2004, Kumar was named Distinguished Executive-in-Residence by Thunderbird School of Global Management for his contributions to global trade.