Mayur Patel, chief international trade counsel for the Senate Finance Committee since Aug. 7, replaced Nasim Fussell, who returned to the private sector as a partner at Holland and Knight. Patel, who joined the committee staff in 2019, previously worked as a lawyer at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from 2011 to 2018, working on World Trade Organization disputes and on the chapter language for the NAFTA renegotiation and negotiations with Europe.

European Union Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan, who recently lauded the first tariff reduction between the U.S. and the EU in more than 20 years, resigned Aug. 26, British outlets reported. Hogan submitted his resignation after his attendance on Aug. 19 at an 80-person party in Ireland was revealed. COVID-19 restrictions in Ireland only permitted six people at indoor events, though the limit had changed just the day before, decreasing the allowed gathering size from 50.

Brian Hook, one of the State Department’s lead officials on Iran policy and sanctions, resigned from his role as special representative for Iran and senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the agency said Aug. 6. Hook’s position will be filled by Elliott Abrams, who will also continue his role as the State Department’s special representative for Venezuela.

The Information Technology Industry Council hired former State Department deputy assistant secretary-cyber and international communications and information policy, Rob Strayer, as executive vice president-policy, the ITI said in a news release. He will lead ITI’s global policy division, and oversee ITI’s global policy teams in Europe, India and Latin America.

Joanne Osendarp, a former senior counsel on trade for Canada, will become the co-head of McDermott Will's International Trade Group. Eric Parnes, who worked on Osendarp's team at Hughes Hubbard, is also being named a partner at McDermott Will. The other five members of Osendarp's team from her old law firm also were hired: Dean Pinkert, former commissioner of the U.S. International Trade Commission; Tim Hruby, Lynn Kamarck, Alan Kashdan and Conor Gilligan.

Laura Lane, UPS's president of global public affairs, has been promoted to chief corporate affairs and communications officer, the company announced July 28. She will now report directly to CEO Carol Tome, and will oversee public relations, employee communications and the UPS foundation, in addition to public policy and government affairs. Her work background includes serving as a trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the negotiation of China’s entry to the World Trade Organization.

The Coalition for a Prosperous America hired Charles Benoit, a trade lawyer who previously worked as outside counsel for the European Commission during negotiations for the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, as trade counsel, the group said in a news release. CPA also hired Kenneth Rapoza, previously a journalist, as an industry analyst, it said.

Rich Ashooh, the Commerce Department’s former assistant secretary for export administration who resigned July 16 (see 2007020027), joined semiconductor equipment maker Lam Research Corp. as their global head of government affairs. In a statement, the company said Ashooh will bring a “sophisticated understanding of the policy process” and is respected across the industry. “His track record of solving complex problems and engaging diverse stakeholders makes him an ideal partner to advocate on behalf of Lam Research,” the company said. The announcement was first reported by Reuters.

Retired trade attorney Terry Stewart blogged about the eight candidates under consideration for the World Trade Organization director-general position in a post published July 19. He summarized the press conferences held to feature each one in Geneva.

Jon Perdue is the new executive director of CBP’s Office of Trade Relations, Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said during the June 15 meeting of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee. Perdue was previously with the Caribbean and Latin America desk of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Valarie Neuhart, previously acting executive director, will continue to be deputy executive director at the Office of Trade Relations, a CBP spokesperson said.