Jose W. Fernandez
Encyclopedia
Jose W. Fernandez is the current United States
Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs
.
; international energy security policy; international telecommunications and transportation policies; and support for U.S. businesses and the private sector overseas.
Nominated by President of the United States
Barack Obama
on August 6, 2009, Fernandez was sworn in as Assistant Secretary on December 1, 2009. Fernandez came to the United States Department of State
after having served as a partner in the New York City
office of Latham & Watkins
, and Global Chair of the firm's Latin America
practice. For nearly three decades, his practice has focused on Latin America, Europe and Africa, advising clients on international mergers and acquisitions, financings, trade and other matters as the economies of these regions have evolved.
Fernandez was named one of the "World's Leading Lawyers" by Chambers Global for his M&A
and corporate expertise, an "Expert" in International Financial Law Review's "Guide to the World's Leading Project Finance Lawyers", and one of the "World's Leading Privatization Lawyers" by Euromoney Publications. He is recognized as a leading Corporate Finance attorney in the Latin American market in the Chambers Global 2008 legal guide and a leading Latin America attorney in the Chambers U.S. 2008 legal guide. He was featured by Hispanic Business Magazine in its "100 Influentials List" for 2006 and 2007.
A lifelong supporter of education, the arts and commercial engagement, prior to his appointment at the State Department Fernandez served on the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College and on the Board of Directors of Accion International
and the Council of the Americas
. He has been chair both of the American Bar Association
's Inter-American Law Committee and the Committee on Inter-American Affairs of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York
, and co-chair of the Cross Border M&A and Joint Ventures Committee of the New York State Bar Association
. He recently headed the Latin American and Caribbean division of the ABA's Rule of Law Initiative. He has also served on the boards of NPR-station WBGO
-FM, Ballet Hispanico
of New York and the Middle East Institute
. He was a co-founder of TeatroStageFest, a 2-week Latino theater festival in New York City, and was appointed a Commissioner of New York’s Latin Media and Entertainment Commission. Fernandez is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.
Fernandez graduated magna cum laude with high honors from Dartmouth College
earning a bachelors degree in history
, and also received an honorary degree from the college. He earned a J.D.
from the Columbia Law School
, where he received the Charles Evans Hughes Prize and a Parker School Certificate of International Law with Honors.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs
Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs is an office in the United States Department of State responsible for managing the Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs...
.
Biography
Fernandez serves as the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs. He leads the Bureau that is responsible for overseeing work on international trade and investment policy; international finance, development, and debt policy; economic sanctions and combating terrorist financingTerrorist Financing
Terrorist financing came into limelight after the events of terrorism on 9/11. The US passed the USA PATRIOT Act to, among other reasons, attempt thwarting the financing of terrorism and anti-money laundering making sure these were given some sort of adequate focus by US financial institutions...
; international energy security policy; international telecommunications and transportation policies; and support for U.S. businesses and the private sector overseas.
Nominated by President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
on August 6, 2009, Fernandez was sworn in as Assistant Secretary on December 1, 2009. Fernandez came to the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
after having served as a partner in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
office of Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins LLP is a global law firm, one of the largest in the world. Latham currently employs approximately 2,000 attorneys in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive Californian roots, but its largest office is now...
, and Global Chair of the firm's Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
practice. For nearly three decades, his practice has focused on Latin America, Europe and Africa, advising clients on international mergers and acquisitions, financings, trade and other matters as the economies of these regions have evolved.
Fernandez was named one of the "World's Leading Lawyers" by Chambers Global for his M&A
Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...
and corporate expertise, an "Expert" in International Financial Law Review's "Guide to the World's Leading Project Finance Lawyers", and one of the "World's Leading Privatization Lawyers" by Euromoney Publications. He is recognized as a leading Corporate Finance attorney in the Latin American market in the Chambers Global 2008 legal guide and a leading Latin America attorney in the Chambers U.S. 2008 legal guide. He was featured by Hispanic Business Magazine in its "100 Influentials List" for 2006 and 2007.
A lifelong supporter of education, the arts and commercial engagement, prior to his appointment at the State Department Fernandez served on the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College and on the Board of Directors of Accion International
Accion International
ACCION International is a nonprofit organization that supports microfinance institutions in their work to provide financial services to low-income clients. ACCION provides management services, technical assistance, debt and equity investment and training to microfinance institutions and...
and the Council of the Americas
Council of the Americas
Council of the Americas is an American business organization whose goal is promoting free trade, democracy and open markets throughout the Americas. This includes Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as South America. Its members share a common commitment to economic and social development,...
. He has been chair both of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
's Inter-American Law Committee and the Committee on Inter-American Affairs of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Association of the Bar of the City of New York
The New York City Bar Association , founded in 1870, is a voluntary association of lawyers and law students. Since 1896, the organization, formally known as the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, has been headquartered in a landmark building on 44th Street, between Fifth and Sixth...
, and co-chair of the Cross Border M&A and Joint Ventures Committee of the New York State Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association , with 77,000 members, is the largest voluntary bar association in the United States.-History:The State Bar was founded with a constitution that dates to 1877...
. He recently headed the Latin American and Caribbean division of the ABA's Rule of Law Initiative. He has also served on the boards of NPR-station WBGO
WBGO
WBGO is a public radio station broadcasting from Newark, New Jersey. The station primarily plays jazz music. In addition the station airs public affairs programming, locally-produced newscasts, traffic reports from Metro Traffic during morning and afternoon rush hours, and NPR-produced newscasts...
-FM, Ballet Hispanico
Ballet Hispanico
Ballet Hispanico is an American dance company based in Manhattan, New York. It was founded by the Venezuelan American dancer and choreographer Tina Ramirez in 1970 and presents dances reflecting the experience of Hispanic and Latino Americans...
of New York and the Middle East Institute
Middle East Institute
The Middle East Institute is a non-partisan think tank and cultural center in Washington, DC. Founded in 1946, MEI is the oldest institution in Washington dedicated exclusively to the study of the Middle East. Its founder, architect and philanthropist George Camp Keiser, assembled a team of...
. He was a co-founder of TeatroStageFest, a 2-week Latino theater festival in New York City, and was appointed a Commissioner of New York’s Latin Media and Entertainment Commission. Fernandez is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.
Fernandez graduated magna cum laude with high honors from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
earning a bachelors degree in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, and also received an honorary degree from the college. He earned a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, where he received the Charles Evans Hughes Prize and a Parker School Certificate of International Law with Honors.