Francisco J. Sanchez

Until November 2013, Francisco J. Sánchez served as Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, a post to which he was nominated to by President Barack Obama in 2009. Currently, he is a non-Resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution as part of their Global Cities Program. Mr. Sanchez is also Chairman of CNS Global Consulting Group and on the Board of Counselors for McLarty Associates, a Washington-based international business consulting firm. Sanchez is also part of the Senior team of Pt. Capital, a private equity firm focused on responsible investments in the Pan Arctic.

As Under Secretary, Sánchez strategically led the International Trade Administration, an organization of 2400 employees with offices throughout the United States and in more than 70 countries. Sánchez efforts drastically improved the global business environment by helping U.S. businesses compete abroad. As one of the architects of President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), with the ambitious goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014, Sánchez directed programs and policies that promoted and protected the competitiveness of American businesses. In his speeches, he sheds light on the key strategies he used to successfully guide his team. Additionally, under his skillful leadership, working with partners in government, the International Trade Administration (ITA) reached significant export milestones. In 2011 and 2012, U.S. exports achieved all-time highs. Sánchez has a long and distinguished career in both the public and private sectors. For example, during the Clinton Administration, he served as the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Sánchez previously served in the White House as a Special Assistant to President Clinton, and Chief of Staff to the Special Envoy to the Americas.

Sánchez was named one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine and also one of the top Hispanics nationwide by Poder Magazine. He has been awarded the National Point of Light Award and the Governor’s Point of Light Award for Outstanding Community Service. In 2010, he was named to the National Hall of Fame for the Boys and Girls Club of America. A native of Florida, Sánchez obtained his B.A. and J.D. from Florida State University. He also received a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. With more than 15 years of experience working with several leading consulting companies, Sánchez can help corporate audiences in America and abroad with negotiation strategies and training to become leaders of economic growth.