Full Name
Arun Venkataraman
Job Title
Partner
Company
Covington
Speaker Bio
Arun Venkataraman, Partner, Covington; former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service
Arun Venkataraman leverages more than 20 years of experience across government and the private sector to provide legal, policy, and strategic advice on a wide range of international trade matters.
Arun joined the firm after serving in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Most recently, he was the Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service at the International Trade Administration (ITA) from 2022 to 2025. In this role, he led federal efforts to expand commercial opportunities for U.S. companies overseas and foreign firms in the United States. His work included facilitating deals between U.S. and foreign companies, improving commercial policy environments, resolving barriers to trade and investment, and negotiating government agreements to promote commercial partnerships.
He also served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce, advising on all aspects of foreign economic policy. In this capacity, Arun led negotiations with foreign governments on technology policy, as well as Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs.
Before joining the Biden Administration, Arun was Senior Director of Global Government Engagement at Visa, where he developed and executed advocacy strategies with U.S. and foreign governments, trade associations, international organizations, and other stakeholders. His work focused on international policy issues, including the digital economy, trade, tax, and sanctions.
During the Obama Administration, Arun served as ITA’s first Director of Policy, leading efforts across the Commerce Department to remove global trade and investment barriers and strengthen the global competitiveness of U.S. industry, including in key markets such as China and India. He also led Department efforts supporting Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation, and improvements in China’s competition law and semiconductor policies.
Arun also served at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as Director for India, where he led the development and implementation of U.S.-India trade policy and received the agency’s Kelly Award for outstanding performance and leadership. He later served as Associate General Counsel at USTR, representing the United States in litigation before the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.
Earlier in his career, Arun was a Legal Officer in the Appellate Body Secretariat at the WTO, advising on appeals in disputes between countries under WTO rules. He also served as a law clerk to Judge Jane A. Restani at the U.S. Court of International Trade.
Arun Venkataraman leverages more than 20 years of experience across government and the private sector to provide legal, policy, and strategic advice on a wide range of international trade matters.
Arun joined the firm after serving in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Most recently, he was the Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service at the International Trade Administration (ITA) from 2022 to 2025. In this role, he led federal efforts to expand commercial opportunities for U.S. companies overseas and foreign firms in the United States. His work included facilitating deals between U.S. and foreign companies, improving commercial policy environments, resolving barriers to trade and investment, and negotiating government agreements to promote commercial partnerships.
He also served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce, advising on all aspects of foreign economic policy. In this capacity, Arun led negotiations with foreign governments on technology policy, as well as Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs.
Before joining the Biden Administration, Arun was Senior Director of Global Government Engagement at Visa, where he developed and executed advocacy strategies with U.S. and foreign governments, trade associations, international organizations, and other stakeholders. His work focused on international policy issues, including the digital economy, trade, tax, and sanctions.
During the Obama Administration, Arun served as ITA’s first Director of Policy, leading efforts across the Commerce Department to remove global trade and investment barriers and strengthen the global competitiveness of U.S. industry, including in key markets such as China and India. He also led Department efforts supporting Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation, and improvements in China’s competition law and semiconductor policies.
Arun also served at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as Director for India, where he led the development and implementation of U.S.-India trade policy and received the agency’s Kelly Award for outstanding performance and leadership. He later served as Associate General Counsel at USTR, representing the United States in litigation before the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.
Earlier in his career, Arun was a Legal Officer in the Appellate Body Secretariat at the WTO, advising on appeals in disputes between countries under WTO rules. He also served as a law clerk to Judge Jane A. Restani at the U.S. Court of International Trade.
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