WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Trade Representative Susan C.
Schwab today announced that Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Karan
K. Bhatia, will depart the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in October to
return to the private sector. Ambassador Bhatia has served in President
Bush’s Administration for six years, including two as Deputy U.S. Trade
Representative.
“Karan Bhatia has been a great contributor to the
President’s international trade agenda during his tenure as Deputy U.S. Trade
Representative, as well as in his previous positions at the Department of
Transportation and Department of Commerce,” commented Ambassador Schwab.
“While I am very sorry to see him go, he leaves behind a legacy of important
contributions, including negotiating the landmark U.S.-Korea Free Trade
Agreement, overseeing Vietnam’s accession to the World
Trade Organization, and launching the U.S.-India Trade Policy
Forum.”
During his tenure at USTR, Ambassador Bhatia was a senior
member of Ambassador Schwab’s management team, with day-to-day responsibility
for overseeing U.S. trade
relations with Asia and Africa. Prior to
serving at USTR, he had served as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for
Aviation and International Affairs and Deputy Undersecretary of Commerce for
Industry and Security. Before joining the Administration, he had been a
partner at a major Washington, D.C. law firm.
