The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) recently named one of its distinguished fellows and a former U.S. trade representative as the organization's next president.

Michael Froman, "a widely respected leader across government, business, and the nonprofit sector," became the organizations 15th president by unanimous consent on March 1, the CFR announced at the time. 

"Froman is an internationally recognized expert at the intersection of foreign policy, national security, and international economics," CFR states in the news release. "His expertise is the result of a decades-long career across the highest levels of government and the private sector, as well as nonprofits and academia, including serving as a distinguished fellow at CFR."

Froman brings decades of experience in global economic policy to his new role, according to his bio on the CFR website. He served as U.S. trade representative in former President Barack Obama's cabinet from June 2013 to January 2017; during his tenure as trade representative, he was instrumental in negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, among other trade deals. Froman also played a key role in shaping U.S. policy on issues such as intellectual property, investment, and labor rights, according to his bio. 

For seven years in the 1990s, Froman worked in the federal government in leadership roles in the Department of Treasury and the White House; he has also served in executive roles as companies including Mastercard and Citigroup, among other roles, his biography reports.  

"The global issues we face today cannot be solved by government, the private sector, academia, civil society, or philanthropy alone," Jami Miscik and Blair W. Effron, vice chairs of CFR’s Board of Directors and co-chairs of the Board’s Presidential Selection Committee, stated jointly in the release. "Each must bring its particular capabilities to the table, and Mike's expertise across these sectors will be invaluable in continuing to modernize CFR and maximize its impact throughout the world."

Froman begins his new role at a crucial time, as issues surrounding international relations are rapidly changing and the politics around foreign policy have an increasing complexity, the release states. An organization, such as the CFR, is needed to connect nonpartisan, independent research with a wide array of constituencies across the United States, according to the release.

Froman succeeds Richard Haass, CFR president since 2003, who is stepping down in June, the release states.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead the Council on Foreign Relations and to work with its distinguished scholars, staff, and members to maximize its impact in the United States and throughout the world," Froman said in the release.

 “As the world faces the return of great power politics, the challenge of growing authoritarianism, and the urgency of climate change," he said, "CFR has a critical role in forging dialogue among people with differing perspectives and deepening understanding around these issues. I'm looking forward to getting to work.”