The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews for a private, closed-door luncheon and discussion Monday afternoon in Washington, D.C. The luncheon provided public and private sector stakeholders with an opportunity to hear from Deputy Secretary Andrews about the Department’s key achievements in the U.A.E. and in the region since 2008 and the increasing importance of the U.S.-U.A.E. bilateral commercial relationship.

Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, provided the audience with brief remarks before introducing Deputy Secretary Andrews. “Over the last decade, the U.S.-U.A.E. relationship has become incredibly close,” said Danny Sebright. “Bilateral trade has seen unprecedented growth in the last eight years, reaching $25.4 billion in 2015, and the U.S. continues to work in lockstep with the U.A.E. to counter regional and global terrorism through programs such as the Sawab Center.” “The U.A.E. remains one of the most important partners for the U.S. and hosts close to 80,000 American expatriates looking to do business in the U.A.E., the Middle East region, Africa, and South Asia.”

Deputy Secretary Andrews thanked the audience for their attendance and the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council for their tremendous efforts over the years to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Deputy Secretary Andrews then highlighted the importance of the U.S.-U.A.E. bilateral and commercial relationship and outlined the key commercial and economic themes that the department sees as driving their U.A.E. work in 2017 and beyond. He also highlighted the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s “Doing Business in the United Arab Emirates” guidebook, which provides important tools for U.S. companies looking to better understand and enter the U.A.E. market.

“We continue to welcome investment from the U.A.E. and are ready to work with your businesses to expand and create new opportunities in the U.A.E.,” said Deputy Secretary Andrews. “The opportunities for greater commercial engagement are enormous, from space exploration, to Expo 2020, to increased STEM education, and workforce development.”

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews highlighting the new How to Do Business in the U.A.E. guidebook and its importance to American companies looking to do business in the U.A.E.

Mr. Sebright thanked the audience for their attendance and gave a special thanks to Deputy Secretary Andrews before concluding the luncheon.

For your information, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews’ biography can be found below.

—

Bruce H. Andrews
Deputy Secretary of Commerce
U.S. Department of Commerce

Bruce Andrews was confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of Commerce on July 24, 2014. Andrews was named Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce by President Obama and Secretary Penny Pritzker on June 9, 2014. Prior to this, Andrews served as Chief of Staff to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce, a post which he began in October 2011.

Prior to joining Commerce, Andrews served as General Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, where he served as the chief counsel for the Committee and was responsible for policy, legal and jurisdiction issues. Before joining the Committee staff, Andrews served as Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Ford Motor Company, where he oversaw the company’s federal and state government affairs. Prior to joining Ford, Andrews practiced law as an attorney in the Public Policy and Telecommunications Groups at Arnold & Porter. He was also a founding member of the firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates (QGA), where he worked with clients on a variety of issues related to transportation, technology, judiciary, telecommunications and financial services. Andrews began his career on Capitol Hill where he served as Legislative Director for Representative Tim Holden (D-PA), Legislative Assistant for Representative Gus Yatron (D-PA) and on the staff of  Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA).

Andrews, a Syracuse, New York native, is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and Haverford College. He, his wife and children live in Washington, D.C.