Juan Verde Suárez is a business and social entrepreneur who worked on the political campaigns of Senator Ted Kennedy, President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Senator John Kerry, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, besides serving as International Co-Chair for the reelection campaign of President Barack Obama in 2012. In addition to developing and directing a strategy designed to mobilize millions of American citizens residing outside of the United States, Mr. Verde served as an advisor to President Obama on international trade, the Hispanic vote as well as sustainability related issues. Mr. Verde was appointed by President Barack Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the US Department of Commerce where he served until 2011. As Senior Partner of U.S. consultancy firm Mapa Group, Verde advises governments and corporations on market expansion, strategy and sustainability. He currently serves and/or has served on a number of corporate and advisory boards including the Government of Lithuania's International Advisory Committee and the Alumni Board of Directors at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. In the corporate world, Mr. Verde serves, or has served, among others, on the board of directors of Abengoa Bioenergy S.A., a global biotech ethanol company; Santander Bank, N.A., a U.S. subsidiary of the Spanish financial institution Grupo Santander; and Andina Energy Corp., a global diversified energy corporation.
Verde's career began as a Business and Legislative Aide in the Boston Mayor's Office and the Boston City Council which later lead to a position as a political and economic advisor for the Boston Mayor Ray Flynn. He then worked as an International Trade Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Clinton Administration. He later served as a Director for Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula for the Corporate Executive Board. He has worked also as a consultant to business and political leaders in the United States Europe and Latin America. During President Obama's administration, Juan Verde held the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia in the United States Department of Commerce. While holding this position as White House political appointee, he led department efforts to resolve the issues related to trade policy and access to markets that were being faced by United States companies. He was also responsible for developing policies and programs to foster economic and trade relations with 52 countries in the region. Other major achievements in his career include his role as founder and President of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Canary Islands, as well as the position he held during Bill Clinton's second term as International Trade Advisor for the United States Department of Commerce. On October 2011, Verde joined the reelection campaign of President Barack Obama as International Co-Chair.
