Discover Global Markets: The Americas (Austin, TX)

Arun Venkataraman is the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. He was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 7, 2022, to lead the federal government’s efforts to promote exports abroad and attract inward investment. He was officially sworn in on April 25, 2022.

Venkataraman has over 20 years of experience advising companies, international organizations and the U.S. government on international trade issues. Most recently, he served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce, advising the Department of Commerce on trade and other international economic matters. Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Arun was a Senior Director at Visa, leading global government engagement strategy on a range of international policy issues including digital economy, trade, tax and sanctions. He also served as Trade & Investment Policy Advisor at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he counseled multinational firms and other organizations on e-commerce, intellectual property rights and U.S. and foreign trade policies.

During the Obama Administration, Venkataraman served as ITA’s first-ever Director of Policy, where he helped shape the U.S. government’s responses to critical challenges faced by firms in the U.S. and in markets around the world, including China and India. He also served in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) where he led the development and implementation of U.S.-India trade policy, for which he received the agency’s Kelly Award for outstanding performance and extraordinary leadership. He also served as USTR’s Associate General Counsel, representing the United States in litigation before the World Trade Organization and in negotiations on international trade agreements. Prior to USTR, Arun was a Legal Officer at the World Trade Organization, and served as Law Clerk for Judge Jane A. Restani at the U.S. Court of International Trade.

Born in Coimbatore, India, and raised in Houston, Venkataraman holds a juris doctorate from Columbia Law School, a Master of Arts in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University.

Adriana Carrillo joined the U.S. Commercial Service in Mexico City as Commercial Specialist in June 2020. She is responsible for the telecommunications, internet technologies, digital economy and creative industries portfolios. She previously worked for the U.S. Department of State as Cultural Affairs Assistant at the Public Affairs Section in the U.S. Embassy in Mexico (November 2017 - June 2019). Prior to joining the U.S. Embassy, she worked at the Consulate General of Canada in Monterrey as International Business Development Assistant, where she was in charge of leading the education and cultural efforts of the Consulate. She was also in charge of supporting other priority sectors including healthcare and creative industries.

In the private sector, Adriana worked as: Business Analyst at a business accelerator and incubator; Project Manager for the Mexican branch of a Texas-based digital strategy firm; leading online marketing and fundraising campaigns for American non-profit organizations; and Director of Public Relations at an english learning franchise. She holds a Master´s degree in Management and Marketing from Universidad Popular Autonoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP) including a research experience at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, a Bachelor´s degree in International Business Administration from Universidad Veracruzana, and several Diplomas including Advocacy and Lobbying from the University of Richmond, and Governance and Public Administration from UDLAP- Jenkins Graduate School

Mr. Eric Miller is the Houston Regional Director for EXIM Bank. He is a Texas native and experienced international trader. Prior to joining the Bank, Eric spent over a decade in the private sector exporting capital equipment to buyers in 33 countries covering the continents of Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. As a prior customer of EXIM, he experienced firsthand how the Government Agency can be leveraged as a strategic tool to increase sales. He is passionate about international business and excited to be an advocate for EXIM.

Mr. Miller attended the University of Houston’s Bauer School of Business where he earned a B.B.A. in Operations Management and Strategic MBA in General Business. Eric is Certified in Global Business by the Harvard Business School and as a Global Business Professional by NASBITE International.