Francisco Sánchez

Former Undersecretary of Commerce of the United States; Chairman & CEO, CNS Global Advisors, LLC

Francisco Sánchez served as Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce until 2013, a post President Barack Obama nominated him to in 2009. As Under Secretary, Sánchez lead the International Trade Administration in its efforts to improve the global business environment by helping U.S. businesses compete abroad. As one of the architects of President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), with the ambitious goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014, Sánchez directed programs and policies that promote and protect the competitiveness of American businesses. Sánchez has a long and distinguished career in both the public and private sectors. In 2008, he served on the transition team for President - elect Barack Obama. During the Clinton Administration, he served as the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Sánchez previously served in the White House as a Special Assistant to President Clinton, and Chief of Staff to the Special Envoy to the Americas. Sánchez is currently the Chairman of CNS Global Advisors, providing strategic advice to companies looking to expand in or resolve issues in foreign markets. Sánchez also serves as a Senior Managing Director for Pt Capital, an Alaska-based private equity firm concentrating on investment opportunities in the Arctic. Sánchez serves on the board of directors for Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. Sánchez also serves on the board of counselors for McLarty Associates, and until recently, served on the board of directors for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). He is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and was a non-resident fellow at The Brookings Institute from 2013-2016. Sánchez has been awarded the National Point of Light Award and the Governor’s Point of Light Award for Outstanding Community Service. In 2010, he was named to the National Hall of Fame for the Boys and Girls Club of America. Sánchez was named one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine and one of the top Hispanics nationwide by Poder Magazine. Sánchez obtained his B.A. and J.D. from Florida State University. He also received a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.