Executive Roundtable with Wendy Cutler on the Asian Trade Landscape amidst COVID-19

On Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) Vice President Wendy Cutler addressed the future of Asia’s trading landscape. Demetrios Marantis, Senior Vice President of Global Government Relations at Visa moderated the discussion. 

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Wendy Cutler

Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President and Managing Director, Washington, D.C. Office

Wendy Cutler joined the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) as vice president in November 2015. She also serves as the managing director of the Washington D.C. Office. In these roles, she focuses on building ASPI’s presence in Washington — strengthening its outreach as a think/do tank — and on leading initiatives that address challenges related to trade and investment, as well as women’s empowerment in Asia. She joined ASPI following an illustrious career of nearly three decades as a diplomat and negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Most recently she served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, working on a range of U.S. trade negotiations and initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region. In that capacity she was responsible for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, including the bilateral negotiations with Japan. She also was the chief negotiator to the U.S.-Korea (Korus) Free Trade Agreement.

Cutler received her master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and her bachelor’s degree from the George Washington University.

MODERATOR BIOGRAPHY

Demetrios Marantis

Demetrios Marantis has been Senior Vice President of Global Government Relations at Visa Inc since October 6, 2015. He joined Visa from Square, where he led global policy, government and regulatory affairs. Prior to joining Square in May 2013, he served as Acting United States Trade Representative since May 6, 2009 and Deputy United States Trade Representative.

As Deputy United States Trade Representative, he was responsible for U.S. trade negotiations and enforcement in Asia and Africa, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum and Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with countries ranging from South Africa to the Philippines.

Before the Obama Administration, he served as Chief International Trade Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee, advising former Chairman Max Baucus and members of the Finance Committee and Democratic Caucus on trade and economic issues. He joined the committee in February 2005 after serving as Issues Director on the Kerry-Edwards 2004 presidential campaign. Marantis spent 2002 to 2004 in Hanoi as Chief Legal Advisor for the U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council and between 1998 and 2002, Demetrios served as Associate General Counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. He also worked for five years in the Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium offices of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. He served as a Director at Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

Marantis holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an A.B. in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University.