The Asia Society Policy Institute is pleased to host U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez for a timely discussion on economic coercion, with a particular focus on its impact in the Indo-Pacific region. As geopolitical tensions mount, economic tools are increasingly being weaponized to exert pressure and influence nations' behaviors. This presents significant challenges for businesses operating in the region as well as for broader U.S. economic and strategic interests.

Under Secretary Fernandez will share insights on the Biden administration's efforts to counter economic coercion, including through the State Department's dedicated team providing support to targeted countries and his leadership on diversifying critical minerals supply chains. In conversation with ASPI Vice President Wendy Cutler, he will discuss how the U.S. is working with allies and partners to build economic resilience and create alternatives to dependence on coercive actors. The conversation will explore the role of the private sector in addressing vulnerabilities and strengthening economic security.

Key questions to be addressed include:

•    How is economic coercion impacting the business environment in the Indo-Pacific?
•    What tools and strategies is the U.S. government deploying to counter coercive practices?
•    How can the public and private sectors collaborate to build greater resilience against economic pressure?
•    What are the prospects for multilateral efforts to address this challenge?

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a key U.S. policymaker on one of today's most critical economic and geopolitical risks facing businesses in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

SPEAKERS

Jose W. Fernandez was confirmed by the Senate as Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment on August 6, 2021.  He leads the State Department’s bureaus and offices that stand at the center of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts on climate change, clean energy, health, supply chain security, and other economic priorities. Under Secretary Fernandez is also the United States Alternate Governor to the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Inter-American Development Bank.  From 2009 to 2013, he served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, one of the bureaus he now oversees. Prior to his most recent appointment at the Department of State, Under Secretary Fernandez was a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP in New York. His practice focused on mergers, acquisitions, and finance in Europe and emerging markets, advising U.S. and foreign clients in the telecommunications, energy, water, banking, and consumer industries. He was named one of the “World’s Leading Lawyers” by Chambers Global for his M&A and corporate work, a “Highly Regarded” practitioner by the International Financial Law Review, and one of the “World’s Leading Privatization Lawyers” by Euromoney Publications.  He has been chair of the Inter-American law committees of both the American Bar Association and The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, as well as of the Cross-Border M&A and Joint Venture Committee of the New York State Bar Association.  Most recently, Fernandez was an adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School, where he taught the course on international business transactions. A life-long supporter of the arts and education, Under Secretary Fernandez has served as a trustee of  Dartmouth College and NPR-station WBGO-FM, and on the Board of Directors of Acción International, the Council of the Americas, Ballet Hispanico of New York, the Middle East Institute, and the Partnership for Inner City Education. He was the Transition Policy Director for then-Governor-Elect Phil Murphy of New Jersey in 2017, and a director of Iberdrola S.A. until assuming his current position. The Under Secretary graduated from Dartmouth College and received an honorary degree from the College. He earned a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law, where he was awarded the Charles Evans Hughes Prize and a Parker School Certificate of International Law with honors.

Wendy Cutler is Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) and the managing director of the Washington, D.C. office. In these roles, she focuses on leading initiatives that address challenges related to trade, investment, and innovation, 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), where she also served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. During her USTR career, she worked on a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations and initiatives, including the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, U.S.-China negotiations, and the WTO Financial Services negotiations. She has published a series of ASPI papers on the Asian trade landscape and serves as a regular media commentator on trade and investment developments in Asia and the world.