The United States has appointed a new special representative for Ukraine’s economic recovery. This was was announced uS Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in an official commentary, according to Komersant ukrainskyi
.
It is now known that the powers will be transferred from Penny Pritzker, whose term of office has expired, to Richard Verma.
“Under Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma will continue her work as part of the US effort to support Ukraine’s economic recovery,” Blinken said.
What Ukrainians remember about Penny Pritzker
Among the steps taken by Pritzker towards Ukraine
- secured $9bn in economic aid for Ukraine in the latest funding package approved by the US;
- helped launch an advisory group to the G7 donor coordination platform for Ukraine;
- supported Ukraine’s economic reforms to facilitate private sector investment.
In addition, Pritzker left behind a plan for her replacement. It consists of five steps and is aimed at helping Ukraine succeed in raising the more than $480 billion needed to rebuild after the war.
What we know about the new special representative for Ukraine’s economic recovery
richard Verma, 55, is an American diplomatwho has served as Under Secretary of State for Management and Resources since 5 April 2023. Prior to that, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs from 2009 to 2011, and as US Ambassador to India from 2014 to 2017.
From 2020 to 2023, Verma served as Chief Legal Officer and Global Head of Public Policy at Mastercard, and from 2017 to 2020, he was Vice Chair of the Asia Group, where he led the firm’s South Asia practice. He also practised law for many years at Steptoe & Johnson LLP in Washington, DC, and was a senior counsel and head of India and South Asia at Albright Stonebridge Group.
Verma holds degrees from Georgetown University (J.D.), Georgetown University Law Center (M.A.), American University Washington College of Law (J.D.) and Lehigh University (B.S., Industrial Engineering).
Verma is married and has three children.
The diplomat is a recipient of numerous awards and honours. In particular, he is a recipient of the US State Department’s Distinguished Service Medal, a Council on Foreign Relations Fellowship, and the Chief Justice John Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award for Meritorious Service. India Abroad magazine named him one of the fifty most influential Americans in the country.
