Top Commerce Official in Charge of Export Administration Resigns

Rich Ashooh, the Commerce Department’s assistant secretary for export administration, submitted his resignation and will officially leave the agency July 16, a Commerce spokesperson said. The spokesperson declined to comment on the reasons for Ashooh’s departure. Ashooh’s resignation was first reported by Reuters.

Ashooh, who held his position for three years, led dual-use export controls and national security policy at Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. He was viewed by industry as one of BIS’s top decision-makers after Nazak Nikakhtar stepped down from her acting role as Commerce undersecretary for industry and security, which is the leader of BIS, in August 2019 (see 1908290044). During the past year, Ashooh was one of BIS’s main liaisons with industry on agency efforts to control emerging and foundational technologies (see 1909060041) and changes to the direct product rule (see 1912100033), among other topics. He frequently spoke with industry representatives at Commerce’s technical advisory committee meetings, where he gave updates on BIS actions.