Jason Rhoades, formerly KPMG senior manager-trade and customs services, joined Intel as director of global sanctions, Rhoades announced this week. Rhoades, a former sanctions compliance officer at the Treasury Department, said he will work as part of Intel’s export controls and sanctions team.
Guillermo Christensen, former office managing partner at Ice Miller, has joined K&L Gates as a partner in the antitrust, competition and trade regulation practice, the firm announced. Christensen's practice centers on advising clients on matters involving economic sanctions, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and export controls. In the past, Christensen has also represented clients in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases, OFAC investigations and voluntary disclosures. Before becoming a lawyer, Christensen worked for the CIA for 15 years in various assignments, including in interagency roles with the Defense and State departments.
Brian Fleming, a former official in the National Security Division at DOJ, has joined Steptoe & Johnson as a partner in the International Trade and Regulatory Compliance Group, the firm announced. Fleming most recently worked as a member at Miller & Chevalier Chartered, advising clients on economic sanctions, export controls and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States proceedings.
The Bureau of Industry and Security named Greg Capella as its new deputy undersecretary, an agency spokesperson said this week. Capella, who officially started July 18, previously served as acting director of the Commerce Department’s National Technical Information Service. Capella replaced Jeremy Pelter, who is now acting chief financial officer and assistant secretary of commerce for administration.
Ivan Komaritsky, former corporate regulatory attorney at DLA Piper, has joined Rimon PC as counsel in the New York office, the firm announced. Komaritsky's practice centers around Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and U.S. economic sanctions matters. Throughout his career, Komaritsky has conducted internal investigations and FCPA corporate audits in countries around the globe, including in Russia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, the firm said.
Dwight Draughon Jr., former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, rejoined Steptoe & Johnson as a partner in the Washington, D.C.-based white-collar defense group, the firm announced. During his stint as Assistant U.S. Attorney, Draughon prosecuted a host of white collar crimes, including "wire, bank, and procurement fraud, public corruption, hate crimes, firearm trafficking, and numerous other federal offenses," Steptoe said. At Steptoe, the firm said Draughon will focus on public corruption, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and fraud matters. Before joining the U.S. Attorney's office, Draughon worked as an associate for two years at Steptoe.
Stephenie Gosnell Handler, former director for cybersecurity strategy and digital acceleration at McKinsey, has rejoined Gibson Dunn as a partner and member of the International Trade and the Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation practice groups, the firm announced. Handler's practice will center on Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. proceedings, export controls, sanctions, national security, cybersecurity, data and technology, the firm said. At McKinsey, she advised the company's leadership on cybersecurity, technology and data trends. She previously worked as an associate at Gibson Dunn from 2011 to 2015.
Rachel Fiorill, former enforcement section chief at the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, joined Morrison Foerster as of counsel in the Washington, D.C., office, the firm announced. Fiorill most recently worked at Paul Weiss, where she advised clients on "economic sanctions, Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering," anti-corruption and export control proceedings. While at OFAC, Fiorill led investigations of hundreds of enforcement actions, serving as coordinator for the Enforcement Division's Ukraine, Russia and Syria-related investigations, Morrison Foerster said.
Thomas Krueger, former director of strategic trade and nonproliferation on the National Security Council, has joined Akin Gump as a senior policy adviser, according to a LinkedIn post from firm partner Kevin Wolf. Krueger worked for a decade at the State Department, most recently as a senior policy adviser, before joining the NSC, where he served from 2020 to June 2022. Per his new firm, Krueger advises clients on compliance with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and the Export Administration Regulations, along with transfer policies for emerging technologies.
Hagir Elawad, former official at the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, D.C., joined Shumaker Advisors as senior vice president of federal affairs, the firm announced. At Shumaker, Elawad will take on a lead advocacy position, "managing government affairs teams and driving public policy solutions," the firm said. During her time in the UAE Embassy, Elawad worked on public affairs issues, including export controls, sanctions, defense, aviation and renewable energy, among other things, Shumaker said.