Council Applauds Gov. Newsom’s Action on Trade

The Bay Area Council applauded Gov. Gavin Newsom’s action this week (Feb. 28) appointing Lt. Gov. and former U.S. Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis as California’s International and Trade Development Representative and creating the International Affairs and Trade Development Interagency Committee that she will lead. Lenny Mendonca, Gov. Newsom’s Senior Economic Advisor and a former chair of the Bay Area Council, will serve as Vice Chair of the new committee.

“California’s economy is a global economy that will be made stronger and more resilient by increasing our trade and investment presence around the world,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “Gov. Newsom’s leadership in taking this action today will expand economic opportunities for more Californians, help attract more investment to our state and deepen our valuable international partnerships across the globe. Lt. Gov. Kounalakis, with her strong international experience, is an excellent choice to lead this new effort. Our extensive research on the California’s and the Bay Area’s trade and investment ties with the world has made abundantly clear just how important and how valuable they are in maintaining our competitiveness, growing our economy and increasing prosperity.”

The Bay Area Council partners with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to operate the California-China Office of Trade and Investment, which was opened in 2013. The Council has operated in China and throughout Asia over the past 10 years with four offices in Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Beijing, helping companies enter and expand in China and promoting Chinese investment in California. To engage in the Council’s China work and other global initiatives, please contact Chief of Global Business Development Del Christensen.