28 September 2009
The US Department of Treasury has announced nominees to fill three positions: the Assistant Secretary for International Finance, The Assistant Secretary for International Markets & Development, and the Executive Director for the United States of the Inter-American Development Bank
The Nominees:
Marisa Lago - Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Development
Marisa Lago was most recently the Chief Executive Officer and President of Empire State Development (through June 2009), and has had a distinguished career in international securities regulation, federal and municipal government, international financial services, and law. As the head of New York’s chief economic development agency, she pushed forward important long-term development projects including the revitalization of Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo, the expansion and renovation of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, and the construction of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Immediately before joining New York State government, Ms. Lago spent five years as the Global Head of Compliance for Citigroup, leading a global team providing compliance coverage for Citigroup’s investment and corporate banking businesses.
Before joining Citigroup, Ms. Lago headed the Office of International Affairs for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. As the head of the office responsible for all aspects of the SEC's international activities, Ms. Lago played a key role in numerous international initiatives involving trade in financial services, international accounting standards, securities activities on the internet and enhancing financial regulation in off-shore financial centers.
In addition to her financial services experience, Ms. Lago has served in senior economic development positions in two major cities. As Boston's Chief Economic Development Officer from 1994 to 1997, she headed the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and was also responsible for the city's public housing, affordable housing, neighborhood development and job training agencies. From 1990 to 1994, she was General Counsel for New York City's Economic Development Corporation. In the mid-1980's, Ms. Lago worked for the Chairman of the New York City Planning Commission. She began her legal career as a clerk to Judge Hugh. H. Bownes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Ms. Lago earned a J.D. cum laude in 1982 from Harvard Law School, and a B.S. in physics from Cooper Union in 1977.
Charles Collyns - Assistant Secretary for International Finance
Dr. Charles Collyns is Deputy Director of the Research Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he leads the team responsible for preparing the “World Economic Outlook.” Prior to joining the Research Department in 2006, he has held a range of positions at IMF including being responsible for IMF’s work on Japan from 1997–2001, on the United States from 2001–03, and on Brazil from 2004–06. Dr. Collyns is author of a number of publications on international macro-economics. In addition to the World Economic Outlook report, he co‑authored “Post‑Bubble Blues—How Japan Responded to Asset Price Collapse,” “Managing Financial Crises—Recent Experience and Lessons for Latin America,” and “Stabilization and Reform in Latin America—A Macroeconomic Perspective on the Experience since the early 1990s.” Dr. Collyns received a Doctorate in Economics from Oxford University after obtaining first class honors as an undergraduate at Cambridge University.
Gustavo Arnavat - Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank
Gustavo Arnavat most recently served as Director and Senior Legal Counsel of the Citi Private Bank in New York, where he was Legal Co-Head of the Latin America market region. At Citi, he managed a wide range of legal, regulatory and policy issues in connection with banking, investment management and brokerage services. Arnavat also spent several years as an investment banker, focusing on the origination and execution of public offerings and private placements by Latin American issuers, and provided strategic advice relating to M&A transactions and joint ventures. Prior to attending law school, Arnavat served as a Presidential Management Fellow, working at the National Security Council as the Latin America regional analyst, the State Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, where he worked on domestic and international law enforcement and anti-money laundering initiatives. He serves on the Boards of the DEA Museum Foundation, the Westchester Community Foundation, and TeatroStageFest. Arnavat received a B.A., cum laude, from Cornell University, an M.P.P. degree from the Harvard Kennedy School, where he was an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow, and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, where he was an editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.