— Domani Spero

Ambassador Rivkin permanently departed Paris on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 after more than four years as chief of mission. President Obama nominated Ambassador Rivkin to serve as Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. He received the U.S. flag flown over the U.S. Embassy until September 11, 2013

Photo via US Embassy Paris

The WH released the following brief bio on October 30, 2013.

Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin is the U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco, a position he has held since 2009.  From 2005 to 2009, Ambassador Rivkin was the President and CEO of W!LDBRAIN, an award-winning film and television show production company.  From 1988 to 2003, he served in various roles for The Jim Henson Company, most recently as the President and CEO.  Previously, Ambassador Rivkin was an analyst in Corporate Finance at Salomon Brothers from 1984 to 1986.  Before his service as Ambassador, he served on the boards of various companies and organizations, including Save the Children from 1997 to 2003 and Chrysalis from 1996 to 2002.  From 1996 to 2009, he was a Member of the Young Presidents Organization and from 2007 to 2009 he was a Member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.  Ambassador Rivkin received a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

If confirmed, Ambassador Rivkin will succeed Jose W. Fernandez who was appointed assistant secretary to EB from 2009-2013.  In late October, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP announced that Mr.  Fernandez had joined its firm as a partner in the New York office.  At Gibson Dunn, Mr. Fernandez will reportedly focus his practice on mergers and acquisitions and finance in emerging markets in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

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