Former DocuSign CEO Keith Krach to be Under Secretary of State  for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment (E)

January 22, 2019 By in Nominations, Officially In, Political Appointees, Top Ranks, Trump Tags: , , ,

Posted: 4:04 am EST

On January 18, the WH announced the president’s intent to nominate former CEO of DocuSign Keith Krach to be the State Department’s Under Secretary of State  for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment (E), to be the U.S. Alternate Governor for six international banks, and as Board of Director Member for OPIC. Below via the WH:

Keith Krach of California, to be:

  • Under Secretary of State  for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
  • United States Alternate Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  • United States Alternate Governor to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  • United States Alternate Governor to the Inter-American Development Bank
  • United States Alternate Governor of the African Development Bank
  • United States Alternate Governor of the African Development Fund
  • United States Alternate Governor of the Asian Development Bank
  • A Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
    Mr. Krach is Chairman and former CEO of DocuSign, and was also the co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Ariba.  Prior to that, Mr. Krach was Chief Operating Officer of Rasna Corporation and served as the first Entrepreneur and CEO-in-Residence for Benchmark Capital.  Mr. Krach began his career at General Motors.  Mr. Krach served as Chairman of Purdue University’s Board of Trustees, Chairman of Angie’s List, and is Chairman of the DocuSign Impact Foundation.  He received his B.S. and Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from Harvard University.

The Under Secretary of State  for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment oversees the following functional bureaus at the State Department.

Per history.state.gov, on Jul 13, 1972, Congress established separate and permanent positions at the Under Secretary of State level for Economic Affairs and for Political Affairs, in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (P.L. 92-352; 86 Stat. 490). On Aug 16, 1985, Congress changed the title to include Agricultural Affairs (P.L. 99-93; 99 Stat. 405). The Under Secretary for Economic and Agricultural Affairs serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary (previously Under Secretary) on matters relating to foreign economic and commercial policy. Specified duties, responsibilities, and assignments have varied over time. Each incumbent is commissioned with a functional designation as part of his title. On May 12, 1994, the title was changed to “Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs.” On December 8, 2011, the title was changed to “Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.”

Going back to 1946, out of the 18 previous appointees, only two career diplomats have ever been appointed as “E” under secretary  (Mann and Larson).  This non-career nomination for the “E” bureau is not surprising. If confirmed, Mr. Krach would succeed Catherine A. Novelli who was Vice-President of Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple prior to her 2013 nomination.

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