Juan Verde is an internationally renowned strategist for both the public and private sectors, with particular focus on sustainable economic development. His specialty is designing innovative strategies to attract investment, accelerate economic development, and support strategic alliances.
In the public sector, Mr. Verde served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the United States Department of Commerce under President Barack Obama. In this capacity, Mr. Verde led the Department’s efforts to solve trade policy and market-access issues faced by U.S. firms seeking to grow their business operations in Europe and Eurasia. Additionally, he was responsible for developing and recommending policies and programs to support U.S. economic and commercial relations with 52 countries in the region. Mr. Verde previously served in the Department of Commerce during the Clinton Administration as an international trade analyst, coordinator, and consultant, working first in the Office of Latin America and later in the Minority Business Development Agency.
Within the political arena, Mr. Verde has worked to support democratic political candidates and issues for several decades. More recently, he worked on behalf of the Biden-Harris presidential campaign as a policy advisor, fundraiser, and organizer. He also served as Chair of Americans Abroad for Biden. Mr. Verde has also worked with some of today’s most relevant political figures, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, the late Senator Ted Kennedy, and former Secretary of State John Kerry. Mr. Verde was also a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Fellow during his early career. In the private sector, Mr. Verde has served as a consultant for a variety of prestigious companies, such as Google, Cisco, SAS, American Express, and Banco Santander Investments US. He has also collaborated with institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank, Harvard University, and the World Bank. He founded and led the Canary Islands and Gibraltar chapters of the American Chamber of Commerce and is a current member of the Board
of Directors of the American Sustainable Business Council, the leading business organization in the U.S. serving the public policy interests of sustainable responsible companies, their customers and other stakeholders. In the public sector, he has worked with the governments of Lithuania, Gibraltar, and the United States, as well as numerous governors and mayors in Latin America. Mr. Verde’s policy and private sector experiences have dovetailed in his efforts to promote sustainable global business
practices and leadership development. He was a key advocate of Vice President Gore’s “The Climate Reality Project” and helped create its Spain and Argentina branches. Among other recognitions, Juan Verde has been named for two consecutive years as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanic Leaders in the Fight Against Climate Change, as well as one of the TOP100 Disruptive Managers and Leaders of 2021. He was also invited to participate in the UN Climate Conference, COP25 and will participate in COP26 in Glasgow. He also currently presides over the Advanced Leadership Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that seeks to identify and develop the next generation of business, social, and political leaders from around the world. Mr. Verde is a doctoral candidate in Economics at the Universidad Camilo José Cela in Madrid, Spain, where he is investigating green economy strategies for small island nations. He holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations from Boston University, and was elected to the Alumni Board of Directors at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In addition, Mr. Verde has been decorated as a knight by the Sovereign Order of the Ecumenical Knights of Rhodes and Malta, and his work has been recognized by Pope Francis. Mr. Verde travels widely in support of multiple endeavors. In his free time, Mr. Verde enjoys horseback riding, hiking and is also an avid marathon runner.
