Geoffrey Okamoto

Geoffrey W. S. Okamoto
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Finance and Development
Assumed office
2018
President Donald Trump
Preceded by Ramin Toloui
Personal details
Born Geoffrey William Seiji Okamoto
January 18, 1985
Torrance, California
Political party Republican
Education

Georgetown University

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Geoffrey William Seiji Okamoto is an American economist and government official who currently serves as the Acting Assistant Secretary for International Finance and Development in the United States Department of the Treasury. He previously served as Acting Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Investment.

Early Life and Education

Okamoto was born in Torrance, California, and raised in Irvine, California, where he attended Woodbridge High School. While in high school, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

He attended the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems in 2008.[1] He later attended Georgetown University graduating from the McCourt School of Public Policy in 2011 receiving a Master of Public Policy.[2] Okamoto completed his graduate research with the guidance of the International Monetary Fund on the effect bank reserve requirements have historically had on the pricing and availability of bank loans.[3]

Career

Consultant

Okamoto began his career as a consultant for KPMG, LLP in 2008. He worked with clients in the financial services, asset management, technology, and healthcare sectors on matters related to regulatory compliance, risk management, and operational efficiency.[4]

Congressional Aide

While completing graduate studies at Georgetown University, Okamoto was hired by John Campbell in 2011 to serve as his advisor on financial services and other economic-related matters.[5] In 2013, he was appointed Policy Director for Monetary Policy and Trade for the House Financial Services Committee.[6]

While Policy Director, he worked to force conditions on additional funds the Obama Administration sought for the International Monetary Fund.[7] This included a restoration of key rules governing very large loans which had been removed to allow IMF lending to Greece.[8] Ultimately, the IMF amended its rules and Congress allowed the funding provision to pass.[9]

In 2014, he was hired by Pat Toomey to serve as his chief advisor for the Senate Banking Committee. When Republicans regained the majority in the Senate in 2016, Okamoto became the Majority Staff Director for the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions.[10]

U.S. Department of the Treasury

In November 2016, Okamoto was recruited onto the transition team for Donald Trump working on the Treasury Department's landing team, focussing on international economics and domestic finance. In 2017, the President appointed him Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury within International Affairs, with responsibilities over international financial institutions and sovereign debt matters.[11] He launched the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, a key priority of First Daughter and Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump, and currently serves as Chairman of its Governing Committee.[12]

Upon the Administration withdrawing its initial nominee for Assistant Secretary, Okamoto was elevated to serve, on an acting basis, as Assistant Secretary for International Finance and Development. Okamoto currently oversees several divisions with responsibilities for regional and bilateral economic engagement, international economic coordination through the G-7 and G-20, international monetary affairs, and executing U.S. participation in international financial institutions.

Okamoto also held concurrent appointments by President Trump to be Acting Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the African Development Bank, and the African Development Fund.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Interning At The Top | PolyCentric". polycentric.cpp.edu. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  2. ↑ "Alumni Board". mccourt.georgetown.edu. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  3. ↑ S., Okamoto, Geoffrey W. (2011). "The effect of bank reserve requirements on lending volume and interest rates faced by borrowers".
  4. ↑ "McCourt School Policy Perspectives Fall 2017". Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  5. ↑ "Cong. Dir. 112th - Congressional Directory for the 112th Congress (2011-2012), December 2011". www.gpo.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  6. ↑ "Cong. Dir. 113th - Congressional Directory for the 113th Congress (2013-2014), February 2014". www.gpo.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  7. ↑ "Obama tries again to get approval of IMF reform". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  8. ↑ "On Colombia, the IMF, robots, the media, Africa, jobs, streaming, Northern Ireland". The Economist. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  9. ↑ "IMF Survey : IMF Reforms Policy for Exceptional Access Lending". IMF. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  10. ↑ "Quarles geography issue fixed?". POLITICO. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  11. ↑ "5 key developments out of White House -- raft of new agency personnel -- Senate to vote on FDA head next week". POLITICO. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  12. ↑ Talley, Josh Zumbrun and Ian (2017-10-12). "World Bank Launches Women's Fund Championed by Ivanka Trump". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  13. ↑ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration". The White House. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
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