Ambassador Nicholas Burns will return to The Cohen Group following his service as US Ambassador to China from 2021 to early 2025, the firm announced today. Ambassador Burns will rejoin the firm as a Vice Chair on February 17, 2025.
Prior to his work in China, Ambassador Burns was a Senior Counselor at The Cohen Group for 12 years following an extraordinary career in the US Foreign Service. His expertise in diplomacy and national security extends to every region of the world.
“We are delighted to welcome Ambassador Burns back to The Cohen Group,” said Secretary Bill Cohen, Chairman of The Cohen Group. “Ambassador Burns is one of our country’s most distinguished diplomats, and he is a deeply trusted voice on complex geopolitical trends and their impact on the business community. Our firm and our clients will again benefit significantly from his expertise and command of wide-ranging global issues.”
In his most recent role as US Ambassador to China, Ambassador Burns led US efforts in our increasingly important and complex bilateral relationship while also strongly supporting US business interests in China. Among the many other highlights of his three-decade diplomatic career, Ambassador Burns served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 2005–2008, US Ambassador to NATO from 2001–2005, and US Ambassador to Greece from 1997–2001. He was the Department of State Spokesperson from 1995–1997 and served on the National Security Council from 1990–1995, including as Special Assistant to President Clinton and Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Affairs, as well as Director for Soviet Affairs in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Additionally, he served in the American Consulate General in Jerusalem from 1985–1987 and at the US Embassy in Egypt from 1983–1985.
Ambassador Burns joins a distinguished group of senior leaders at the firm who provide strategic advice and practical assistance to the firm’s clients. In addition to Secretary Cohen, those leaders include:
- General Joseph Ralston, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;
- Ambassador Marc Grossman, former US Ambassador to Turkey, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and former US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and a Career Ambassador;
- General Jim Mattis, former US Secretary of Defense, former Commander of US Central Command and US Joint Forces Command, and former Supreme Allied Commander Transformation;
- General Paul Kern, former Commander of the Army Materiel Command and former Senior Advisor for Army Research, Development, and Acquisition;
- Ambassador Arun Singh, former Indian Ambassador to the United States, France, and Israel;
- Air Chief Marshall Sir Angus Houston, former Chief of the Australian Defense Forces and former Chief of the Australian Air Force;
- Ambassador Jeff Davidow, former US Ambassador to Mexico, Venezuela, and Zambia and a Career Ambassador;
- Ambassador Mike McKinley, former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, former US Ambassador to Brazil, Afghanistan, Colombia, and Peru and a Career Ambassador;
- General Mike Scaparrotti, former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and Commander of US European Command, and former Commander of US Forces Korea UNC, CFC;
- General Sir Tim Radford, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and UK Ministry of Defence Head of Overseas Operations;
- Lieutenant General Harry Raduege, former Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and former Manager of the National Communications System;
- Lieutenant General David Bassett, former Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency and former Army Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, and Communications-Tactical and Ground Combat Systems;
- Lieutenant General Edward Cardon, former director of the US Army of Business Transformation and former Head of the Army Cyber Command;
- Lieutenant General Charles Hooper, former Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, former US Defense Attaché to China, and former Director of Strategy, Plans, and Programs at US Africa Command;
- Major General Kim Crider, former Chief Technology and Innovation Officer for the United States Space Force and former Chief Data Officer for the United States Air Force;
- Ambassador Craig Allen, former President of the US-China Business Council and former US Ambassador to Brunei;
- Ellen Embrey, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness;
- Dave Rank, former Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Beijing;
- Jennifer Gavito, former Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs; and
- Pete Verga, former Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense.
Formed in 2001, The Cohen Group is comprised of more than 80 professionals with many decades of combined experience working in top-level positions in Congress, the White House, the State Department, the Defense Department, the intelligence community, and other federal agencies and in European and Asian governments, international organizations, and the private sector.
With a presence in Washington, London, Beijing, New Delhi, and Brisbane, The Cohen Group provides its business clients the insights needed to better understand and shape the business, political, legal, regulatory, and media environments in which they operate. This includes both developing strategic business plans to help clients achieve their objectives and actively participating with clients in the execution of those plans.
The Cohen Group also has a strong strategic partnership with DLA Piper, a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.