“Scott led an outstanding career in public service and is a trusted expert on trade and commercial issues, particularly on U.S.-China matters,” said former Defense Secretary Bill Cohen, Chairman of The Cohen Group. “Our clients will benefit greatly from his experience and knowledge on these critical issues.”
Scott recently concluded an impressive 36-year career at the Commerce Department and in the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, where he held the rank of Minister-Counselor. His career includes leadership roles in Washington and at U.S. Embassies in China, Brazil, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines.
In his most recent role as Deputy Assistant Secretary for China and Mongolia at the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA), Scott was ITA’s Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Commerce on China issues. Throughout his career, Scott worked closely with the business community, including establishing and leading the U.S.-China Commercial Issues Working Group, orchestrating large CEO delegation visits, advocating for U.S. businesses, and supporting U.S. companies to obtain regulatory approval in China and other markets. He also coordinated closely with the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security on ongoing competitive actions and led Commerce’s engagement with the National Security Council on China commercial issues.
Earlier in his career, Scott served as Counselor for Commercial Affairs in Beijing, managing the Commerce Department’s largest overseas presence. His previous roles include Chief Commercial Consul in Hong Kong; Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs in Brasilia and Deputy Senior Commercial Officer in São Paulo; Commercial Attaché in Bangkok; Director of the U.S. Commercial Center in Shanghai; and Commercial Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. He began his career with the Commerce Department in positions in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Manila.
Scott has twice received the Commerce Department’s Gold Medal Award, the highest award granted by the Secretary of Commerce, for excellence in federal service. He received his BA in Political Science and Government from Cornell University. He is fluent in Portuguese and conversant in Mandarin.
Scott joins a distinguished group of senior leaders at The Cohen Group who provide strategic advice and practical assistance to the firm’s business clients. 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 U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and a Career Ambassador;
- General Jim Mattis, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, former Commander of U.S. Central Command and U.S. 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 U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Venezuela, and Zambia and a Career Ambassador;
- Ambassador Mike McKinley, former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Afghanistan, Colombia, and Peru and a Career Ambassador;
- General Mike Scaparrotti, former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and Commander of U.S. European Command, and former Commander of U.S. Forces Korea UNC, CFC;
- General 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 U.S. 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 U.S. Defense Attaché to China, and former Director of Strategy, Plans, and Programs at U.S. 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;
- 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 U.S. Embassy in Beijing;
- Jennifer Gavito, former Ambassador-Nominee to Libya and 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.
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 Department of Homeland Security, the intelligence community, and other federal agencies and in European and Asian governments, international organizations, and the private sector.
With offices in Washington, London, Beijing, Tianjin, 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.