The President of the United States, Barack Obama, has appointed a Nigerian-American, Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo, as his Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs. Adewale would be taking over from Caroline Atkinson whose tenure recently ended after serving in the position since June 2013. Adewale joins the league of Nigerians making the country proud in the United States.

The role of his predecessor

• Atkinson was in charge of coordinating the United States participation in the annual summits of the Group of Twenty (G20) and Group of Seven (G7) countries.
• Atkinson also played key roles in the recently concluded climate negotiations in Paris and in pushing the White House’s trade agenda, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

Adeyemo’s work experience

• Adewale served in top roles at the Treasury Department in the White House.
• He was the Treasury’s lead negotiator on the currency agreement that was part of the Pacific trade deal as well as the Deputy Chief of Staff to US Secretary, Jacob Lew.
• He developed a network of international relationships in economic offices around the world to promote U.S. interests effectively.
• Adewale was part of the team that helped coordinate US response to the global recession by laying the foundation for renewed growth at home and abroad.
• He helped establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the United States.
• He has been the United States’ point person on a range of international economic issues, including negotiations on strong currency agreements around the Trans-Pacific Partnership.