Elizabeth Cannon, former global trade counsel with Microsoft, has joined the Bureau of Industry and Security as the executive director of the agency’s Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services, a BIS spokesperson said. That office is responsible for implementing certain prohibitions on information and communications technology and services transactions, restrictions on foreign access to certain U.S. sensitive data, and more. Cannon’s first day was Jan. 22.

Andrew Astuno, a former Treasury Department official who worked on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., has joined Clifford Chance as a CFIUS lawyer, he announced this week on LinkedIn. Astuno was a policy adviser with Treasury’s Office of Investment Security before leaving in early 2022 to join Stroock & Stroock.

McLarty Associates co-founder Nelson Cunningham has been nominated to replace Jayme White as deputy U.S. trade representative. White was responsible for negotiations in the Western Hemisphere, Europe and the Middle East, and also had some labor and environmental issues in his portfolio.

Cordell Hull, former acting undersecretary for the Bureau of Industry and Security, joined Amazon Web Services this month as head of trade and economic security policy, according to his LinkedIn announcement. Hull led BIS during the last year of the Trump administration (see 2011190018) before joining WestExec Advisors as a geopolitical risk consultant.

Greenberg Traurig launched an international trade practice in its Mexico City office, the firm announced Jan. 8. The firm said Guillermo Sanchez Chao will serve as the practice area's first shareholder after joining from Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa. Sanchez Chao's practice will center on "international trade, customs, supply chain and administrative litigation," the firm said.

Greta Peisch is departing her job as general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and USTR Katherine Tai announced Juan Millan will serve as acting general counsel. The general counsel position must be Senate-confirmed.

Lance Jasper, former senior counsel for the SEC's Division of Enforcement, has joined Akin as a partner in the white collar defense and government investigations practice group, the firm announced. Jasper, who worked for the SEC for over a decade, will focus on white collar defense, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases.

The Federal Maritime Commission hired David Eng as the agency's new secretary. Eng, who most recently worked as a branch chief at the Departmental Appeals Board of the Department of Health and Human Services, will process Shipping Act complaints and communications submitted to the FMC, maintain records of meetings, and conduct other clerical activities on behalf of the commission.

White collar attorneys Maria Lapetina and Ian Herbert were elected members of the firm, effective Jan. 1, the firm announced. Lapetina centers her practice on internal and government investigations, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and anti-money laundering cases. Herbert is a member of the Trust and Family Office and Anti-Money Laundering practice groups, whose practice also centers on government investigations.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative moved Bryant Trick from acting assistant to assistant USTR for Europe and the Middle East, it said in a Dec. 11 news release. Prior to taking on the acting role in September, Trick, who has been at USTR for over 15 years, was deputy assistant USTR for Korea, USTR said.