Ambassador Demetrios Marantis, Acting USTR

Ambassador Demetrios Marantis serves as Deputy United States Trade Representative, and on March 15, 2013, he assumed the duties of Acting United States Trade Representative. Ambassador Marantis was nominated for the position of Deputy United States Trade Representative by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 6, 2009.

As Deputy United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Marantis is responsible for U.S. trade negotiations and enforcement in Asia and Africa, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum, and Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with countries ranging from South Africa to the Philippines. Ambassador Marantis also leads USTR global initiatives on trade and the environment, as well as trade and development, including the administration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. As Deputy USTR, Ambassador Marantis played a central role in the negotiation and congressional passage of the U.S.-Korea trade agreement, which entered into force on March 15, 2012. He also spearheaded conclusion in APEC of the first-ever agreement to reduce tariffs on environmental goods.

Before joining the Administration, Ambassador Marantis served as Chief International Trade Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee. In this capacity, he advised Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), as well as members and staff of the Finance Committee and Democratic Caucus, on trade and economic issues. Ambassador Marantis joined the committee in February 2005 after serving as Issues Director on the Kerry-Edwards 2004 presidential campaign.

Prior to the campaign, Ambassador Marantis spent two years in Hanoi as Chief Legal Advisor for the U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council where he provided technical assistance on international trade matters. Between 1998 and 2002, he served as Associate General Counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative where he negotiated provisions of international trade agreements and represented the United States in WTO dispute settlement proceedings. He also worked for five years in the Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium offices of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.

Ambassador Marantis holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an A.B. in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University.