EY appoints Douglas Bell as Global Trade Policy Leader

Ernst & Young LLP (EY) has announced that Douglas Bell has joined the firm as EY Global Trade Policy Leader and will work across the organization to support clients and advise EY leadership on trade issues.

Bell comes to EY following a distinguished career in the federal government − most recently at the US Department of the Treasury, where he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Trade and Investment Policy.

“We are in a period of intensive action following the 2017 tax reform bill and new global trade directives. EY insights are sought after by domestic and multinational companies eager to navigate this fluid landscape,” said Marna Ricker, EY Americas Vice Chair of Tax Services. “Doug is deeply experienced in trade agreements and international economic policy discussions, having represented the US on a number of major bi- and multilateral trade negotiations. During his time in government, he earned a reputation for focusing on the broad issues faced by the US in order to compete globally.”

Bell’s extensive knowledge of trade policy and historical perspective of US trade policy development can enhance EY service offerings, addressing important market drivers and recent global trade disruptions to help clients benefit from wide-ranging EY capabilities.

Douglas Bell has served under both Republican and Democrat administrations. At Treasury, he led the department’s trade policy development efforts, with an emphasis on the financial services sector and matters relating to China and the European Union. He also managed Treasury’s involvement in free-trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty negotiations.

Prior to his role at Treasury, Bell also served at the:

• Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), including four years as the Counselor and Assistant US Trade Representative for Trade Policy and Economics. There he oversaw market-access and rule-of-origin chapters in the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations.
• National Security Council at The White House from 2009 through 2011, where he was Director for International Trade and Investment. He advised the President, National Economic Director, National Security Advisor and other senior officials on trade and investment issues, developed the Administration’s trade agenda and managed policy and the coordination of economic agencies in support of the President’s objectives. He led government-wide approaches to resolving ongoing trade and economic issues.
• US Department of State, where he began his career as a Foreign Service Officer.

Bell earned an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.