Matt Murray, most recently head of the bureau of economic and business affairs at the State Department, has been appointed to serve as the department’s senior U.S. official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
He brings to the role 23 years of experience in foreign service and will coordinate U.S. involvement in APEC and lead the office of economic policy within the department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, the State Department said Thursday.
Murray previously served as deputy assistant secretary of State for trade policy and negotiations.
He has held economic policy roles in the Asia-Pacific region, including counselor for economic affairs at the U.S. embassy in Canberra, Australia, and minister counselor for economic affairs at the U.S. embassy in Beijing.
Through APEC, the U.S. further advances the country’s digital economy and innovation, supports U.S. companies and helps the Asia-Pacific region’s economies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, among other efforts.
