WASHINGTON — Today, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) announced that Rob Strayer will join the global tech trade association as Executive Vice President of Policy. Strayer will lead global policy at ITI after a distinguished career in public service, including most recently at the U.S. Department of State, where he was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber and International Communications and Information Policy in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.

“As the world’s premier technology trade association, ITI’s mission is to advance the global competitiveness of our member companies through policy advocacy,” said ITI President and CEO Jason Oxman. “Rob’s unique mix of legal, policy, and diplomatic experience around the world makes him the ideal leader of our global policy team. We are thrilled that ITI’s member companies and talented staff will benefit from Rob’s decades of technology policy expertise.”

Strayer will lead ITI’s global policy division, which focuses on expanding business opportunities for ITI member companies around the world through advocacy on issues including trade, tax, cybersecurity, broadband, privacy, energy and environment, and accessibility. He will also oversee ITI’s global policy teams in Europe, India, and Latin America.

I’m excited to be joining ITI with its membership of the world's most innovative tech companies. For the last three years, I have had the opportunity to lead the U.S. State Department's international cyber and technology policy advocacy team on economic and national security issues with partner countries. I'm proud of what we have accomplished – establishing a cyber deterrence framework, coordinating 5G security policy, and reaching agreement on Principles for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. I look forward to leading ITI's global policy efforts and managing their well-respected experts in locations around the globe,” said Strayer.

At the U.S. Department of State, Strayer led development of international cybersecurity, Internet, data, and privacy policy and related negotiations with foreign governments. He was named an Ambassador by the President to lead the 90-plus person U.S. delegation to the International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary.

Earlier in his career Strayer was the general counsel for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee where he advised the Chairman on policy matters, including cybersecurity, sanctions, and digital economic policy. During Strayer’s tenure at the Bipartisan Policy Center, he initiated and directed a task force on cybersecurity that published a report on eliminating cybersecurity information sharing impediments. He also served as deputy staff director on the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee where he managed the development of cybersecurity policy and the drafting of cybersecurity legislation. Previously, he practiced communications law at the law firm WilmerHale.

A graduate of Denison University, Strayer received his law degree from Vanderbilt University.