Christopher Padilla

Christopher A. Padilla is vice president, government and regulatory affairs, at IBM Corporation.

Prior to joining IBM, Padilla served as under secretary for international trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He led the International Trade Administration, a 2,000-person agency which works to develop U.S. trade policy, promotes and reviews foreign direct investment in the United States, supports U.S. exports, and ensures compliance with international trade agreements and trade laws. Padilla was also appointed by the president to serve on the Congressional-Executive Commission on the People’s Republic of China. Prior to serving as under secretary, Padilla was assistant secretary of commerce for export administration.

Padilla’s government experience also includes service in the U.S. Department of State and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. From 2005 to 2006, he served as chief of staff and senior adviser to Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick, with a particular focus on U.S.-China relations, Latin America, Sudan, and international economic matters. From 2002 to 2005, Padilla was assistant U.S. trade representative for intergovernmental affairs and public liaison, where he built support for free trade agreements with nations in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as for multilateral agreements and initiatives.

Padilla holds both a B.A. and an M.A. in international studies from Johns Hopkins University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.