Senior Additions Strengthen Albright Stonebridge Group As Leading Global Commercial Diplomacy Firm

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With the addition of several leaders from the worlds of international commerce, diplomacy, trade, technology, and communications, Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) has bolstered its capacity and role as the leading global commercial diplomacy and strategic advisory firm.

"With the arrival of Donald Gips, Paula Dobriansky, Nick Lovegrove, Michael Auerbach, Nicole Lamb-Hale, Eric Altbach, and Ben Chang, our team at Albright Stonebridge gains a wealth of talent and experience that spans the globe," said Madeleine K. Albright, Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group.  "As we build on our foundation of providing targeted, strategic guidance to help clients navigate the intersection of business, government, and civil society, this group of distinguished professionals provides unique experience, wisdom, and insights for our current and prospective clients, and for the firm as a whole."

"These individuals have been proven leaders in both the public and private sectors.  Together, they will contribute enormously to the future growth of the ASG team and expand the breadth and depth of the services we provide clients," added Samuel R. Berger, Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group.

Donald Gips has joined ASG as a Senior Director, bringing extensive experience in international business, management and diplomacy to the development of the firm's Africa practice and clients across the firm.  Mr. Gips served as the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa from 2009 to 2012.  Ambassador Gips also serves as Chair of the U.S.-South Africa Business Council and co-chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Africa Business Initiative.  Previously, he was Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Personnel at the White House.  He also served as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor for Vice President Al Gore and was Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission.  In the private sector, Mr. Gips was the Group Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development for Level 3 Communications where he led merger and acquisition efforts, as well as an Executive Manager at McKinsey & Company.

Paula Dobriansky has also joined the ASG team as Senior Director.  With over three decades of global experience in both the public and private sectors, Ambassador Dobriansky will provide insights and expertise across a range of critical issues, including international trade, global health, the environment, and national security.  She is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University's JFK Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Chair of the National Board of Directors of the World Affairs Councils of America.  From 2010 to 2012, she was Senior Vice President and Global Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Thomson Reuters.  From May 2001 to January 2009, she served as Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs.  In February 2007, she was appointed the President's Special Envoy to Northern Ireland.  Prior to her Presidential appointments, Ambassador Dobriansky served as Senior Vice President and Director of the Washington Office of the Council on Foreign Relations.  She has also held senior positions at the U.S. Information Agency and the National Security Council.  She is the recipient of the Secretary of State's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal.

Nick Lovegrove, a Senior Director of ASG, plays a key role in client service management and development and overall institutional advancement, building on 30 years of experience with McKinsey & Company.  He was most recently Director and Managing Partner of McKinsey's Washington, D.C. office, responsible for its overall operations and client services.  Before moving to Washington in 2006, Mr. Lovegrove spent 24 years in McKinsey's London office, where he was elected Partner in 1989 and a Senior Partner in 1995.  From 2001 to 2005, he served as a Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair's Strategy Unit, advising on industry regulation, education strategy and the knowledge economy.  Mr. Lovegrove is currently a Senior Fellow of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he researches and teaches in the Center for Business and Government.  He is also a visiting lecturer at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government, and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

Michael Auerbach is a Senior Director of ASG, applying his experience and expertise in risk analysis and strategic consulting on behalf of clients.  Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Auerbach was Vice President at Control Risks, a global risk consultancy. Control Risks acquired Michael's previous firm, Social Risks, chaired by the late Theodore C. Sorensen, in 2009.  He also founded Panopticon, Inc., a technology incubator, and has worked for a range of innovative media companies including Viacom, Pseudo Programs and Cable & Wireless.  Mr. Auerbach held senior positions at the Center for American Progress and The Century Foundation concentrating on issues related to business and foreign policy, security and peace.

Nicole Lamb-Hale is a Senior Vice President of ASG, providing strategic advice to companies as they develop and implement their global business objectives, including the expansion of their exports to, and presence in, international markets.  An experienced advocate for U.S. business, she most recently served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Services in the International Trade Administration (ITA).  In that capacity, she helped U.S. industries succeed internationally by strengthening their competitive position in foreign markets to sustain and create American jobs.  Previously, Ms. Lamb-Hale served as the Deputy General Counsel of the Commerce Department.  Prior to joining the Obama Administration, she was Managing Partner of the Detroit office of international law firm Foley & Lardner, where she specialized in business restructuring in the manufacturing sector.

Eric Altbach comes to ASG as a Senior Vice President after more than 15 years of experience in U.S.-Asia trade and economic relations.  Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Altbach served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China Affairs, where he was responsible for Taiwan and China, with a particular emphasis on energy and environment issues.  Previously, Mr. Altbach held a variety of government positions focused on Asian economic and trade issues, including at the National Security Council, where he served as Director for Asian Economic Affairs from 2004 to 2006, and at the U.S. Department of State, including as a Senior Economic Analyst covering Asian economic issues in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

Ben Chang is Senior Vice President for Communications at ASG, bringing extensive experience in the diplomatic and security arenas and a focus on media relations, public affairs, and crisis communications to the firm.  Most recently, he was a Principal at the Podesta Group.  Mr. Chang served for almost 18 years as a Foreign Service Officer, providing communications strategies and foreign policy guidance for senior officials over three administrations.  His assignments included the White House, as Director for Press and Communications at the National Security Council during both the Bush and Obama Administrations; at the State Department, as Senior Advisor for Strategic Planning and Crisis Communications in the Bureau of Public Affairs; at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, as Deputy Spokesman; and at the U.S. Mission to the OECD.

ASG also recently announced that former Secretary of Commerce and Kellogg CEO Carlos Gutierrez has joined the firm as Vice Chair.

About Albright Stonebridge Group
Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) is a leading commercial diplomacy and strategic advisory firm chaired by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and National Security Advisor Samuel R. Berger.  ASG has helped clients navigate the intersections of business, the public sector, and civil society in over 100 countries on six continents.  The firm is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with more than 100 seasoned professionals around the world.  ASG advises and assists companies, associations, and foundations to assess and manage risk, realize opportunities, position themselves for success, and solve commercial, political, and regulatory challenges.  The firm's global network includes team members in Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kampala, Madrid, Moscow, New Delhi, Stockholm, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Santiago de Chile, Shanghai, Sydney, and elsewhere.

For more information, visit: www.albrightstonebridge.com

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ben Chang
202-842-7222
[email protected]

SOURCE Albright Stonebridge Group