Ambassador Hector Morales, Former US Representative to the Organization of American States, Joins Baker & McKenzie
Firm News
January 28, 2010
Washington, D.C., January 28, 2010 – Ambassador Hector E. Morales has joined Baker & McKenzie LLP as Of Counsel in the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Ambassador Morales most recently served as the United States Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), the world’s oldest multilateral political forum in the Western Hemisphere.
Ambassador Morales has more than 20 years of experience in US commerce in the Americas, both as a businessman and a lawyer. Prior to his appointment to the OAS, Ambassador Morales served as US Executive Director to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and as Alternate US Executive Director to the IDB.
Ambassador Morales has served as a consultant to companies providing financial services, including the world’s leading micro-lender to Latin America and a community development bank based in New York. He has also served as Senior Vice President of Viamericas Corporation, a path-breaking company that offered the first pre-paid money transfer card in the US to the Latin America remittance market, and as President and General Manager of Reliant Energy Argentina.
Ambassador Morales serves concurrently as Vice Chairman of Global Strategic Associates, LLC, in New York City which provides strategic consulting and investment services to leading international businesses, with a particular focus on China, the US and Latin America.
“We are honored to have Ambassador Morales join the Firm,” said Kevin O’Brien, managing partner of the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office. “His deep experience in development and diplomacy is a rare combination. He can offer our clients unique insight into how to effectively manage their investments in the growing Latin American market.”
Baker & McKenzie partner and former General Counsel of the Asian Development Bank Barry Metzger added: “Ambassador Morales is a natural fit with our strong position in Latin America and our experience with multilateral organizations. He brings to the table his rich experience at the OAS as well as the IDB. We are very excited to have him join the Firm.”