Brian Nilsson Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc, Us

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Provide expert advice and guidance on complex international trade control and risk management issues for individual and corporate clients.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Oversaw and directed all aspects of defense trade exports by U.S. industry. Led a staff of almost 200 across 4 offices. Led policy development and provided expert analysis and guidance on defense trade controls, including transfer of defense and intelligence-related technologies to other countries and the implementation and administration of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Arms Export Control Act. Served as a primary link between the State and Defense Departments in this issue area. Oversaw a major new policy initiative to comprehensively rewrite and simplify the ITAR for industry, academia, trade associations, and foreign governments. Facilitated secure trade by making it easier to comply and easier to enforce the controls.Coordinated and provided policy direction and expert advice in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and plans, and defense trade to State Department principals, interagency partners, and U.S. allies.Served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs in incumbent’s absence.Steered the successful launch of the President’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) international export standards initiative. Partnered with National Security Council, Defense Department, and State Department stakeholders to lead worldwide engagement. Lobbied and recruited 53 foreign governments to sign joint declaration of UAV export principles in 2016.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Oversaw and coordinated all oversight of the licensing and enforcement of U.S. defense trade export and import controls for the Executive Branch. Closely engaged with Executive Branch agencies and Congress. Strongly boosted U.S. export competitiveness.Managed complex, challenging portfolio that included dual-use export controls and both export and import munitions controls, overall strategic trade control policies, country policies for NATO+ Allies, multilateral regime partners, China and India. Oversaw and managed the development and implementation of the 2014 U.S. Conventional Arms Transfer Policy and the 2015 U.S. Export Policy for Unmanned Aerial Systems.Spearheaded Presidentially-mandated interagency review of U.S. export control system that evolved into the ongoing Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative, 2009-Present. Chaired the President’s White House Interagency ECR Task Force: prepared a report for and briefed the President on how to rebuild the U.S. export control system. Coordinated all aspects of the multi-year, three-phase implementation plan approved by the President and the Cabinet.Created and led interagency taskforce with 14 expert members reporting directly to NSC Deputies. Won strong NSC and Presidential approval. Confidently led complex multi-year/multi-phase ECR development and implementation across seven Federal agencies. Won key Congressional support for ECR.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Chaired one of the oldest continuous interagency committees in the U.S. government (created 1949). Directed critical dispute resolution process to resolve Executive Branch interagency disputes over dual-use export license applications.Heard and adjudicated disputes between government agencies on the outcome of dual-use export license applications. Built a comprehensive database of precedent and historical case histories that improve the decision-making process and ensured the consistent application of U.S. export control policy. Decisively modernized office functions: reengaged and retrained staff, introduced modern IT, migrated office from paper to a digital record management system and case database, and created a case management training process for internal and external stakeholders.Cut processing times in the Operating Committee to 14 days: met mandate of Executive Order 12981.Earned selection to a prestigious detail at the National Security Council as the NSC export control specialist.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Provided guidance to the Director of the Foreign Policy Division on all facets of the development, interpretation, implementation, and modification of dual-use foreign policy export controls at the Office of Nonproliferation & Treaty Compliance.Earned Group Bronze Medal for outstanding performance in implementing updated U.S. foreign policy with respect to permissible exports to Cuba, 2003.Counseled and advised the Office Director on issues related to all three export licensing divisions, including input on personnel and administrative support issues, and budget planning and implementation.Senior policy analyst on all issues relating to Cuba and North Korea; senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary on all issues relating to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.Spoke and trained industry and government groups on foreign policy issues, with an emphasis on the terrorist-designated countries.Countersigned 2,000+ crime control license applications and those for embargoed and terrorist-designated countries.

B.A., History, French, Political Science

Masters In Business Administration, International Business, German