Pakistan-origin Dilawar Syed appointed US State Department’s special representative

ISLAMABAD – The US Department of State appointed Pakistani American businessman and entrepreneur Dilawar Syed as the new Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs, according to an official statement.

“Special Representative Syed brings a strong background in business and entrepreneurship, having built global enterprises in the fields of technology, healthcare, and business services,” it said.

He will also draw on his experience working at the federal and state levels to advance commercial and economic policies that benefit American workers and businesses.

In the Obama administration, he played an active role in promoting the State Department’s Global Entrepreneurship Program and connecting Silicon Valley innovators with emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems.

As the founding Chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force, Special Representative Syed drove inclusive entrepreneurship that bridged coastal regions with the state’s rural heartland and helped small businesses struggling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serving in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, the Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs advances trade, commercial, and economic policies for America’s workers and the middle-class to help create well-paying jobs and strengthen our communities.

Special Representative Syed will lead efforts to support the export activities of U.S. companies through approved commercial advocacy and to create and advance a level playing field for U.S. workers and companies overseas.