Trump appoints Dow CEO Andrew Liveris as head of America Manufacturing Council

United States President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Dow Chemical Company chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris to head his incoming administration’s new American Manufacturing Council.

Andrew Liveris

Trump made the announcement during a Dec. 10 rally in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he introduced Liveris, a dual U.S.-Australian citizen, as “one of the foremost leaders in manufacturing, one of the foremost leaders in the world of business.”

Liveris, 62, was born in Darwin, Australia, and studied chemical engineering at Brisbane’s University of Queensland. He has been a member of Midland. Mich.-based Dow’s board of directors since February 2004, CEO since November 2004, and was elected as chairman of the board in April 2006.

After being introduced to the crowd by Trump, Liveris made a short acceptance speech. “President-elect Trump, I can’t tell you, I tingle with pride listening to you, but to honour me to help you chair American Manufacturing Council to put in place the investments that you talk about, you’re paving the way with your administration, with your policies, to make it easier to do business in this country — not a red-tape country but a red-carpet country for American businesses,” he said.

The American Manufacturing Council is a private sector group that advises the U.S. secretary of commerce. The Council is tasked with ensuring regular communication between the federal government and manufacturing sector, advising the secretary of commerce on government policies, and providing a forum for discussing industry-related problems. It consists of up to 25 private-sector individuals, appointed by the secretary of commerce for a two-year term.