Brian Nilsson

Prior to joining BGS, Mr. Nilsson served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs from October 2015 to December 2017. In this role, he managed the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) and provided overall policy guidance regarding the transfer of defense technologies to other countries through commercial defense trade, and served as one of the key links between the State and Defense Departments in this issue area. Mr. Nilsson also served as the Director for Non-Proliferation–Export Controls on the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House from September 2008 to October 2015. He had the NSC export control portfolio for dual-use items and the export and import control portfolio for munitions items. His primary responsibility was for the Administration’s Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative for the NSC and the National Economic Council and he served as the chair of the White House Export Control Reform Task Force. Mr. Nilsson served as Chairman of the Operating Committee (OC) for Export Policy at the U.S. Department of Commerce, a type of administrative judge, hearing cases involving proposed exports or re-exports of dual-use items that require an export license. Prior to his Chairmanship, Mr. Nilsson held a series of positions at the Department of Commerce, including Deputy Director of the Foreign Policy Controls Division, Acting Director of the Office of Strategic Trade and Foreign Policy Controls, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, and acting Deputy Assistant Secretary on behalf of the Assistant Secretary for matters related to the management and administrative functions.