Top White House Economic Adviser is Moving to Private Sector

A key White House economic adviser in the making of President Donald Trump’s tax-cut law is resigning his position, in order to join a trade group representing large banks.

According to The Hill, Shahira Knight, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council (NEC), will be joining a trade association that is being created by the merger of two major financial industry groups: The Clearing House Association and Financial Services Roundtable.

The Clearing House Association on Monday stated that Knight will be executive vice president and head of public affairs of the merged group, and will be in charge of the group’s government affairs, communications and member engagement.

“We are delighted that Shahira has chosen to join our new venture, as she is not only a brilliant legislative strategist but also someone with considerable knowledge of financial services issues,” Greg Baer, president of The Clearing House Association and the future CEO of the new group, said in a news release.

Knight first joined the NEC early in 2017 where he worked closely with former NEC Director Gary Cohn on the tax cuts. “Shahira has been a valued leader and member of the NEC team,” said Larry Kudlow, the current NEC director who started earlier this year.

“Not only did she play a central role in developing and enacting historic tax reform last year, but she also helped coordinate and drive the President’s economic growth agenda. She was invaluable during my transition to the NEC, and I thank her for her dedication, service, and knowledge on economic policy issues,” he added.

Before becoming part of Trump’s administration, Knight worked at Fidelity.

Previously she was working in the House Ways and Means Committee and Congress’s Joint Economic Committee.

Knight is the latest official in the GOP’s successful tax-cut efforts team who leaves the public sector. A number of top aides to the House Ways and Means Committee, Senate Finance Committee and key Republican Senators have in recent weeks also moved to the private-sector.

 

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