Trump will seek to make top aide first American to lead OECD

President Donald Trump plans to nominate a top aide to lead the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, seeking to make him the first American secretary general of the global policy and advisory group.

Trump’s choice, Christopher Liddell, is an assistant and deputy chief of staff for policy coordination. Liddell, who was born in New Zealand, is a dual citizen. The White House announced the planned nomination in a statement late Wednesday night.

Before joining the White House, Liddell, 62, was vice chairman and chief financial officer at General Motors Co., chief financial officer and senior vice president at Microsoft Corp., and chief financial officer of International Paper Co.

OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria, 70, a former foreign minister of Mexico who has led the group since 2006, in July told its council that he intends to step aside when his current term finishes at the end of May 2021. The 37 member countries have until the end of October to put forward candidates for a five-year term starting next June.

Sweden is nominating former European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom for the top job, which has never been held by a woman. Though the organization, which was founded in 1961 and gives policy advice to the world’s richest economies, has its headquarters in Paris, there hasn’t been a European at its helm in more than two decades.

Former Canadian finance minister Bill Morneau, who resigned last month, also has said that he plans to make a bid for the job.