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Ambassador Donald H. Gips

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Ambassador Donald H. Gips
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Ambassador Donald H. Gips
Ambassador Donald H. Gips

“When I visited South Africa over a decade ago, I fell in love with its people, its story and its beauty. It would be a great honor to represent the United States as it supports South Africa's efforts to strengthen its multiracial democracy.”

Ambassador Donald Gips was nominated as Ambassador to South Africa by President Barack Obama on June 4 and confirmed by the Senate on July 7, 2009. He presented his credentials to South African President Jacob Zuma on October 1, 2009.
    
Donald Gips had previously held the post of Assistant to the President and Director for Presidential Personnel.

Prior to serving in the White House, Gips helped lead then President-elect Obama’s Presidential Transition Team as a Co-Chair for the Agency Review team.

From 1998-2008, Gips was Group Vice President of Global Corporate Development for Level 3 Communications, where he led merger and acquisition efforts and was the Chief Strategy Officer.

Gips previously served in the White House as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Al Gore.

Mr. Gips also served as Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission where he was responsible for the WTO negotiations and all spectrum policy, and helped launch the Americorps Program at the Corporation for National Service.

Before entering government, he was an Executive Manager at McKinsey & Company.

Gips received an MBA from the Yale School of Management and received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University.

 
News

Remarks at his Welcome Reception
"While the general context that has brought us together is a foundation of shared values and friendship, we are realistically at the beginning of our face-to-face working relationship.  Washington and Pretoria both have new administrations, led by Presidents pledging positive, concrete change for our people." >> More 


Ambassador Gips Visits North West Province
Ambassador Donald Gips visited several US Embassy-funded Community Grants projects, including  Tsholofelo, a children’s services project in Mafikeng in his September visit to North West Province. 


Obama's make-a-plan man in SA
Article in Sunday Independent, Oct 4, '09
Gips believes South Africa is at a point where he and his country, spurred on by Obama's good wishes for Africa, might be able to help "make a difference". Gips is an enthusiast, yet he knows he must tread humbly, that there is healing to be done in the US-South Africa relationship after the damage done during the Bush years.
View article (subscribers only) or request from American Library


Presenting credentials to President Jacob Zuma