Erik Bethel

Erik Bethel is a global finance professional with experience in the private and public sectors. In 2020, he was nominated to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Panama. Previously, he was nominated by the president and confirmed unanimously by the Senate to represent the United States at the World Bank.

Early life and education
Bethel grew up in Miami. His father was Paul Bethel, a career State Department official stationed in Cuba, Japan, and Germany. His mother is Diana Esperanza Gonzalez Estradé de Bethel. She was born in Havana, Cuba. Bethel graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy, where he was an Olmsted Scholar, a Cox Fund Scholar, and a battalion commander. Bethel later earned an Master of Business Administration from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Milken Scholar.

Career
Bethel is a financial professional in private equity and investment banking in Latin America and Asia, with expertise in central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Bethel began his career at Morgan Stanley in New York covering Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. Subsequently, Bethel moved to Mexico City as an investment banker and then back to New York, where he joined J.P. Morgan's private equity division. In 2006, Bethel relocated to Shanghai, China, where he co-founded a financial firm called Sino-Latin Capital, which a division of Franklin Templeton subsequently acquired. Bethel served on the Board of Governors of Opportunity International, a non-profit organization that provides financial services to impoverished people in developing countries. Bethel serves on the International Advisory Council of Oxford Analytica, an advisor to Global SWF, a sovereign wealth fund analytics platform, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Distinguished Fellow at the Chamber of Digital Commerce, and a Committee Member at the US EXIM Bank."

World Bank service
On November 21, 2017, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Bethel to a two-year term to represent the United States at the World Bank. On December 1, 2017, his nomination was sent to the Senate. On March 22, 2018, his nomination was confirmed 100-0 by voice vote. At the World Bank, Bethel promoted several initiatives, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, to streamline World Bank operations.

Ambassadorship nomination
On April 20, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Bethel to serve as the United States ambassador to Panama. On May 4, 2020, Trump sent his nomination to the Senate. The Senate took no action on the nomination and, after the 2020 United States presidential election, returned the nomination on January 3, 2021.

Personal life
Bethel is Married to Michelle Bethel (née Harp) and has three children. He speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin.