Gene Kimmelman, an Antitrust Division chief, is leading the Justice Department to open the Washington, D.C., office of Global Partners & Associates, a human rights organization based in London.
Kimmelman, who served as the chief counsel for competition policy and intergovernmental relations in the Antitrust Division, has kept a mostly low-profile in his department position since he joined in 2009, but he has been instrumental in several key antitrust cases, reports The Washington Post.
Gene Kimmelman
He had a hand in the department’s successful challenge to AT&T’s multi-million dollar bid to acquire T-Mobile in December, which was seen as a major boon for the department’s Antitrust Division.
Before joining the department, the 57-year-old worked as a consumer advocate and lobbyist at Consumers Union, which also publishes Consumer Reports. He also served as chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust. Before working in Congress, Kimmelman worked as the legislative director at the Consumer Federation of America for 10 years.
“Gene was very important and played a critical role in ensuring consumer welfare was at the forefront of decision making,” Sharis Pozen, former interim Antitrust Division chief, told the Post. “Gene knows everyone in Washington, he is like a consigliere.”
In his new position, Kimmelman will head Global Partners & Associates‘ educational programs, focusing on communication and technology. The organization promotes democratic politics and human rights throughout the world, working with various governments and businesses around the world, according to its website.
