Allen, Craig B. (Craig Boyd), 1957-

<p>Craig Boyd Allen (born 1957) is an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Brunei from 2014–2018.</p>

<p>Allen began working for the Department of Commerce as part of the International Trade Administration in 1985. He began as a Presidential Management Intern and, in 1986, he took up a post at the ITA's China Office. Allen worked there for two years before being moved to the American Institute in Taiwan to be the Director of the American Trade Center in Taipei.</p>

<p>In 1992, Allen re-joined the Department of Commerce and was given a three-year posting in the U.S. embassy in Beijing, where he served as a Commercial Attaché. After the posting, Allen moved to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to be a Commercial Attaché there but in 1998, he was promoted to the post of Deputy Senior Commercial Officer and the next year, Allen became a member of the Senior Foreign Service.</p>

<p>In 2000, Allen was recalled to work at the National Center for APEC in Seattle. Two years later, Allen returned to Beijing to be Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Mission to China, serving under Clark T. Randt Jr. and managing the whole of the Department of Commerce's delegation at the embassy.</p>

<p>In 2006, Allen was assigned to be Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. consulate in Johannesburg and was responsible for the Department of Commerce's operations in all 16 SADC countries. In 2010, Allen became the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia at the ITA and then, in 2012, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for China.</p>

<p>He was nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to Brunei by President Obama on July 10, 2014 and was confirmed on December 19, 2014. He presented his credentials on March 9, 2015.</p>

<p>In July 2018, the US-China Business Council named Allen to succeed John Frisbie as their President.</p>

<p>Ambassador Craig Boyd Allen was sworn in as the United States ambassador to Brunei Darussalam on December 19, 2014.</p>

<p>Craig Allen has worked for the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration since 1985. He entered government as a Presidential Management Intern and, in this capacity, rotated through the four branches of the ITA. From 1986 to 1988, he worked as an international economist in the ITA China Office.</p>

<p>In 1988, Craig transferred to the American Institute in Taiwan where he served as Director of the American Trade Center in Taipei. He held in this position until 1992. In 1992, Craig re-joined the Department of Commerce for a three-year posting in Beijing, where he served as Commercial Attaché responsible for the chemical sector, consumer goods and medical equipment.</p>

<p>In 1995, Craig and his family transferred from the American Embassy in Beijing to the American Embassy in Tokyo. Initially, Craig served as a Commercial Attaché with responsibilities for consumer goods and standards. In 1998, however, he was promoted to Deputy Senior Commercial Officer with responsibilities for the entire section. In 1999, Craig became a member of the Senior Foreign Service.</p>

<p>In 2000, Craig and his family departed Tokyo for a two-year tour of duty at the National Center for APEC in Seattle. In Seattle, he worked on the APEC Summits in Brunei, China, and Mexico.</p>

<p>In 2002, Craig and his family moved to Beijing for a three-year tour as Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Mission to China. In this position, Craig managed the entire complement of 126 DOC staff in China from multiple DOC agencies. In Beijing, Craig was promoted to the Minister Counselor rank of the Senior Foreign Service.</p>

<p>In 2006, Craig and family transferred from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to the U.S. Embassy in South Africa to serve a four-year tour as Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg responsible for all 16 SADC countries.</p>

<p>In 2010, Craig became Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. He later became Deputy Assistant Secretary for China.</p>

<p>Craig received a B.A. from the University of Michigan in Political Science and Asian Studies in 1979. He received a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1985. While at Georgetown, Craig worked for the U.S. Congress on issues associated with technology transfer to China.</p>

<p>In total, Craig has lived in Asia for 27 years, including 16 years in Japan and approximately 11 years in China and Taiwan. He has visited every country in Asia except Laos, North Korea and Bhutan. His most recent language scores were 3+/4 in Japanese and 4/4 in Mandarin Chinese.</p>

<p>Craig is married and has two children. Craig spends his free time running and regularly competes in marathons and ultra marathon races.</p>

<p>On July 26, 2018, Craig Allen began his tenure in Washington, DC, as the sixth President of the United States-China Business Council (USCBC), a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing over 200 American companies doing business with China. Prior to joining USCBC, Craig had a long, distinguished career in US public service.</p>

<p>Craig began his government career in 1985 at the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA). He entered government as a Presidential Management Intern, rotating through the four branches of ITA. From 1986 to 1988, he was an international economist in ITA’s China Office.</p>

<p>In 1988, Craig transferred to the American Institute in Taiwan, where he served as Director of the American Trade Center in Taipei. He held this position until 1992, when he returned to the Department of Commerce for a three-year posting at the US Embassy in Beijing as Commercial Attaché.</p>

<p>In 1995, Craig was assigned to the US Embassy in Tokyo, where he served as a Commercial Attaché. In 1998, he was promoted to Deputy Senior Commercial Officer. In 1999, Craig became a member of the Senior Foreign Service.</p>

<p>From 2000, Craig served a two-year tour at the National Center for APEC in Seattle. While there, he worked on the APEC Summits in Brunei, China, and Mexico. In 2002, it was back to Beijing, where Craig served as the Senior Commercial Officer. In Beijing, Craig was promoted to the Minister Counselor rank of the Senior Foreign Service.</p>

<p>After a four-year tour in South Africa, Craig became Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia at the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. He later became Deputy Assistant Secretary for China. Craig was sworn in as the United States ambassador to Brunei Darussalam on December 19, 2014. He served there until July 2018, when he transitioned to President of the US-China Business Council.</p>

<p>Craig received a B.A. from the University of Michigan in Political Science and Asian Studies in 1979. He received a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1985.</p>