Professional Affiliation

Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa, Center for International Private Enterprise

Expert Bio

Greg Simpson is Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy. As Regional Director, Simpson manages democratic and free-market reform programs in 15 countries of the MENA region. At CIPE, he has conducted technical assistance and capacity-building programs in advocacy, strategic planning, organizational governance and management, membership development, and internal and external communication for business associations, chambers of commerce and industry, and other private sector organizations throughout the MENA region. Simpson is frequently called upon to speak on the intersection of democratic governance and economic reform having presented at such diverse venues as the George W. Bush Institute, the University of Virginia, Georgetown University, the National Defense University, the U.S. Chamber Foundation, and others. Prior to CIPE, Simpson held three successive country director posts in the Balkans for the International Republican Institute (IRI), during which he advised and trained national and local political party organizations, political activists, and elected officials, including two of the region’s presidents.  Simpson has also held positions at online political firm New Media Communications, the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), and the Center for Civil Society in Southeastern Europe. He holds a B.A. in International Studies from American University and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s chamber and association management program, the Institute for Organization Management (IOM).