United States President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Greek Australian businessman Andrew Liveris, chairman and chief of Dow Chemical, to head the American Manufacturing Council- a private sector group that advises the US secretary of commerce.
Trump made the announcement during in Michigan on Friday, where he introduced the 62-year-old dual US-Australian citizen as "one of the foremost leaders in manufacturing, one of the foremost leaders in the world of business".
"Andrew Liveris [is] one of the most respected businessman in the world and I'm asking him to come up and head up our American Manufacturing Council — and he's agreed to do it," Mr Trump said.
Liveris praised Trump’s economic plans, saying “You’re paving the way ... with your policies to make it easier to do business in this country - not a red-tape country but a red-carpet country for American businesses.” He told the audience that Dow would soon bring a new research-and-development centre to Michigan.
Mr Liveris was born in Darwin to a Greek migrant family and studied chemical engineering at Brisbane's University of Queensland, from where he later also received an honorary doctorate.
"President-elect Trump, I can't tell you, I tingle with pride listening to you, but to honour me to help you chair American Manufacturing Council to put in place the investments that you talk about, you're paving the way with your administration, with your policies, to make it easier to do business in this country — not a red-tape country but a red-carpet country for American businesses," Liveris said.
Mr Trump said Mr Liveris would establish his council of "the greatest leaders there are" next week.
