Who is he?
William A. Heidt is a career member of the Foreign Service, who has served in diplomatic postings in Cambodia, Indonesia, and the U.S. mission to the United Nations in New York. From 2003 to 2004, he served as special assistant to the office of the under secretary for economic, business, and cultural affairs. Heidt was the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Warsaw, Poland, from 2009 to 2012.
William Heidt speaking at an Opel plant in Poland. Source: U.S. Embassy of Poland, U.S. Government Work.
Why is he in the news?
President Barack Obama on April 7 nominated Heidt to be the next U.S. ambassador to Cambodia. He will replace Ambassador William Todd, who has served in this position since 2012.
What can we expect from him?
Heidt has a track record of managing economic portfolios and people-to-people issues in his previous assignments. He is also no stranger to Cambodia. Expect Heidt to be proactive in stepping up U.S.-Cambodia trade relations and engaging Cambodian youth during his tenure. He will play a crucial role in helping the U.S. government understand the changing dynamics of Cambodian politics, especially ahead of the next national elections scheduled for 2018.
