Michael Strauss

Michael Strauss took up his role as EBRD General Counsel in January 2020. 

He serves on the Executive Committee., the Crisis Management team and various other Bank committees.

Prior to joining the EBRD, Mr Strauss was a Partner at the Washington, DC-based law firm Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP.  He previously represented the United States of America on the Board of the Asian Development Bank and served as a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for International Finance at the US Treasury. 

He has worked as a legal counsel at both the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, primarily focused on sovereign debt, institutional governance, political risk mitigation and development in Francophone Africa. He began his legal career in capital markets, equity and privatisations in the Paris, London and Washington, DC offices of law firm Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP.

Mr Strauss has a JD from Stanford Law School, where he has also taught as a lecturer in law, a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, where he has taught as an adjunct professor, and a BA from Williams College. 

A US national, Mr Strauss is admitted to the Bar in New York and Washington, DC.