Thomas Nides Named US Ambassador to Israel

US President Joe Biden has officially nominated Thomas Nides, a former official in the US State Department who currently is a managing director at Morgan Stanley, to serve as ambassador to Israel. The White House made the announcement on Tuesday.

Nides reportedly was offered the job several weeks ago, and accepted it at that time. Reports as early as April said Nides was at the top of the list of choices for the position.

Nides served as deputy secretary of state for management and resources under former US President Barack Obama. He was chief of staff for the majority whip of the US House of Representatives, Tony Coelho, D-Calif., from 1986 to 1989, and then chief of staff for House Speaker Thomas Foley until 1993. He also was chief of staff for US Trade Representative Mickey Kantor. He served as campaign manager for Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman in 2000.

During his tenure in the Obama administration, Nides worked as part of the team that led to the Obama administration’s approval of a $38 million, 10-year loan guarantee package for Israel. He also worked to thwart an effort by some lawmakers to limit US support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and for UNESCO.

Nides became managing director and vice chairman of Morgan Stanley in March 2013, after previously serving as its COO from 2005 to 2010.