Ambassador Brian A. Nichols brings more than thirty-five years of leadership in international relations, crisis management, and economic development across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. As assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, he shaped U.S. policy across the region, overseeing substantial foreign assistance and operational budgets while advancing initiatives to promote trade, sustainable development, and democratic governance.

Ambassador Nichols currently serves on the boards of First Quantum Minerals, a global mining company, and the Pan American Development Foundation, an OAS-affiliated nonprofit focused on human development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Previously, he served as U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe and Peru, as well as in multiple senior diplomatic roles in Washington and abroad. He is widely recognized for championing economic growth, forging strategic public-private partnerships, and strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks to support international investment.

Ambassador Nichols holds a B.A. in political science from Tufts University and has received numerous honors for his distinguished service to U.S. foreign policy.

Ambassador Nichols was an event speaker at the Dialogue.