Christopher Smith was named Ford’s chief government affairs officer in March 2022. He leads a global team that promotes legislation, regulations, and policies with governments around the world to advance the Ford+ plan for growth and value creation. Policy priorities include connectivity, critical minerals, electric vehicles, and digital services, intended to benefit customers, society, and the environment, among other stakeholders.
Before Ford, Smith was senior vice president of Policy, Government and Public Affairs at Cheniere Energy, the world’s second-largest liquefied natural gas operator. In that role, Smith incorporated climate principles into Cheniere’s business model and helped modernize related federal regulations. Smith served in the U.S. Department of Energy as Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy during the Obama Administration. Earlier in his career, Smith held managerial and analytical positions at Chevron, Citibank, and JPMorgan.
Smith began his career as an officer in the U.S. Army after earning a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Management and Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cambridge in England and a degree in Applied Mathematics from American Public University.