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 areas such as connectivity, critical minerals, electric vehicles and digital services, and are intended to benefit customers, society and the environment, among other stakeholders.

Prior to 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 led the incorporation of climate principles into Cheniere’s business model and helped modernize related federal regulations. Smith served in the U.S. Department of Energy during the Obama Administration as Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy. Earlier in his career, Smith held managerial and analytical positions at Chevron, Citibank and JPMorgan.

Smith began his career as an officer in the United States Army after earning a bachelor’s degree in engineering management and mechanical engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Cambridge in England and a degree in applied mathematics from American Public University.