Federal Trade Commission installs Stephanie Nguyen as chief technology officer

The Federal Trade Commission has appointed Stephanie Nguyen as chief technology officer.

She has carried out the role on an acting basis since October 2021, and previously worked at the U.S. Digital Service at the White House. Prior to this, she was a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

Nguyen takes up the CTO role on a permanent basis as the agency ramps up action to strengthen legal and regulatory frameworks for technology in the U.S. and further afield.

Earlier this week, the FTC in partnership with USAID launched a new initiative intended to help protect consumers and to increase competition in countries across Africa. Through the program the U.S. agencies hope to ensure that benefits created by the digital economy are not undermined by anti-competitive or unfair practices.

The FTC has also appointed Douglas Farrar as public affairs director. He comes to the agency from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, where he was vice president of communications and strategy.

Commenting on the appointment, FTC Chair Lina Khan said: “I’m excited to welcome Stephanie and Doug to the FTC’s senior leadership team.”

She added: “Their knowledge and experience will strengthen the FTC in two key areas, ensuring that we keep pace with the latest developments in technology and that we’re communicating clearly with the public about the critical work of the agency.”