Fred P. Hochberg

Who is Fred P. Hochberg?

Fred P. Hochberg is an American businessman who has played leadership roles in government, non-profit and academic organizations. He is currently chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, having been appointed in January 2009 and confirmed in May 2009. He was a fundraiser for the campaign of Barack Obama for President and a member of the Obama transition team. He has also contributed opinion pieces and commentaries to a number of news outlets. He previously served as acting administrator of the Small Business Administration in the Clinton Administration.

Under his leadership in FY 2012, Ex-Im Bank for the fourth straight year set export finance records in a number of key areas. Overall financing for the first time exceeded $35.7 billion in authorizations, including nearly $10 billion in fossil fuel projects. The Bank worked with more than 3,400 U.S. companies, 85 percent of which were small businesses. Ex-Im financing has helped support hundreds of thousands of jobs over the last four years.

During Hochberg's tenure, the Bank has increased its focus on customers, both foreign buyers and U.S. exporters. It is seeking new markets for U.S. goods and services in emerging economies with growing infrastructure needs, including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Nigeria and South Africa. Hochberg has also worked to expand the global footprint of key domestic industries in which U.S. exporters have a comparative advantage. These include fossil fuel, construction and farm machinery, medical technology, agriculture, and avionics. Hochberg’s support for record-breaking levels of fossil fuel projects has led to sustained criticism from environmental organizations. In addition, he has streamlined processes, cut transaction times and introduced new financial products.