Bradford Higgins
Bradford R. Higgins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, investment banker, government official |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Known for | Assistant Secretary of State for Resource Management and Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of State (2006–2009) |
Bradford R. Higgins (born 1952) is an American attorney, investment banker, and former government official who held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Resource Management and Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of State between 2006 and 2009.
Biography
Higgins received both his Bachelor of Arts (1974) and Juris Doctor (1978) degrees from Columbia University.
He started his professional journey at the New York City law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Subsequently, he advanced to prominent roles at Credit Suisse First Boston, where he oversaw municipal utility and infrastructure divisions, and at Goldman Sachs, serving as co-head of the tax-exempt energy sector. Additionally, Higgins was a managing director at Bear Stearns Asset Management, concentrating on outreach to public sector pension funds.
Higgins undertook two assignments in Iraq: initially in 2004 as Chief of Planning for the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office and Chief Financial Officer for the Coalition Provisional Authority. He returned in 2005 to act as Senior Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and led the Strategic Performance and Assessment office within the U.S. Mission there. His leadership included directing evaluation teams that supported an $18.4 billion reconstruction initiative in Iraq.
Beginning his tenure at the State Department in 2004, Higgins was nominated by President George W. Bush in December 2005 to serve as Assistant Secretary of State and CFO, succeeding Christopher Burnham. The Senate confirmed his appointment in February 2006. In this capacity, he oversaw a $34 billion budget and spearheaded strategic projects across the Department. In 2008, Higgins was chosen as Chairman of the Audit Committee for the Organization of American States, where he also provided counsel to the U.S. Ambassador.
He concluded his service at the State Department in January 2009.
Presently, Higgins serves as president and chairman of JumpStart International, a humanitarian organization operating in Iraq and Gaza. He is also a venture partner at SOSV, specializing in investments related to energy and energy efficiency technologies.