Matthew J. Lauer is the Global Head of Public Affairs for Mercuria Energy, one of the world's largest independent commodities and energy groups. He designed the company's public affairs strategy in its acquisition of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co’s commodities unit. Later, he managed issues surrounding an equity investment by ChemChina, one of the world’s largest companies.
Lauer was the first to market branded public diplomacy services to the private sector. He founded Qorvis Geopolitical Solutions at Qorvis Communications (acquired by Publicis Groupe). In his 20 years of experience, he served a Democrat and a Republican U.S. President, a Secretary of State, and a U.S. Senator.
Lauer helped major corporations achieve their public affairs goals and sovereign nations win their foreign policy battles.
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, Lauer was the executive director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy at the Department of State under Secretary Colin L. Powell.
Lauer has managed communications campaigns for numerous multinational corporations and the governments of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, China, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Fiji, Equatorial Guinea, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the United Kingdom.
Lauer has received official commendations from the U.S. Department of State and the State of North Carolina for his public affairs and public diplomacy leadership, while being recognized by the Washington Post, Washington Life and Politico.
