IREX President Mark Pomar to Head New US Russia Foundation

 Following eight years as president of IREX, Mark Pomar recently accepted the position of president and CEO of the newly created US Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law. The foundation, which is the legacy organization of The US Russia Investment Fund (TUSRIF), aims to foster a constructive and cooperative relationship between the United States and Russia. Together with its Russian partners, the foundation will promote entrepreneurship and the rule of law, training and education, as well as policy analysis and initiatives that further economic development.

Through open, competitive grant processes, the foundation will provide support for associations and other organizations that promote private sector development and the rule of law. The foundation, which will be registered and based in Moscow, seeks to help commercialize Russian innovation and technology transfer by broadening the understanding of the function of research universities and institutions in creating economic growth and value; analyzing the role of intellectual property in facilitating innovation and initiative in all sectors of the economy; and seeking to codify the commercialization of innovative technology.

Dr. Pomar’s first experience with IREX came as a grantee to Leningrad in 1981. In 1994, he joined the IREX staff and, in 2000, was named the third president of IREX since its founding in 1968. He and his family will move to Moscow at the end of this summer to assume his new post.

IREX congratulates Dr. Pomar on this rare opportunity and looks forward to the possibility of coordinating with the foundation in the future. The search for a new IREX president is currently under way. Interested candidates should visit our career opportunities page for further information. Questions about the departure may be sent to IREX’s communications manager at newsroom@irex.org.