Louis Susman
Louis B. Susman (born November 19, 1937) is an American lawyer, retired investment banker, and the former United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Nominated by President Barack Obama, he was confirmed by the Senate on July 10, 2009, and sworn in by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Prior to his appointment, Susman was the managing director and vice chairman of Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking. He practiced law for 27 years and was a senior partner at the St. Louis-based law firm of Thompson & Mitchell, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate law. Susman was appointed to the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy by Ronald Reagan in 1988, and served as a director of the Center for National Policy in Washington, D.C. Susman served on the Democratic National Committee from 1972 to 1982. He retired in 2009 as vice chairman of Citigroup Global Markets in Chicago. Susman is a longtime and prolific fundraiser for Democratic Party candidates, including Obama and 2004 presidential nominee John Kerry. According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), "US ambassador residences in London and Paris have long been retreats for presidents' wealthy friends. William Farish, a multimillionaire Texan, and Robert Tuttle, a California car dealer - both top financial backers - served as ambassadors to London during the Bush years. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and earned his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis.