Merit Janow

Merit E. Janow is an internationally recognized expert in international trade & investment. She has extensive experience in business, academia & government, with a life long involvement with the Asia-Pacific region. Janow was Dean of the Faculty of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs from 2013-2021 and remains on the SIPA & Law faculty. She has written three books and numerous articles. Janow has had three periods of government service: from 2003-2008, she was elected as one of the seven Members of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Appellate Body. From 1997-2000, Janow served as the Executive Director of the first international antitrust advisory committee to the Attorney General, US Department of Justice. From 1989 to 1993, Janow served as Deputy Assistant USTR for Japan & China in the Executive Office of the President and responsible for leading trade negotiations with Japan and China. Janow has extensive corporate and nonprofit board and governance experience. She serves as non-executive Chairman of Mastercard and a Director on the American Funds/Capital group and Aptiv Corp. She was previously Chair of the Nasdaq Stock Market. Janow also serves on the Board of Japan Society (chair), among several other nonprofits. She was recognized in 2024 as Outstanding Director of the Year. Early in her career, Janow was a corporate M&A lawyer with Skadden, Arps in NY. She speaks Japanese and has a JD from Columbia Law School & a BA in Asian Studies from the University of Michigan.