JPMorgan Hires Government Relations Head

JPMorgan Chase hired a top Washington lobbyist to head up government relations efforts in the U.S. and worldwide.

The bank named Peter Scher, a former U.S. trade negotiator and senior aide to at least two U.S. senators, as executive vice president of global government relations and public policy, effective June 16. He'll oversee state, federal and international government relations, and will join the bank's executive committee.

Currently, Scher is the managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm Mayer Brown, LLP. His past government services includes stints as special trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Commerce, staff director of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana. Scher also ran the 2004 vice presidential campaign of former Sen. John Edwards.