Multiple Bureau of Industry and Security employees working for the agency's Western regional office were recently laid off, two people with knowledge of the situation told Export Compliance Daily. The employees, who received "reduction-in-force" notices, were mostly export control analysts, compliance specialists and outreach specialists. A BIS spokesperson didn't respond to a request for comment.

One Western regional office employee, Brian Rothblatt, announced on LinkedIn last week that his time at BIS had "come to a close as part of a recent reduction in force." Rothblatt had worked as a senior export specialist for BIS since 2020.

Maura Rezendes, former head of the sanctions team at A&O Shearman, has joined Sidley as a partner in the global arbitration, trade and advocacy practice, the firm announced last week. Rezendes' practice centers on "regulatory compliance advice and counseling, transactional support, investigations and enforcement" of economic sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

David Peters has been sworn in as assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement at the Bureau of Industry and Security, an agency spokesperson said in an e-mail Oct. 16. Peters, who received Senate confirmation earlier this month (see 2510080002), has pledged to “aggressively” enforce U.S. export controls (see 2506130035). Separately, the State Department said Thomas DiNanno was sworn in Oct. 10 as undersecretary for arms control and international security.