Robert M. Scher

Robert M. Scher is the head of international affairs for bp America. In this position, he tracks and analyzes U.S. foreign policy as it affects bp’s businesses around the world. Scher has close to twenty-five years of experience in senior global affairs and national security roles in the U.S. government, most recently serving as the assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities in the Pentagon from 2014 to 2017. In that role, he directly advised the U.S. Secretary of Defense on a wide range of global defense, security, strategy, and budgeting matters. Prior to becoming assistant secretary, Scher held a series of progressively more senior roles at the U.S. Departments of Defense and State, focused on defense strategy and Asian foreign policy. He also served in the private sector as a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton on defense and foreign affairs issues. Scher received his bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College, and a masters of international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.