The Clinton administration has appointed a new senior advisor to coordinate electronic commerce policy across the various departments of the US government. Elizabeth Echols, a lawyer and former investment banker has been named as the administration’s executive director of the electronic commerce working group. David Beier, has been chairman of the group since the turn of the year and he will stay on in that role, but he has too much on his plate to coordinate day-to-day activities, it seems, hence Echols’ appointment.
Beier took over when former White House internet czar Ira Magaziner left the government at the end of last year. Magaziner was responsible for writing the 1997 first draft of the policy document, a framework for electronic commerce that has shaped the government’s policy. Echols will have to coordinate policy on such issues as access to broadband networks, privacy, privatization of the domain name and numbering systems and consumer protection online, among others.
