James Schwemlein

James Schwemlein is a nonresident scholar in the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he writes and works on South Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

He is also a senior director with Albright Stonebridge Group, where he advises clients on regulatory challenges and business strategies.

Schwemlein previously served at both the World Bank and the U.S. State Department. At the World Bank, he co-led a project assessing the political and economic risks associated with China’s expanding investments in South Asia and advised local governments on how best to manage those risks.

Earlier in his career, Schwemlein served as senior advisor to the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the State Department, helping lead regional diplomatic strategy and negotiations around the Afghanistan conflict. He was also responsible for improving the alignment of U.S. development and economic programs and initiatives to advance U.S. interests in the region. He previously worked on the Pakistan desk at the State Department and as a trade policy officer responsible for trade and investment promotion activities.

Schwemlein is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He received his M.A. in international affairs from American University and his B.A. from Elon University.