U.S. President Barack Obama has appointed Jeff Zients, former acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, as director of the National Economic Council, beginning January 1, 2014. He replaces Gene B. Sperling.

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Zients was the first federal chief performance officer, serving from 2009 to 2012, and has more than two decades of private sector experience. He was CEO and chairman of The Advisory Board Company and chairman of the Corporate Executive Board.

Zients also founded an investment firm, and served as a member of a number of boards of directors including Sirius XM Radio, Timbuk2 Designs, and Children’s National Medical Center. He also co-founded The Urban Alliance Foundation.

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