Nirut Kunnawat is a Country Director for The Asia Group in Thailand. He has extensive experience working in both in the senior ranks of government and in the private sector.
Nirut most notably served as Deputy Secretary-General to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in a role in which he was responsible for advising on critical topics related to economic and foreign policy issues. He later served as an Advisor to the Minister of Science and Technology, where he was responsible for a government program on satellite applications for agricultural zoning and a joint development program with the U.S. Government and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program (MHRP) on HIV vaccine efficacy study and manufacturing capacities in Thailand. Earlier in his career, Nirut also served as a key trade negotiator for Ministry of Commerce where he was responsible for bilateral trade issues with the United States, EU, and Latin America and supported negotiating teams on FTA talks with the United States, Japan, Bahrain, India, and BIMSTEC.
After transitioning to the private sector, Nirut worked with 3M, PReMA – the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association of Thailand – and Philip Morris. Within these roles he engaged with the governments of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh and via ASEAN agencies at high levels. He also served as a Vice Chair of the US-ASEAN Business Council’s committee on infrastructure, Co-Chair of AmCham Thailand Government Affairs Council, and Chairperson of The Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) at the European Association for Business and Commerce (EABC). Currently, he serves with AmCham as Co-Chair of Trade and Investment Committee, as well as Vice President for Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce (FTCC) and Committee Members for European Defense and Aerospace Committee.
Prior to joining TAG, Nirut led his own consultancy on business development, helping advise growing startups and SMEs, as well as providing advocacy services for corporates and multinational companies. His projects included advising early-stage deep technology start-ups, delivering solutions from business formulation to determination of business turn-around and alternative investments, strategic options for market entry, corporate re-positioning, crisis management, and growth. His areas of focus included biotech, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, renewable and alternative energies, defense, aerospace, tech, food and agriculture.
Nirut holds an MA in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in education from Chulalongkorn University. He enjoys training for endurance sports, including triathlons and open water swimming, as well as playing bass with his high school band.