Josh Rubin Joins MPA As Senior VP Of Global Strategy And Chief Of Staff​on January 29, 2025 at 2:00 pm

Josh Rubin, a foreign policy official in the Obama and Biden administrations, is joining the Motion Picture Association as senior vice president of global strategy and chief of staff. Rubin, who will be based at the MPA’s global headquarters in Washington, D.C., will work with regional leaders on international government and industry engagement, and he […]Josh Rubin, a foreign policy official in the Obama and Biden administrations, is joining the Motion Picture Association as senior vice president of global strategy and chief of staff. Rubin, who will be based at the MPA’s global headquarters in Washington, D.C., will work with regional leaders on international government and industry engagement, and he   

Josh Rubin, a foreign policy official in the Obama and Biden administrations, is joining the Motion Picture Association as senior vice president of global strategy and chief of staff.

Rubin, who will be based at the MPA‘s global headquarters in Washington, D.C., will work with regional leaders on international government and industry engagement, and he will serve as a member of the MPA’s senior management team. He starts on Feb. 28 and will report to chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin and Hunter Paletsas, executive vice president and global chief financial officer.

Rubin is taking on some of the responsibilities of Urmila Venugopalan, who was executive vice president of strategy and global operations, and was recently appointed president and managing director of the MPA’s Asia Pacific region.

Rubin was most recently director for Indo-Pacific affairs at the National Security Council. Before that post at the White House, he was senior adviser to Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, serving as traveling chief of staff during diplomatic missions in more than 30 countries. He also worked as a special assistant in the office of Secretary of State John Kerry.

In a statement, Rubin said, “In an increasingly interconnected world, building ties that transcend borders and cultures is more important than ever. That’s true for governments, as I saw firsthand at the State Department and White House. It’s equally true for the American film, TV, and streaming industry as it seeks to expand its global reach.”

Rivkin said in a statement that Rubin’s career “in diplomacy, policy, and law makes him uniquely suited for his new role at the MPA – as a visionary leader positioned at the intersection of government and the media and entertainment industry.” Paletsas said that the position “demands sharp analytical insight and exceptional program management skills — qualities Josh embodies effortlessly. His unique perspective will be invaluable to advancing the MPA’s mission.”

Rubin has a bachelor of arts degree in global affairs from Yale University and a juris doctor from Yale Law School.