Paul Taylor currently serves as the Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines. Between 2013 and 2022 he served in similar roles at the U.S. Embassies in Ghana and Indonesia. He brings to these positions more than twenty-five years of international business experience and strong knowledge of how the U.S. government can facilitate market access and development for U.S. companies in emerging markets.
Prior to his assignment to West Africa, Paul was the Director of the U.S. Commercial Center in Shanghai and the Deputy Principal Commercial Officer of the Consulate's Commercial Section. Previously he served as a Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China, leading the U.S. Mission’s efforts to create greater market opportunities for U.S. firms in the Information and Communications Technologies industry. In this role he was involved in high-profile market access issues for U.S. internet companies, helped pave the way for one of the largest U.S. acquisitions in China’s IT hardware sector and smoothed
operational difficulties for a major U.S. internet-based entertainment company. Paul is recognized within the U.S. business community as a thought leader on IT and telecom policy issues faced by foreign companies operating in China.
Mr. Taylor has spent most of the last 25 years in Mainland China, developing marketing and business development strategies for large and small U.S. companies. Between 2001 and his posting to Beijing, Mr. Taylor ran a consulting business in Shanghai, representing U.S. companies and government organizations in China. Prior to moving to China in the early 1990’s, Mr. Taylor worked for a member of the U.S. Senate, serving as deputy legislative director and covering international business issues coming before the Congress.
Mr. Taylor is a fluent Mandarin Chinese speaker. He received his undergraduate degree from Western State College of Colorado and his MBA from the University of Colorado.