President Joe Biden on Wednesday named Meg Whitman, who once ran for governor of California as a Republican, his choice to serve as U.S. ambassador to Kenya.
Whitman, who lived in the Bay Area and previously served as CEO of Hewlett Packard and eBay, supported the Democratic president’s bid for the White House last year and spoke out against former President Donald Trump.
“Kenya is a strategic partner of the United States, and if confirmed, I look forward to working with the Kenyan government on a wide variety of issues to advance peace, prosperity and health in the country and throughout the region,” Whitman said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
The business executive sits on the boards of Proctor & Gamble and General Motors, and she is chair of the board of Teach for America. She recently served as head of the video streaming service Quibi, which dissolved at the end of last year just months after launching.
In 2010, Whitman ran for governor against Democrat Jerry Brown and lost, spending more than $100 million out of pocket in the race.
Whitman, a billionaire, holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard University.
Her nomination must be approved by the Senate.
