Derek Theurer has been nominated to serve as a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury, bringing deep experience in tax law, economic policy, and legislative strategy to the department’s senior ranks.
Recently appointed as Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury by Secretary Scott Bessent, Theurer currently advises Secretary Bessent on both domestic and international tax policy.
Theurer’s professional background includes key positions across government and the private sector. He spent the past four years working in the House of Representatives, where he served as Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Speaker Mike Johnson, handling all matters relating to tax, trade, and financial services, and as Chief Tax Counsel for the House Committee on Ways and Means. Additionally, Theurer was Senior Tax Counsel in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2018 and played a key role in crafting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
In the private sector, he held senior roles such as Vice President of Tax and Fiscal Policy at Business Roundtable from 2018 to 2021 and Senior Advisor to the Washington Office at ExxonMobil from 2013 to 2017 after being promoted from his role as Tax Attorney from 2008 to 2013.
Licensed to practice law since 2008, Theurer is a tax expert with a dedication to clear communication. His areas of focus have included corporate reorganizations, foreign tax credits, transfer pricing, and digital and global tax policy. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Utah State University, a J.D. in Tax Law & Policy Specialization from UCLA School of Law, and an LL.M. in Tax from NYU School of Law.