energy policy, defense policy, international affairs, and geopolitical risk
personal and bespoke consultancy for companies and organizations
Sixth Street Associates, LLC, provides personal and bespoke consulting services to a wide range of clients in the for-profit or not-for-profit sectors focused on US federal policy on both domestic and foreign policy issues. Particular areas of focus are energy policy, defense policy, international affairs, geopolitical risk, childcare and early education policy, and child welfare issues. Work is done relying on and in conjunction with private, public and not-for-profit entities along with policymakers in both the Executive and Legislative Branches.
The global energy system is involved in nearly every aspect of international relations and national security, and is at the center of many of today’s most complicated policy issues for multinational corporations. Energy demand is increasing globally, even in the developed world as AI-related data centers come online. Energy trade has become a principal aspect of national power, with the Administration looking to use its “energy dominance” policy to build the US economy and address trade imbalances, but also to influence other global actors. Further, the energy sector is directly affected by a variety of broad economic issues directly influenced by USG policy from economic growth that affects demand scenarios to sanctions and tariffpolicy.
The Honorable Robert M. Scher is a recognized expert in strategic planning, geopolitical risk assessment and mitigation, and government advocacy across the energy and defense sectors and on issues of international, national security, and US domestic politics. Bob has worked in both the private and public sectors and has served on a Congressionally appointed Commission. He has demonstrated success at the executive and working levels in developing and implementing policies within complex, competing organizations, influencing key stakeholders, and driving solutions both independently and through cross-functional teams. He is skilled in effectively communicating across all levels of private corporations, multiple branches of the US government, foreign governments, and the broader policy community.
Mr. Scher was most recently the Vice President and Head of International Affairs for BP America. In this position he tracked and analyzed US foreign and national security policy as it affected BP’s businesses around the world. He provided risk analysis and evaluation for BP’s global business operations and worked with US Government agencies, the US Congress, and other key stakeholders to understand policy decisions and implications for BP while advocating for BP’s priorities in the US and globally. Bob led teams analyzing the impact of issues ranging from tariffs to sanctions, and developed advocacy plans to mitigate the risks of government policies for nearly every BP business unit. Before joining BP, Mr. Scher served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities from 2014 to January of 2017. He was responsible for advising the Secretary of Defense on national security and defense strategy; the forces, budgets, and contingency plans necessary to implement the defense strategy; nuclear deterrence and missile defense policy; and security cooperation plans and policies. Over the course of more than two decades of federal service, Mr. Scher held numerous positions of increasing responsibility focused on both defense strategy and planning, and Asian security and foreign policy issues. Among these positions was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans from 2012-2014 and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Southeast Asia within the US Department of Defense from 2009-2012.
Mr. Scher is currently on the Advisory Board of Dcode (a tech accelerator company), a Non- Resident Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, and an Adjunct at the RAND Corporation. Mr. Scher has a Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College and a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where he was awarded a DuPont International Affairs Fellowship. He is active in his community and serves as a board member of the Capitol Hill Community Foundation in Washington DC.