John Woodward

John Woodward is the Vice President of Global Commerce at the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC). He assists foreign-owned enterprises (FOEs) contemplating entry or expansion in the U.S. market. This includes site selection consulting; customized market research; incentives guidance; real estate search, labor, and wage analysis; and connections to relevant corporate, government, and academic parties.

In almost 20 years in economic development, John has assisted hundreds of companies relocate or expand, ranging from U.S. headquarters, operations, or manufacturing for Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Adidas, “K” Line, Hamburg Sud, Voestalpine, Sony, Dongwon, Elekta, Dekra, and Interroll to small–medium enterprises (SMEs) just entering the U.S. with a sales office.

Prior to his role at MAC, John was Director of Economic Development for the City of Richmond (Virginia), leading a department that oversaw more than $3 billion in commercial development. He recruited major headquarters like MeadWestvaco and Altria, and assisted small and minority-owned businesses. Before this, John worked in commercial real estate at the New York headquarters of Cushman & Wakefield and was a foreign exchange trader with Ruesch International in Washington, D.C.

A frequent speaker on economic development, John is quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and other U.S. and international media. He has been a guest lecturer at major universities and speaks regularly at foreign investment seminars in Europe and Asia. He has served on numerous non-profit boards, including bilateral chambers, schools, and the community.

John earned a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and an M.B.A. from New York University Stern School of Business. He also completed programs at the Université de Strasbourg and Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) near Paris. He lives in Atlanta’s Westside with his wife and daughter.