President-elect Donald Trump Tuesday named former corporate chief financial officer Christopher Liddell and Baltimore developer Reed Cordish to senior positions in his administration.
Liddell was named assistant to the president and director of strategic initiatives, leading the administration's Strategic Development Group. The unit will focus on priority projects and interact with private companies.
A native of New Zealand, Liddell is the former chief financial officer of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, the worldwide talent agency, and served as vice chairman and chief financial officer of General Motors Corp.
He oversaw the automaker's $23 billion initial public offering in 2010.
In addition, Liddell has held similar posts at Microsoft Corp. and International Paper Co.
He holds a master's degree from Oxford University.
Cordish, a former world-ranked tennis player, is a partner of the Cordish Cos. in Baltimore. He was named assistant to the president for intragovernmental and technology initiatives.
Trump said that Cordish would focus on "presidential initiatives that require multi-agency collaboration" and on "technological innovation and modernization."
A graduate of Princeton University, Cordish has developed some of the Baltimore area's largest projects, including Power Plant Live and the Maryland Live Casino. The company's other developments across the country include casinos, hotels and shopping centers.
Both are longtime Trump supporters who served on Trump's transition team — and they will "form and oversee a series of high-impact task forces," the president-elect said.
"Chris Liddell and Reed Cordish have led large, complex companies in the private sector, and have played instrumental roles throughout the transition," Trump said. "Their skill sets are exactly what is needed to effect substantial change, including system-wide improvement to the performance of the government."
Liddell said that "it is an honor to take on this role for the president-elect and the country."
Cordish said that he was "humbled by the role and excited to work with the incredible people within the West Wing and the agencies to effect change."