Pamela Passman

Pamela Passman is Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Microsoft's Global Corporate Affairs function. She oversees four main missions: to provide regulatory counsel to business groups and develop corporate positions on public policy issues, such as intellectual property rights, privacy, internet security and safety, international trade, accessibility and telecommunications; to strengthen government and industry relations; to develop partnerships with governments, international organizations, non-profits and industry; and to oversee Microsoft's community and philanthropic investments and outreach. Passman also has leadership responsibilities for Microsoft's cross-company, global corporate citizenship efforts and Microsoft Unlimited Potential, a commitment to bring the benefits of technology to the next five billion people. From October 1996 through April 2002, Passman served in Tokyo as Associate General Counsel responsible for Microsoft's Law & Corporate Affairs groups in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Peoples' Republic of China, including Hong Kong. Prior to joining Microsoft, Passman was with Covington & Burling, an international law firm based in Washington, D.C. She also practiced for two years in Japan with Nagashima & Ohno and served as Special Counsel to the Office of Political and Economic Research, Executive Office of the President of Itochu Corporation. Passman is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the Information Technology Industry Council and serves on the Boards of Business for Social Responsibility, the Seattle Art Museum and the National Bureau of Asian Research. Passman is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Pacific Council on International Policy. Passman is a graduate of Lafayette College and the University of Virginia School of Law. She was also a recipient of a one year Thomas J. Watson Foundation grant for independent research in Japan. Passman and her husband and two children reside in Bellevue, Wash.