Alexandre Herault
| Alexandre Herault | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presidential Chief of Staff | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2018 | |
| President | Liu Mei-han |
| Deputy | Esther Mei |
| Preceded by | Xie Mingli |
| Deputy Executive Director of the New Democratic Alliance | |
| Assumed office November 18, 2017 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 8, 1983 Garnier, Harcour, Laeral |
| Nationality | Laeralian |
| Political party | New Democratic Alliance (Laeral) |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Mother | Jeanne Herault |
| Father | Samuel Herault |
| Alma mater | Laeralian College of Political Studies (BA); Jean-Philippe Salaun National Open University (MA) |
| Occupation | Political Advisor |
Alexandre Thomas Herault (born February 8, 1983) is a Laeralian non-profit analyst and political advisor currently serving as Chief of Staff to President Liu Mei-han. A founding member of the New Democratic Alliance (Laeral), Herault had previously served as campaign manager for Liu's successful 2018 presidential campaign.
The youngest presidential chief of staff on record, Herault has been criticized for alleged blunders during the extended government-formation process following Liu's election. He is reportedly a close confidante of President Liu; their relationship dates to his time as a graduate student conducting research under Liu at Jean-Philippe Salaun National Open University.
Early Life and Education
Herault was born in Garnier, Laeral to Samuel Herault, a literature professor at Réne Gramont National Open University, and Jeanne Herault, a part-time seamstress. He graduated from South Garnier High School in 2000, where he had been the captain of the school's Academic Quiz team, which was runner-up in the province-wide competition in 1999. He majored in International Affairs at the Laeralsford College of Political Studies, graduating in 2004 on the Chancellor's List. He had also interned in the Laeralsford office of Rep. Meng Guiren, a Progressive, for a semester. Herault attended Jean-Philippe Salaun National Open University from 2004 to 2006, where he researched under Dr. Liu Mei-han and obtained a master's degree in Human Rights.
Career
Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy Council
From 2006 to 2011, Herault worked for the Laeralsford-based think tank, the Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy Council, where he worked on the "Visions Project on Laeralian Diplomacy", which aimed to add new innovations to the development of Laeralian foreign policy.
Fair Housing Coalition
Beginning in 2010 on a part-time basis, Herault worked as a legal consultant for the Fair Housing Coalition, an advocacy group focusing on bettering the conditions of Laeralites in public housing and those experiencing homelessness. As an employee of the political mobilization and lobbying wing beginning from 2011 onward, Herault pursued lobbying at the provincial and federal level, as well as working on developing the electoral impact of voters in public housing.
Staff of Liu Mei-han
When Liu Mei-han, formerly governor of Neidong from 2012-2016, was named as Laeral's inaugural Ambassador to the World Assembly by Nicholas Brennan in 2016, she offered a position as Chief Speechwriter to Herault, who accepted. He served in this capacity until Liu's resignation in 2017 to form the New Democratic Alliance.