Max Sutherland is the President and CEO of the World Trade Center Atlanta, gateway to a vibrant and formidable international business community across the region and around the globe. With headquarters in New York and more than 325 sister-centers strategically located around the world, the WTC Atlanta promotes and facilitates international trade and investments, providing the commercial environment, industry and government access, trade services, and educational programming that bring executives, entrepreneurs, governments, businesses, and markets together. Max has been on WTC Atlanta’s Board of Directors since 2017, is Chairman of the Executive Board, and has a seat on the World Trade Centers Association’s Global Trade Advisory Council.

Complementing his commitment to the WTC Atlanta, Max is a frequent Keynote Speaker and Panel Moderator at Business Forums and Trade Conferences to share insights, considerations, knowledge, and resources to strategically expand into new markets, domestic and international. Max is also Chairman of the Board for Universal Broadband & Technology Services International (UBTS International) and sits on the board of the American Nigerian International Chamber of Commerce.

 

Following a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Max redirected from a long-planned career in foreign service to pursue global responsibilities in the corporate world as a better way to “get things done and make a difference” to improve the lives of others, strategically choosing opportunities that built on his international studies, family background, and passions. However, a family tragedy nearly derailed a promising career; but through introspection and asking one question after another, this tragedy became a key motivation to “give back and pay-it-forward”, which only added to his breadth of knowledge, insight and understanding and bring his dream full circle. 

Prior to joining the WTC Atlanta, Max worked over 25 years on Wall Street at Citicorp, The Chase Manhattan Bank, UBS and Bank of America and in Big 4 Consulting at KPMG and Deloitte, specializing in solving company executives’ most challenging issues: M&A due diligence and integrations, global growth strategies, enterprise-wide turnarounds, investment funding, and strategic international CEO initiatives. His global experience and responsibilities span six continents and multiple cultures and industries, providing insights and alternative practices to broad business challenges and investments. 

Max holds a double-major Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics from Indiana University. His concentration was in International North-South Relations and Sub-Saharan Africa. He earned his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and sits on the Atlanta Business School Alliance Board representing Fuqua.

Max is a trained equestrian and loves all things horses. He also enjoys a relaxing baseball game and recently discovered the thrill of hockey games.