Headshot of Scot Marciel

Scot Marciel

  • Oksenberg-Rohlen Fellow

Biography

Scot Marciel is Oksenberg-Rohlen Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, affiliated with the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center. Previously, he was a 2020-22 Visiting Scholar and Visiting Practitioner Fellow on Southeast Asia at APARC.  A retired diplomat, Mr. Marciel served as U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar from March 2016 through May 2020, leading a mission of 500 employees during the difficult Rohingya crisis and a challenging time for both Myanmar’s democratic transition and the United States-Myanmar relationship.  Prior to serving in Myanmar, Ambassador Marciel served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific at the State Department, where he oversaw U.S. relations with Southeast Asia.

From 2010 to 2013, Scot Marciel served as U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country.  He led a mission of some 1000 employees, expanding business ties, launching a new U.S.-Indonesia partnership, and rebuilding U.S.-Indonesian military-military relations.  Prior to that, he served concurrently as the first U.S. Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia from 2007 to 2010.

Mr. Marciel is a career diplomat with 35 years of experience in Asia and around the world.  In addition to the assignments noted above, he has served at U.S. missions in Turkey, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Brazil and the Philippines.  At the State Department in Washington, he served as Director of the Office of Maritime Southeast Asia, Director of the Office of Mainland Southeast Asia, and Director of the Office of Southern European Affairs.  He also was Deputy Director of the Office of Monetary Affairs in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.

Mr. Marciel earned an MA from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a BA in International Relations from the University of California at Davis.  He was born and raised in Fremont, California, and is married with two children.

publications

Journal Articles
July 2023

The Twin Challenges Facing Myanmar and How the World Can Help

Author(s)
cover link The Twin Challenges Facing Myanmar and How the World Can Help
Books
March 2023

Imperfect Partners

Author(s)
cover link Imperfect Partners

In The News

Myanmar nationals hold a sign that reads "Save Myanmar" in front of the United Nations on March 04, 2021 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Q&As

Q&A: Former US Diplomat Sees ‘Troubling Divisions’ in Southeast Asia

Scot Marciel says Washington should focus on engaging with the region rather than trying to counter Chinese influence.
cover link Q&A: Former US Diplomat Sees ‘Troubling Divisions’ in Southeast Asia
U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts from nine Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries take part in the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington, D.C., on May 13, 2022.
Q&As

Scot Marciel on the State of U.S.-Southeast Asia Relations

“Absent a major crisis, policy toward Southeast Asia tends to be a corollary of policies toward those major powers, most notably China.”
cover link Scot Marciel on the State of U.S.-Southeast Asia Relations
ASEAN leaders during a Summit discussion.
Q&As

ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus ‘Not Appropriate’ for Myanmar: Ex-US Ambassador

The Irrawaddy spoke to Scot Marciel, former United States ambassador to Myanmar and currently a visiting scholar at APARC, about the current state of regional and international efforts to tackle the Myanmar crisis.
cover link ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus ‘Not Appropriate’ for Myanmar: Ex-US Ambassador