Wesley Mathews

Wesley Mathews brings over two decades of experience in business development, diplomacy, and finance to his role as President & Chief Executive Officer of Choose New Jersey, the state’s leading nonprofit economic development organization.

Experienced in foreign affairs, international trade, and the public and private promotion of economic investment, Mr. Mathews is uniquely suited to guiding New Jersey’s business attraction efforts.

Immediately prior to assuming leadership of Choose New Jersey, Mr. Mathews served as Deputy Economic Counselor at the United States Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he was responsible for the management of U.S.-Saudi economic and energy policy.

During his thirteen-year career as a diplomat, Mr. Mathews served in Germany, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and Washington, D.C. During that time, from 2018-2019, he served as a loaned executive to the New Jersey state government, establishing the state’s Office of International Trade and Investment at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA).

During his time at the NJEDA, Mr. Mathews was instrumental in enhancing New Jersey’s global reach, devising successful strategies to attract greater foreign direct investment, and coordinating Governor-led economic missions to Germany, Israel, and India. Mr. Mathews played a critical role in opening new markets for the state and launching the New Jersey Europe and India Centers.

As President & CEO of Choose New Jersey, Mr. Mathews is focused on leveraging these experiences to help the organization build on its success in promoting New Jersey as the premier destination to build and grow a business.

Prior to joining the United States Foreign Service, Mr. Mathews worked in finance and business development for Nortel Networks and FedEx. He earned an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a BBA in finance from the University of Texas at Austin. He is the recipient of several U.S. Department of State awards, including multiple Superior Honor Awards for advancing U.S. economic diplomacy.

He and his wife live in Hoboken with their daughter.