Indian American Ronnie Chatterji has announced the end of his run at the National Economic Council, where he served as the White House coordinator and was instrumental in implementing the CHIPS and Science Act passed last year. 

According to a Politico report, he will return to his previous calling as a business professor at Duke University. His exit  comes as the Biden administration’s semiconductor strategy has evolved from a quick fix to address chip shortage to a long-term strategy that has the potential to shift the United States manufacturing from Taiwan, which has become a political liability amid rising tensions with China.

During his time at the White House, Chatterji was a key adviser in the Biden administration’s effort to overcome the global microchip semiconductor shortage. He also served as a senior economist in the Obama White House. The Indian American joined the Commerce Department as chief economist in April 2021 and was put in charge of a “war room” tasked with detangling global supply chains for goods ranging from lumber to microchips. 

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in a statement to Politico described Chatterji as “an incredible asset” to the administration, adding she “relied on his expertise and guidance to help make major strides in bolstering America’s supply chains, strengthening national security, and creating jobs across America.”

“Ronnie’s unique mix of economic policy expertise and management skills have made him an invaluable asset to the White House economic team,” National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard said in a statement.