Karel Abboud

Karel Abboud serves as the Global Director of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Trade for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. In this role, Karel focuses on the recruitment of FDI into the state while also overseeing TNECD’s five international FDI offices. TNECD’s FDI offices are located in Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and represent a total of 12 countries.

Before joining TNECD in 2022, Karel worked for the state of Mississippi in International Trade & Investment. Karel holds a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and an MBA from Mississippi College. Karel is a board member of the International Business Council through the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and is a board member of the Japan-America Society of Tennessee.