North American Energy and Trade Advisers
North American Energy and Trade Advisers (NAETA), a joint project of Goldwyn Global Strategies, LLC and AOM Advisors, was created to provide companies with strategic support in navigating the 2026 US Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) review. Led by David Goldwyn and Antonio Ortiz-Mena, NAETA offers expert political insights, business intelligence and corporate strategy advice for the imminent USMCA review.
Offering decades of direct experience formulating trade and energy policy as well as advising energy corporate and investment fund senior management, NAETA formulates strategies to help businesses, and their leaders, successfully adapt to a rapidly moving trade agreement review.
Navigating the USMCA Review
The 2026 review of the USMCA will be a platform for revisiting the rules for cross-border trade and investment in energy commodities, electricity, telecommunications, infrastructure and automobiles. As each country formulates its negotiating agenda and begins the process of building legislative support for the review, it will be critical for companies involved in cross border investment and trade to have accurate information on the negotiating posture of each country, insight into framing issues to elevate their salience on the trade agenda and assistance in building coalition support for their desired, successful outcome.
The USMCA was hugely successful in facilitating expanded North American trade, especially in energy. Cross-border investment has reached historic levels: in 2022, the value of energy trade between the US and Canada grew over 40% from the year prior and reached $190 billion. In the same year, the value of energy trade between the US and Mexico was nearly $78 billion. This enormous volume of energy trade, mostly concentrated in conventional fuels and electricity, has been foundational to the continent’s secure energy supply and affordability.
Much of this growth is now potentially at risk, with energy policy uncertainty in Mexico and the details of new rules of the game giving pride of place to PEMEX and CFE still being developed. All of this is compounded by suggestions from Canadian Conservative and Liberal leaders in support of a renewed trade agreement with the US, excluding Mexico. The Trump administration’s approach to USMCA is also uncertain. A US administration focused on growing US domestic hydrocarbon supply, infrastructure and power generation may be less concerned about the investment climate for energy in Mexico or Canada. Concern over Chinese content in imports of any goods, especially automobiles, will be a paramount concern. Energy and related issues will be a central component of the USMCA review.
Our expert Team
NAETA is available on a consulting fee basis and is designed to explain the dynamic trade and investment landscape and the web of officials crafting and enforcing these evolving measures. We also offer strategic planning guidance to craft strategies for engaging stakeholders, including government officials, on trade and investment issues.
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David L. Goldwyn
David L. Goldwyn, President and founder of Goldwyn Global Strategies, LLC, has nearly 30 years of international business, legal, diplomatic, and foreign affairs experience, including distinguished service as Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs at the Department of State (2009-11), Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs (1999-2001) and national security deputy to US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bill Richardson. As an energy market expert, he has extensive experience crafting effective strategies and policy to manage risk, secure licenses under financial sanctions regimes, resolve international commercial disputes and develop corporate social responsibility programs. In the course of this work, he has operated at and with the highest levels of the White House, State Department, National Security Council, National Economic Council, Commerce, Defense, Export Credit, and Trade and Development agencies. As an external advisor, he has been entrusted with sensitive and confidential business information, helping corporate clients to formulate successful strategies in an environment of dynamic legal, regulatory and policy constraints.
Antonio Ortiz-Mena, PhD
Antonio Ortiz-Mena, PhD, is the President and Founder of AOM Advisors, bringing over 30 years of experience in international trade and foreign investment. He was a key member of Mexico’s original NAFTA negotiation team and led the economic section of the Mexican Embassy in the U.S., overseeing bilateral economic issues, including energy. From 2015 to 2024, Ortiz-Mena served as SVP at Albright Stonebridge Group and later as a Partner at Dentons Global Advisors, where he guided corporations through critical political and economic challenges in North America. His insights into U.S.-Mexico relations and access to top business and policymaker networks are invaluable for companies navigating the evolving energy landscape. Ortiz-Mena's bilingual proficiency and academic background enhance his ability to bridge gaps between stakeholders, making him a vital asset for businesses looking to thrive amid the complexities of the USMCA review and energy policies.
