DG candidate interviews

The World Trade Organization must be pulled back from the precipice of irrelevance and political weakness, says the United Kingdom’s nominee to lead it – arguing he would do so by making the global case for free trade, the multilateral rules-based system and what the world would lose without them. Liam Fox, a member of Parliament and the UK’s former trade secretary, has placed his political background – particularly his unique profile as the only candidate who is an elected...

What the World Trade Organization needs is not only an “active, dynamic” leader who can shepherd the institution out of the past and into reform, but also one with courage who can resist further politicization, according to former Moldovan Foreign Minister Tudor Ulianovschi, who is the country’s candidate for director-general. With the WTO in the midst of an existential crisis, its next leader must be “someone strong to keep the organization afloat [and] relevant, but also to be able to...

Mohammed Moziad Al-Tuwaijri, Saudi Arabia’s candidate to lead the World Trade Organization, wants to bring his business sensibility to an institution in crisis, arguing that quantifying the WTO’s impact and establishing a track record of delivery will renew trust and confidence in the ailing organization. Saudi Arabia’s former economy minister, with a long career in the private sector, Al-Tuwaijri strikes a unique chord among the eight vying to succeed WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo , who steps down at the end...

Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, a candidate to lead the World Trade Organization, says she knows how to close a trade deal. With the biggest trade deal of them all -- the World Trade Organization -- on the brink, Yoo believes the only way forward is to prove the beleaguered institution can build on successes on its way to reform. Each success, even if modest, helps secure political support and momentum, according to Yoo; each is also critical in rebuilding...

With her history of multilateral successes at the World Trade Organization, Kenya’s candidate to lead the institution, Amina Mohamed, is confident she can deliver once again and lead the embattled organization out of its existential crisis. A former WTO ambassador and former foreign secretary, Mohamed was one of the most anticipated entries into the race to lead the organization, which has translated to early front runner status, as highlighted by at least two news organizations . “I'm running on my...

Facing an existential crisis, the World Trade Organization needs a leader that can take office with “fresh eyes” and a reform-oriented approach, according to Nigeria’s candidate for the director-general role, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She believes she’s the one who can deliver. As of Wednesday, Okonjo-Iweala is one of five candidates looking to succeed Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, who will step down at the end of August, a year early. The other four are Jesús Seade of Mexico , Hamid Mamdouh of Egypt...

World Trade Organization members have lost their “common purpose,” Egyptian director-general candidate Abdel Hamid Mamdouh believes, telling Inside U.S. Trade his first priority if given the organization’s top job would be to rebuild political confidence in the system. Mamdouh, a lawyer with King & Spalding in Geneva and a former longtime director of WTO’s trade in services division, was formally nominated by Egypt last week. Two other candidates -- Jesús Seade of Mexico and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria --...

The Mexican candidate to lead the World Trade Organization, Jesús Seade, believes he is the right person for the top job in an organization in crisis because he is an effective facilitator and interlocutor who can also “bring some creativity.” Seade, Mexico’s undersecretary for North America, was tapped by his government on Monday as the first official director-general candidate. Two candidates from Egypt and Nigeria have so far joined him in the race. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo is leaving the...