Intervenant

Arancha GONZALEZ

Executive Director - International Trade Centre

Company / Institution Profile:

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. Our aim is for businesses in developing countries to become more competitive in global markets, speeding economic development and contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. ITC’s mission is to foster sustainable economic development and contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in developing countries and transition economies through trade and international business development. ITC’s mission is to enable small-business export success by connecting small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries and transition economies to the global trading system. ITC gives particular weight to project implementation in the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing states and sub-Saharan Africa.

Professional Experience:

Arancha González, an expert in international trade issues with 20 years of experience, serves as Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC) since September 2013.Ms. González, a Spanish national, has extensive knowledge about international trade and economics, coupled with broad experience in trade and development matters in the public and private sectors, as well as in management at multilateral organizations. Before joining ITC, Ms. González served as Chief of Staff to World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Pascal Lamy from 2005 to 2013. During her tenure at the WTO, she played an active role in launching the WTO’s Aid for Trade initiative and served as Mr. Lamy’s representative at the G-20. Prior to working at the WTO, Ms. González held several positions at the European Commission, conducting negotiations of trade agreements and assisting developing countries in trade-development efforts. Between 2002 and 2004, she was the European Union spokeswoman for trade and adviser to the European Union Trade Commissioner. Ms. González began her career in the private sector advising companies on trade, competition and state-aid matters. She served as an associate at Bruckhaus Westrick Stegemann, a major German law firm, in Brussels. Ms. González holds a degree in law from the University of Navarra and a postgraduate degree in European Law from the University of Carlos III, Madrid. Besides her native Spanish, she speaks English, French, German and Italian