Willy ALFARO

Work Experience

May 2023–August 2024
Director, Vision & Strategy
Office Of The Director-General
World Trade Organization

Leading and coordinating the design of a vision and mission statements for the WTO secretariat. Definition of strategic pillars for the future of the WTO secretariat based on which the secretariat’s strategy up to 2030 was developed. Leading the coordination work and alignment of secretariat planning and operations with the overall strategy. WTO secretariat strategy 2030 adopted at the end of august 2024.

July 2014–April 2023
Director, Trade Policies Review Division
World Trade Organization

Leading and managing the trade policies review division (around 55 staff), whose responsibilities include the following areas: The trade policy reviews of all WTO members, regional trade agreements, WTO’s trade monitoring exercise, and balance-of-payments committee. Regular activities include the planning of the division’s annual work, assignment of tasks to staff, ensuring the delivery of high-quality outputs within established deadlines in all areas, providing briefings to senior management on all issues under the division’s areas of responsibility, advising the chairs of the relevant WTO bodies and committees, and evaluating staff performance. Contributed to the successful conclusion of the 6th appraisal of the TPRM (with concrete outputs that required the first legal amendment of annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement). Advising the TPRB chair on the conduct of the 7th appraisal of the TPRM.

December 2013–June 2014
Director a.i., Trade And Environment Division
World Trade Organization

Leading and managing the trade and environment division (around 10 staff). Oversight of all issues related to the intersection between trade policies and environmental policies, as well as all technical barriers to trade matters. Ensured the efficient functioning of the CTE and TBT committees and advised the respective chairs.

January 2009–December 2013
Senior Counsellor, Trade Policies Review Division
World Trade Organization

Responsible for the conceptualization and establishment of the WTO’s monitoring of trade measures, initially in the context of the global financial crisis (as requested by G20 leaders), and subsequently consolidated as a regular surveillance exercise under the TPRM mandate. Lead author of the Director-General’s reports on protectionism trends for G20 economies as well as for the trade monitoring reports on the entire membership. Advised senior management on matters related to recent trade policy developments, in particular the evolution of protectionist pressures.

September 2005–December 2008
Director, External Relations Division
World Trade Organization

Leading and managing the external relations division (around 8 staff). In charge of WTO’s institutional relations with the united nations system, parliamentarians, and civil society (NGOs and the business community). Advised senior management on WTO’s external relations matters and representing the WTO secretariat at international events. Supervised the efforts at further enhancing the reach and visibility of the WTO’s public forum.

September 2002–August 2005
Deputy Director, Office Of The Director-General (Supachai Panitchpakdi)
World Trade Organization

Overseeing the day-to-day management of the director-general’s office, including the planning of the DG’s meetings in Geneva and official missions abroad. Coordinating regular interactions between WTO secretariat divisions and the DG’s office, including the preparation of substantive briefings for DG’s use. Advising the Director-General on administrative and staff-related matters. Accompanying the DG on most official missions.

May 1999–August 2022
Chief of Europe/Africa Section, Trade Policies Review Division
World Trade Organization

Supervising a team of trade policy analysts in the preparation of TPRs of members in Europe and Africa. Coordinating the work of staff and contributing to ensuring the consistency of TPR reports and the proper servicing of TPRB meetings. Leading official missions to capitals to discuss trade policy issues with government officials.

May 1995–April 1999
Counsellor, Office Of The Director-General (Renato Ruggiero)
World Trade Organization

Assisting in the day-to-day functioning of the director-general’s office. Contributing to the drafting of DG’s speeches. Preparing and summarizing briefing notes for the DG’s official meetings in Geneva and missions abroad. Liaising with Secretariat divisions to ensure the timely flow of information to/from the DG’s office.

October 1989–April 1995
Trade Policy Analyst, Trade Policies Review Division
GATT

Analyzing and drafting trade policy review reports of several countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Participating in official missions to capitals to discuss trade policy issues.

December 1987–September 1989
Consultant, Research Section, Division of Product And Market Development
International Trade Centre

Development of statistical tools to analyze trade data and the trade performance of companies with a view to facilitate the planning and evaluation of ITC’s trade promotion activities.

October 1984–July 1988
Teaching And Research Assistant, Department of Econometrics, University of Geneva

Research on statistical methods applied to economics. Teaching Assistant on statistical methods for undergraduate economics students.

Education
September 1986
Post-graduate master’s degree in econometrics, University of Geneva, Switzerland

September 1984
Bachelor’s in economics (quantitative methods), University of Geneva, Switzerland

February 1993
Trade policy evaluation course, centre for international economics, Canberra, Australia

Languages
English (advanced), French (advanced), Spanish (native).