Arancha Gonzalez

File:Arancha Gonzalez - Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade-2.jpg

Arancha Gonzalez at the Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade, June 2015

Arancha González Laya (born 22 May 1969) is the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, the joint agency of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization. She was appointed to this position in August 2013.

González served as Chief of Staff to WTO Director General Pascal Lamy between 2005 and 2013. In that capacity she was intimately involved in setting up the WTO's Aid for Trade initiative as well as the Enhanced Integrated Framework, a joint venture of several international organisations helping to build trade capacity in the world's poorest countries. She served as WTO Director-General's representative (Sherpa) at the G-20. Before that she served in various capacities in the European Commission in the area of international trade, including negotiations of trade agreements between the EU and Mercosur, Iran, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Balkans and Mediterranean countries. She has also assisted developing countries in benefiting from trading opportunities in Europe. Between 2002 and 2005 she was the European Commission Spokeswoman for Trade. Ms. Gonzalez began her career in the private sector advising companies on trade, competition and state aid matters.

Personal life

Arancha González teaches on trade and development at the College of Europe (Brugges), the IELPO (Barcelona), the World Trade Institute (WTI) and the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade.