PTA Advisory Board information

ESCAP has taken the lead in establishing a PTA Advisory Board consisting of trade and development experts. In the first phase, the PTA Advisory Board provides support to the project, the implementing parties and their respective networks including ARTNeT. In particular, the PTA Advisory Board will provide guidance and advice on topics such as the negotiation process of PTAs, the assessment and management of the economic and social impacts of PTAs and complimentary policies related to the implementation of PTAs.

The advisory board will draw part of its membership from the ARTNeT and UNNExT network of scholars, knowledge communities and trade and development practitioners who have already demonstrated a willingness to provide advice and assistance to governments on these issues.

PTA Advisory Board - Terms of Reference

PTA Advisory Board members

• Alberto Trejos, Dean, INCAE Business School
  Ph.D. (Economics), University of Pennsylvania

  Professor Alberto Trejos has extensive experience in government and academia. He was a former Minister of Foreign Trade for Costa Rica, as well as President of the Costa Rica Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE). Dr. Trejos has also consulted for various governments, international organizations and companies. He has also published numerous works across the topics of trade, finance, and international development. Professor Alberto Trejos is currently Dean of INCAE Business School in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
  More info: http://www.incae.edu/en/directory/alberto-trejos.html

• Biswajit Dhar, Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University
  Ph.D. (Economics), Jawaharlal Nehru University

  Professor Biswajit Dhar has spent many years working on the issue of trade and development both as a practioner and as a researcher. He was the former Director General of the Research and Information System for Developing Countries, as well as Head of the Centre for WTO Studies at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. He has also consulted for the Government of India as well as various international organizations. Professor Biswajit Dhar is currently Professor at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in the School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
  More info: http://www.jnu.ac.in/FacultyStaff/ShowProfile.asp?SendUserName=dhar

• David Vanzetti, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
  Ph.D. (Economics), La Trobe University

  Dr. David Vanzetti is an expert in trade and agricultural economics with extensive experience as a researcher in many top universities in Australia and the United Kingdom. He has also worked for various governments and international orgranizations, providing critical analyses and modelling skills in the areas of trade and agriculture. Dr. David Vanzetti is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.
  More info: https://crawford.anu.edu.au/people/visitors/david-vanzetti

• Darian McBain, Global Director for Sustainable Development, Thai Union Group
  Ph.D, University of Sydney

  Dr. Darian McBain is an expert in sustainable development, having held a multitude of positions advocating for environmental and social sustainability, both within companies and as part of consulting firms. She has also published numerous books and articles on the issue of sustainability. Dr. Darian McBain is currently the Global Director of Sustainable Development at Thai Union Group.
  More info: http://www.thaiunion.com/en/about/people/subcommittee/risk-management-committee/339/dr-darian-mcbain

• H. Graham Anderson Director, Indian Ocean Rim Association
  M.A. (Political Science), University of the Free State in Bloemfontein

  Mr. Graham Anderson has worked for the South African Department of Foreign Affairs for over three decades, serving at various legations and embassies including in Finland, Brazil, Venezuela and Austria over the years. When not posted overseas, he has served in many Directorates working towards regional and multilateral cooperation across various dimensions including trade and industry, energy cooperation, and agriculture and rural development. Since October 2012 Mr. Graham Anderson has been seconded to the IORA Secretariat, serving as director.
  More info: http://www.iora.net/directors.aspx

• Vilas Pathikonda, Independent Consultant
  M.A. (International Affairs), Columbia University

  Vilas Pathikonda has led and consulted for various international organizations on the issue of labour in trade and investment, as well as published many articles on trade and development while working for the World Bank.
  More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vpathikonda

• Alberto Posso, Associate Professor, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
  Ph.D. (Economics), Australia National University

  Associate Professor Alberto Posso is an experienced academic researcher, and an expert on issues of trade and development. He has published numerous journal articles addressing topics including labour, international trade, finance, inequality, and political economy, with the aim of formulating evidence-based economic and social policy recommendations through sound economic and quantitative analysis. He is currently Associate Professor of Economics at the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing, at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University.
  More info: https://www.rmit.edu.au/contact/staff-contacts/academic-staff/p/posso-associate-professor-alberto