Who We Are
The PEG is an independent network that does not represent any member of the WTO, nor any private or public institution. Its members act individually, voluntarily and based on their direct and extensive personal experience in global, regional and bilateral trade negotiations, and in the governance of Multilateral Trading System institutions as the WTO, the IMF, the World Band and the UNCTAD.
Fernando de Mateo
A Mexican economist, he served in different positions in the Mexican Government, in the Mexican Institute on Foreign Trade and the Bank of Mexico. Ambassador of Mexico to the WTO (2004 to 2016), chairman of the General Council, the DSB and the negotiating group on services. Chairman of the OECD Trade Council. Chief negotiator in the FTAA and in the free trade agreements with the EFTA countries and Uruguay. National coordinator of the FTA with the EU. Services negotiator in NAFTA and in the GATT UR.
Director General of Evaluation of Economic Policies at the Secretaría de Economía. Currently Coordinator of the Diploma on Trade Negotiations at El Colegio de México
Alejandro Jara
Alejandro Jara is a Chilean diplomat and lawyer. Official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile (1976-2005): General Director of International Economic Relations, High Official of Chile before the APEC, negotiator of free trade agreements with Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Central America, Canada, Mexico, South Korea and Ambassador to the WTO. Deputy Director General of the WTO (2005 – 2013). Senior Lawyer of King & Spalding (Geneva 2013-2016). Currently a lawyer and independent consultant in international trade matters. He is a professor at several universities and institutions in Chile, China and Mexico.
Fernando de Mateo
A Mexican economist, he served in different positions in the Mexican Government, in the Mexican Institute on Foreign Trade and the Bank of Mexico. Ambassador of Mexico to the WTO (2004 to 2016), chairman of the General Council, the DSB and the negotiating group on services. Chairman of the OECD Trade Council. Chief negotiator in the FTAA and in the free trade agreements with the EFTA countries and Uruguay. National coordinator of the FTA with the EU. Services negotiator in NAFTA and in the GATT UR.
Director General of Evaluation of Economic Policies at the Secretaría de Economía. Currently Coordinator of the Diploma on Trade Negotiations at El Colegio de México
Anabel González
Anabel González is a senior researcher at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington DC, as well as an international consultant in trade, investment and economic development.
Previously, she served as Senior Director of the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice of the World Bank, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, Director of the Agriculture Division of the WTO, Senior Advisor on Trade of the IDB, and Director of the Promotion Agency of Investment of Costa Rica, among others.
Anabel is a member of the Global Future Council on International Trade and Investment. She has lectured in more than 60 countries around the world and writes regularly on these topics.
Hernando José Gómez
Colombian economist with knowledge and experience in commercial policy, green growth, competitiveness and innovation. Independent member of the Board of Directors of Banco de la República (central bank of Colombia). He held executive positions in the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit and in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, as ambassador to the WTO and Chief Negotiator of the FTA with the USA. Director of the National Planning Department (DNP). In the private sector he was president of the Private Competitiveness Council (CPC) and currently heads his consulting office HJ GOMEZ SAS and is a member of the Boards of Directors of Bancolombia and XM.
Héctor Torres
An Argentinian lawyer with knowledge in macro-economics and finance and a professional diplomat. He served at the IMF’s Executive Board: twice for Argentina (2004-2008 and 2016-2017) once for Brazil (2013-2015). He worked at the WTO providing legal counsel to Appellate Body Members (2001-2004); WTO’s Task Force on the Financial Crisis (2009-2013); responsible for technical assistance to the Latin American and the Caribbean (2009-2013); counsellor in the Economic Research and Statistics Division (2015-2016).
Guillermo Valles
Guillermo Valles graduated with the title of Doctor of Diplomacy. He is a Uruguayan career diplomat. He was Vice-Minister of Uruguay and Uruguay’s ambassador to China, the EU, Belgium and Luxemburg, the United Nations and the WTO. He was the principal negotiator of Uruguay to Mercosur from 1992 to 1996. In the WTO, he presided over the negotiations in Rules for 6 years and is a frequent panelist of the Dispute Settlement Body. From 2011 to 2017 he was the Director of the International Trade on Goods and Services, and Commodities Division of UNCTAD. He is a professor at several universities in Uruguay.
