ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
RD/IT/31OPENING SESSION 
1. DR NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The first woman and first 
African to hold the position in the 75-year history of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the 
World Trade Organization.
She is an economist and international development expert with over 40 years of experience. She was Chair of the 
Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (2016–2020), the African Risk Capacity (2014–2020) and Co-Chair of The Global 
Commission on the Economy and Climate. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor at Lazard Ltd. and sat on the 
Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc. Dr Okonjo-Iweala was appointed as an African Union COVID-19 
Special Envoy, as well as WHO COVID-19 Special Envoy in 2020. She was one of the founders of the COVAX Facility 
designed to get affordable vaccines to Low and Low Middle-Income Countries.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala served as Nigeria’s first female and longest serving Finance Minister (7 years). She was also the 
first female Foreign Minister. She spent a 25-year career at the World Bank rising to the No. 2 position of Managing 
Director, Operations.
In 2020 Dr Okonjo-Iweala was named Forbes African of the Year. She has been ranked by Fortune as one of 
the 50 Greatest World Leaders (2015) and by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World 
consecutively for four years. She is the recipient of 15 Honorary Doctorate Degrees, including from some of the 
world’s most prestigious universities, such as Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, and 
Trinity College, Dublin.
She holds a Bachelor’s in Economics from Harvard University and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology.
Biographies of ITA Symposium Speakers and ModeratorsITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/312. AMBASSADOR MICHAEL PUNKE
Ambassador Michael Punke is Vice President for Global Public Policy, Amazon Web Services. He has more than 
three decades of experience in international trade and regulatory issues.
Punke served from 2010 to 2017 as Deputy US Trade Representative and US Ambassador to the World Trade 
Organization in Geneva. He had lead responsibility for international trade negotiations, including the Trans-Atlantic 
Trade and Investment Partnership, the Trade in Services Agreement, the Environmental Goods Agreement, and all 
negotiations under the auspices of the WTO. Punke led the negotiations resulting in the 2013 Trade Facilitation 
Agreement, the first fully multilateral agreement in the WTO’s twenty-year history, and the 2015 Information 
Technology Agreement, the first WTO tariff reduction agreement in seventeen years.
Punke served previously in government as Senior Policy Advisor at the Office of the United States Trade 
Representative (1995-1996); Director for International Economic Affairs at the White House National Security 
Council/National Economic Council (1993-1995); and International Trade Counsel to Senator Max Baucus (1991-
1992), then chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade.
Punke is the author of the novel, The Revenant, basis for the Academy Award-winning film, as well as two works of 
narrative non-fiction and several screenplays. The Revenant has been translated into more than twenty languages 
and was an international bestseller, including four weeks as a #1 New York Times bestseller. His new novel, 
Ridgeline, was released in June 2021.
Punke received his BA with distinction in International Relations from George Washington University and his JD 
with Specialization in International Legal Affairs from Cornell Law School, where he was elected editor-in-chief of 
the Cornell International Law Journal.
Punke lives in Montana and is married to Traci Silk Punke. They have two children. Punke is an avid outdoorsman.
OPENING SESSION ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/31SESSION ONE
3. MR ERIC NG SHING
Senior Statistician, Economic Research and Statistics Division, WTO
Mr Eric Ng Shing is serving as a Senior Statistical Officer in the Economic Research and Statistics Division of 
the WTO since 2003. He is experienced in tariffs and goods schedules. In this capacity, he provides support to 
WTO Members on issues relating to the transposition of Members’ commitments in different versions of the 
Harmonized System, assists Members in their tariff renegotiations, and assists acceding governments in their 
goods negotiations. He is part of the technical team responsible for the verification of schedules relating to the 
expansion of the ITA. He participated in the preference erosion debate and simulation of DOHA tariff cuts. Prior 
to the WTO, Eric was a consultant to the Statistical Office of the European Communities. He graduated as an 
Economist-Statistician in Toulouse, France.
4. MR CHRISTOPHE DEGAIN
Senior Statistician, International Trade Statistics Section, Economic Research and Statistics Division, WTO
Mr Christophe Degain is Senior Statistician in the International Trade Statistics Section within the Economic 
Research and Statistics Division at the WTO. In his current position, he conducts the development of statistical 
projects and studies on trade statistics, trade in value added, and global value chains. He is also involved in 
international statistical activities, WTO training programmes, and the management of IT-related statistical 
projects. Prior to this position, he worked at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 
as Statistician in the Main Economic Indicators Division, in charge of composite leading indicators, business 
surveys, and IT/database developments. He holds two Masters, in Econometrics and Business Economics, as well 
as a post-graduate specialization in Statistics and Computer Science.
5. MR JUN NAKAYA
Chairperson, Trade Policy Committee, Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA)
Mr Jun Nakaya is Chair of the Trade Policy Committee and a member of the Personal Data Special Committee of 
Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA). Representing the IT and electronics 
industry of Japan, he has been expressing views and opinions at various international fora for better world trade 
policies.
He is a Manager, Global Planning Department, Government Relations Office, at Fujitsu Limited in Japan. He 
participates in several industry organization activities such as JEITA and Keidanren, and makes recommendations 
on global ICT-related policy issues.
He coordinates with ministries and government offices for global-related policy issues. Prior to his current position, 
he worked in Singapore as Director of Fujitsu Asia. He has also been involved in the promotion of cross-border 
e-commerce and the establishment of a safe and secure environment for the cross-border e-commerce market.
ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/316. MR HENDRIK ABMA
Director-General, European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA)
Mr Hendrik Abma has been Director-General of the European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA) since 
February 2012.
As Public Affairs & Association Executive, he has gathered many years of leadership expertise in several European 
industry associations. Mr Abma has extensive professional experience in managing working relations with EU 
institutions on industry issues, particularly in the field of international trade and industrial policy.
He has Dutch nationality and holds a master’s degree in Law in Public Administration from the University of 
Groningen, the Netherlands.
7. MS BING GUAN
Director of Institution of Industry Economy, China Centre for Information Industry Development (CCID), Ministry of 
Industry and Information Technology, China
Ms Bing Guan is the Director of the Institution of Industry Economy, China Centre for Information Industry 
Development (CCID) of MIIT. She received her doctorate from Renmin University in 2010 and since then has focused 
on the study of international economics and trade. In her current position, she coordinates with ministries and 
government offices for global-related trade policy issues, and she participated in the WTO ITA and EGA negotiations, 
as well as some FTA negotiations. Based on her years of working experience, she has published several related 
works and more than 30 papers. Prior to her current position, she taught Economics.
SESSION ONEITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/31SESSION TWO
8. MR  MAGNUS NORDÉUS
Chair of DIGITALEUROPE’s Export Control and Customs Working Group, Corporate Head of Trade Compliance, 
Ericsson Group
Mr Nordéus is the Corporate Head of Trade Compliance at Ericsson’s headquarters in Sweden, reporting to 
Ericsson’s Executive Team. In this role, Mr Nordéus is responsible for trade policy and compliance for the Ericsson 
Group globally. Mr Nordéus has represented Ericsson in Trade Policy for more than a decade, for example through 
DIGITALEUROPE, BusinessEurope, and the European Round Table for Industry. Mr Nordéus frequently represents 
Ericsson around the world in front of Governments and Intergovernmental Organizations such as the WTO.
Mr Nordéus holds a Master of Law degree from Uppsala University.
9. DR TREVOR GUNN
Vice President – International Relations, Medtronic
Dr Trevor Gunn is Vice President – International Relations for Medtronic, the world’s largest medical technology 
company.
He was formerly long-time Director of the US Commerce Department’s Business Information Service for Newly 
Independent States (BISNIS), the clearing house for US Government information for doing business in the former 
Soviet Union. He has served continuously for the past 28 years, and currently serves, as Adjunct Professor at CERES 
and the Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy at the School of Foreign Service and Georgetown 
University. He is a Vicennial Silver Medalist.
He received his BA from the University of San Francisco. He received his PhD in International Relations from the 
London School of Economics in 1992.
He has worked with the Chamber of Commerce of Southern Sweden, Dover Elevator Corporation (now ThyssenKrupp 
of Germany), International Executive Service Corps, and on the staffs of the former San Francisco Mayor and two 
US Senators from California. He is the Founder and Chairman of the USA Healthcare Alliance (USAHA). He sits on 
the US State Department’s Stakeholder Advisory Board on the OECD Guidelines on Corporate Social Responsibility; 
and he is an official Advisor to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) in the “Industry Trade Advisory” 
system of the US Government. Dr Gunn chairs the International Affairs Committee at Medtech Europe, Europe’s 
largest medical technology trade association. Furthermore, he is a Member of the Board of Directors for the US-
Russia Business Council. Dr Gunn is Chair Emeritus and Board Member of the Executive Council on Diplomacy. He 
sits on the Board of the Washington Export Council (Washington, D.C.), the Board of Advisers of the Washington 
International Business Council. Finally, he serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Minnesota, Carlson 
Business School’s Carlson Global Institute.
He speaks Swedish, French, and Russian. Dr Gunn, his wife Anna, and their three children, live in suburban 
Maryland, a short distance from Washington, DC.
ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/3110. MR DANIEL SUN
Chief Technology Officer (CTO), TCL
Mr Daniel Sun graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2001, with a master’s degree in artificial intelligence. 
He started his career in Alcatel as a mobile phone software engineer.
He joined TCL in 2004 when TCL acquired Alcatel’s mobile phone business. At that time, the TCL mobile phone 
business was ranked at #1 or #2 in China, and TCL ’s ambition was to become a global company.
He worked in TCL for R&D management, and project management, as an engineering manager, and as head of 
software and deputy GM of the global R&D center. In addition, he set up the smartphone team in 2009 when the 
Android ecosystem started to emerge.
Daniel joined a software company, ThunderSoft, in 2017, as VP of Computer Vision and AI business, focusing on 
camera technologies, computer vision, and machine learning, and serving global clients, including chipset vendors, 
smartphone vendors, IoT, and automotive companies.
He came back to TCL in 2019, as Corporate CTO of TCL Industries, focusing on AI, IoT Cloud Platform, Big Data, and 
smart homes.
TCL has a large product portfolio, from smartphones, mobile broadband, tablets, routers, TVs, air conditioners, 
fridges, and many other home appliances, and TCL is accelerating the process of digital transformation by applying 
the latest AI and IoT technologies.
11. MS LARISSA HAAS
Scientific Advisor for Innovative Technologies, Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA)
Ms Larissa Haas is a scientific advisor for innovative technologies at the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation 
(FOCA). In her position, she contributes to the conceptual design of economic regulation and the analysis of 
potential new markets for emerging technologies, such as civil drones (unmanned aircraft systems). In addition, 
Ms Haas coordinates the assessment of emerging technologies with regard to sustainable development and the 
creation of respective strategies paving the way to the future of aviation. She holds a master’s degree in sociology 
and global governance and completed further education in managing the impact of technological disruption on 
society and politics.
SESSION TWOITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/31SESSION THREE
12. MS KAREN L. BLAND
Head of Global Trade/Global Trade Counsel, HP
Ms Karen Bland is the Head of Global Trade/Global Trade Counsel for HP Inc. In this role, Karen manages HP’s 
worldwide team of trade compliance professionals and provides legal support on all aspects of import and export 
laws and regulations applicable to HP’s operations. With a career in international trade spanning over twenty 
years in both the private and public sectors, Karen has advised clients on unfair trade matters, import and export 
compliance, US trade policy matters, and WTO disputes. She has also represented the US plastics industry on the 
US’s Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Health/Science Products, and Services.
Karen extends her deep knowledge and passion for international trade to her volunteer work, serving on the Board 
of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) for several years, including as President (2014-2016), 
Executive Vice President (2010-2014), and currently as the Vice President of Chapter Support.
13. MS JULIA JASINSKA
Head of International Relations and Trade Policy, Government Relations Team, Nokia
Ms Julia Jasinska is heading international relations and trade policy in the government relations team of Nokia. 
Based out of Brussels, she is responsible for Nokia’s CXO (CEO and members of the board) engagements with 
governments, international organizations, and others, on policy matters. She is coordinating the engagements 
of Nokia with the World Economic Forum and the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. In 
addition, she is the leading trade policy expert at Nokia. Furthermore, Julia is vice-chair of the Market Access 
Working Group at DIGITALEUROPE.
Before joining Nokia/NSN, Julia was responsible for trade policy matters at DIGITALEUROPE, the association of the 
tech sector in Europe. She has also worked as a Public Relations consultant in Warsaw. Julia obtained a master’s 
degree in International Relations with specialization in Economic Relations from the University of Warsaw and a 
master’s degree in European Politics and Policies from the University of Leuven. She also studied in Italy, at the 
University of Florence.
ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/3114. MR FREDRIK FORSLUND
Vice President, Enterprise & Cloud Erasure Solutions, Blancco Technology Group
Mr Fredrik Forslund serves as Vice President, Enterprise & Cloud Erasure Solutions, for Blancco. He is also the 
Director of the International Data Sanitization Consortium (IDSC), where he leads the organization in its mission 
to educate industry and standards bodies about the permanent eradication of data, clarifying guidelines to 
ensure compliance with data security and privacy laws, and how to fully enable circular and sustainable IT asset 
management.
With more than 20 years of industry experience and a keen eye for streamlining and automating corporate IT 
security efficiencies, while maintaining compliance with data privacy legislation, Forslund is often regarded as a 
trusted advisor among large customers and to Government organizations.
When he is not guiding customers through data erasure processes, or working with Blancco’s internal teams, he 
can be found speaking at industry conferences around the globe.
15. MR ZIYANG DAVID FAN
Head of Digital Trade, World Economic Forum
Mr Ziyang David Fan is the Head of Digital Trade at the World Economic Forum. Based in San Francisco, his work 
focuses on how the digital ecosystem, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies (such as 3D printing 
and blockchain), are rapidly changing international trade. He is an attorney and technologist with 15+ years of 
experience in the United States, China, and Southeast Asia. He has worked in both public and private sectors, 
including at Airbnb, US Trade and Development Agency, Shearman & Sterling LLP , and the International Monetary 
Fund. He received his law degree from the George Washington University Law School and his undergraduate degree 
from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Mr Fan has published and spoken extensively on technology and international trade, including expert testimonies 
to governments around the world, such as the UK Parliament. His work has been featured in the Harvard Business 
Review, Forbes, MIT Technology Review, and CNBC, among others. He also teaches a graduate-level course on 
“Tech Policy” at the Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley. Mr Fan is fluent in English 
and Chinese.
SESSION THREEITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/3116. MS ANDRÉE-ANN AUDETTE
Policy Analyst, Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED), Canada
Ms Andrée-Ann Audette is a policy analyst in Telecommunication Equipment Regulatory Requirements at the 
Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). She is responsible for the operation 
of the Mutual Recognition Agreement program related to the Conformity Assessment of telecommunication 
equipment as well as supporting Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in trade negotiations related to Technical Barriers to 
Trade (TBT) in the telecommunication sector.
Ms Audette received her bachelor’s degree in social sciences, with a specialization in International Development 
and Globalization from the University of Ottawa, in 2010.
Prior to joining the Department, Ms Audette had worked as a policy officer at the Canadian Permanent Mission 
to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, where she covered various events, 
meetings, and conferences.
SESSION THREEITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/31SESSION FOUR
17. MR STEPHEN SU
Vice President and General Director, Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Center (ISTI), Industrial 
Technology Research Institute (ITRI)
Mr Stephen Su is currently the Vice President and General Director of Industry, Science and Technology International 
Strategy Center (ISTI) at the ITRI in Chinese Taipei. He is in charge of market research in industry, economic, and 
technology trends and promotion for international R&D collaboration. He has extensive experience in international 
management, including high-tech industry and strategy consulting services.
Prior to that, he was the General Director of the Industrial Economic and Knowledge Center (IEK) at ITRI, a Principal 
in Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, based in Shanghai, a Senior Director in charge of the mobile phone accessory 
business division for Primax Electronics in Taipei, a Project Leader in Boston Consulting Group (BCG), based in 
Hong Kong, China, and an Applications Engineer in the Semiconductor Group of Motorola, based in Phoenix. 
His professional specialties include Strategy, Performance Improvement, Organization Change Management, 
Reengineering, and Marketing. Mr Su received his BS in Electronic/Computer Engineering from UC Berkeley, his 
MS in Electronics from California Institute of Technology, and his MBA from Kellogg School of Management at 
Northwestern University.
18. MR SANTISOUK PHOUNESAVATH
Deputy Director-General, Department of Foreign Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR
Mr Santisouk Phounesavath is currently Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade Policy, 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce, of Lao PDR. He was part of the negotiating team of Lao PDR’s accession to the 
WTO in the areas of trade in goods and rules.
He obtained his master’s degree in International Economics and Finances from Brandeis University, in the United 
States, and his bachelor’s degree in International Economics from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.
He was appointed as Lao Trade Negotiating Committee (Lao TNC) Lead for the ASEAN-Hong Kong China, Free Trade 
Agreement, concluded in 2018. From May 2018 until 15 November 2020, he has also been playing an important role 
as the Lao TNC Lead for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He has also been appointed as 
TNC for the ASEAN-Canada, which will begin soon.
He is also in charge of WTO matters.
ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/3119. MR SAURABH GAUR
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India
Mr Saurabh Gaur is an accomplished officer of the prestigious Indian Administrative Services (IAS) with over 18 
years of experience. Presently he is the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology 
(MeitY) and leads the Industrial Promotion-Electronics & Hardware Manufacturing Division (IPHW), Innovation 
and Emerging Technologies. During his illustrious career, he has held many key positions at the GoI and State 
Government of Andhra Pradesh.
He authored the landmark Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Large Scale Electronic Manufacturing. The 
PLI Scheme has since become the template for promoting manufacturing in India, and after its stellar reception 
from the global brands in Mobile and IT Hardware, the scheme has been adopted in 12 other sectors. Mr Gaur is 
the key architect of the Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors 
(SPECS) and Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters Scheme (EMC 2.0) to boost domestic manufacturing 
and attract large-scale investments in the sector.
Mr Gaur is also spearheading the efforts for a sustainable semiconductor ecosystem in India. The expression of 
interest notified by GoI for commercial semiconductor and display FAB, along with the policies for Fabless chip 
design, are some of his other instrumental contributions in that direction.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mr Gaur is also a recipient of Prime Minister’s Award for 
implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (2013) and E-Governance Award from the Chief 
Minister of Andhra Pradesh (2013-14).
20. MR TORBJÖRN FREDRIKSSON
Chief of the ICT Policy Section, Division of Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD
Mr Torbjörn Fredriksson is the Chief of the ICT Policy Section at the UN Conference on Trade and Development 
(UNCTAD). He is responsible for UNCTAD’s work on ICT, e-commerce and the digital economy. He joined the UN 
in 2000. Before joining UNCTAD, he held positions at the Invest in Sweden Agency and the Swedish Ministry of 
Industry and Commerce. He has an MSc in International Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics.
SESSION FOURITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/31SESSION FIVE
21. MR STEPHEN EZELL
Vice President Global Innovation Policy, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Mr Stephen Ezell is Vice President, Global Innovation Policy, at the Information Technology and Innovation 
Foundation (ITIF), a Washington-DC based technology and economic policy think tank, where he focuses on science, 
technology, and innovation policy, as well as international competitiveness, trade, and manufacturing policy 
issues. He is the co-author, with Dr Robert Atkinson, of Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage  (Yale, 
September 2012) and a co-author of Innovating in a Service-Driven Economy: Insights, Application, and Practice  
(Palgrave McMillan, November 2015). Mr Ezell has testified on topics including US competitiveness, innovation, 
manufacturing, and trade policy before the US Congress and the US International Trade Commission. His articles 
have appeared in Forbes, The Hill, Roll Call, The Futurist, and The International Economy, among others.
Mr Ezell came to ITIF from Peer Insight, an innovation research and consulting firm he co-founded in 2003. He 
previously worked in the new product development group at NASDAQ. Mr Ezell holds a BS from the School of 
Foreign Service at Georgetown University, with an Honors Certificate from Georgetown’s Landegger International 
Business Diplomacy (IBD) program.
22. MR JOHN NEUFFER
President and CEO, US Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA)
Mr John Neuffer is President and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), which has been the voice 
of the chip industry for over four decades. He has been at the nexus of technology, public policy, and trade for most 
of his career. Since joining SIA in 2015, John has led the association’s policy advocacy in Washington and capitals 
around the world to foster growth and innovation in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and research. John also 
serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Semiconductor Research Corporation, the world’s leading non-
profit industry-government-academia microelectronics research consortium.
Prior to joining SIA, John served as Senior Vice President for Global Policy at the Information Technology Industry 
Council, where he led a global team to expand market access opportunities for member companies around 
the world. He directed all global government relations in trade, cybersecurity, standards, regulatory, Internet 
governance, and privacy.
Previously, John served for over seven years at the Office of United States Trade Representative (USTR) in 
Washington, DC: two years as Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
(APEC) Affairs, preceded by over five years as Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for Japan.
Prior to his tenure with USTR, John was a Senior Research Fellow and Political Analyst with the Mitsui Kaijyo 
Research Institute in Tokyo for nine years. As a leading commentator on Japanese politics and policy at the institute, 
he published a widely read newsletter and wrote regular commentary for the Asian Wall Street Journal, TheStreet.
com, and Newsweek Japan. All told, John lived in Japan 11 years. He is a native of Montana and Washington State.
ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/3123. MR PETER PROEBSTER
Senior Director, Infineon Technology, speaking on behalf of the World Semiconductor Council (WSC)
Mr Peter Proebster serves as Senior Director Public Policy for Infineon Technologies AG, a world-leading 
semiconductor company headquartered in Germany, where his main responsibilities include international trade 
policy and worldwide customs compliance.
He chairs the ESIA ITC (International Trade Committee of the European Semiconductor Industry Association) and 
the Customs & Tariffs Task Force within the WSC (World Semiconductor Council). Within these functions, among 
others, he contributed actively to reviews of the HS (Harmonized System of Customs Tariffs), for example, by 
amendments of MCP (Multi-Chip Products), MCO (Multi-Component-ICs), and semiconductor-based transducers. 
He also provided support to the ITA II expansion.
He joined Infineon Technologies AG in the year 2000. Before that he had been employed by Siemens AG. During his 
over 40 years of professional experience, at Siemens and Infineon, he assumed several different responsibilities, 
including accounting, finance, contracting, internal audit, export-control, and customs. His professional career 
also covers several study and working periods abroad.
24. MS SHIGE ZHANG
Solution Alliance Director, Government Partner Development Department, Huawei Technology
Ms Zhang Shige (Aviva) is solution alliance Director at Huawei Technologies working within the Government Partner 
Development Department. She leads alliance cooperation and management on digital customs and digital tax 
solutions.
Ms Zhang represents Huawei at many international public-private fora that deal with global trading issues, 
including, from 2017 to 2019, the World Customs Organization Private Sector Consulting Group, which advises the 
WCO on customs and trade matters from the perspective of the private sector. She was a member of the World 
Economic Forum Global Future Council on International Trade and Investment for the 2018-2020 term.
Ms Zhang is also an active participant in the World Economic Forum digital trade community, a network of global 
experts and researchers in digital trade policy. She has successfully led many projects for Huawei Technologies 
that contributed to reducing trade costs and removing trade barriers in numerous countries. She also worked with 
the International Trade Center (ITC) on programmes to help developing countries to establish ICT infrastructure 
capabilities so as to support better trade facilitation.
SESSION FIVEITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/3125. RT. HON. PHILIP DUNNE MP
Chair of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, United Kingdom
Following a career as an investment banker, and then as co-founder and chairman of a chain of independent 
bookshops, Philip Dunne was elected as Member of Parliament for Ludlow in May 2005.
In the House of Commons, he has served on the Public Accounts Committee, the Work and Pensions Committee, 
the Treasury Committee and the Environmental Audit Committee.
He joined the Opposition (Conservative) front bench as a Whip in October 2008, and in May 2010 was appointed as 
an Assistant Government Whip in the coalition administration headed by David Cameron.
From September 2012 to May 2015 he served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Defence. In 
May 2015 he was appointed as Minister of State (Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), with 
responsibility for defence procurement and defence exports, in David Cameron’s Conservative administration.
From July 2016 to January 2018 he served as Minister of State for Health in the administration headed by Theresa 
May.
He was nominated to the Environmental Audit Committee in January 2018. In January 2020 he was elected by the 
House of Commons to chair the Committee for the duration of the Parliament elected in December 2019.
SESSION FIVEITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/31CLOSING REMARKS
26. MS ANABEL GONZÁLEZ
Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization
Ms Anabel González (Costa Rica) has served as WTO Deputy Director-General since June 2021. Ms González is a 
renowned global expert on trade, investment and economic development with a proven managerial track record 
in international organizations and the public sector. In government, Ms González served as Minister of Foreign 
Trade of Costa Rica; Special Ambassador and Chief Negotiator; Vice-Minister of Trade and Director-General for 
Trade Negotiations. She also worked as Director-General of the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE).  
Ms González also served at the World Bank as Senior Director of the Global Practice on Trade and Competitiveness, 
the WTO as Director of the Agriculture and Commodities Division and as Senior Consultant with the Inter-American 
Development Bank. More recently, Ms González has worked as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Peterson 
Institute for International Economics, where she hosted the virtual series Trade Winds, and as Senior Advisor to the 
Boston Consulting Group. Ms González obtained her master’s degree from Georgetown University Law Center with 
the highest academic distinction and has published extensively and lectured across the world on trade, investment 
and economic development.
MODERATORS
1. MS KATARZYNA STECZ
Chairperson of the ITA Committee, Deputy Permanent Representative of Poland to the WTO
Ms Katarzyna Stecz is an experienced diplomat and negotiator on multilateral trade issues. She has been advising 
her government on trade policy matters for more than 15 years, contributing to the formulation of government 
and enterprise positions on key bilateral and WTO issues. In that capacity, she has analysed and advised on the 
implications of services and goods negotiations for the development of related business sectors, including the IT 
industry, e-commerce and services sectors. Her experience includes work on the negotiation of the ITA expansion 
as well as EU FTA negotiations with the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Canada, among others.
Ms Stecz previously led the WTO Members in negotiations on domestic regulation in services as Chair of the 
Working Party on Domestic Regulation, serving in that capacity for two terms.
Ms Stecz has deep experience in internal and external EU trade policy making, having worked on matters relating 
to Poland’s accession to the EU and serving as country delegate to the EU Trade Policy Committee Services and 
Investment in Brussels in addition to her work on EU bilateral and multilateral trade matters.
ITA Symposium
25YEARS of the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
16-17 SEPTEMBER 2021
RD/IT/312. MRS SUJA RISHIKESH MAVROIDIS
Director, Market Access Division, WTO
Mrs Suja Rishikesh Mavroidis is Director in the Market Access Division at the WTO. She has worked for a little more 
than thirty years at the GATT/WTO in different capacities. She started her career in the Development Division and in 
February 2015 became Director of the Market Access Division. During the course of her career, she has worked on 
a variety of subjects and been involved in negotiations, including as Secretary to the Negotiating Group on Market 
Access established in 2001. She has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Geneva and a 
master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, UK.
3. MS UMA MUNIANDY
Former Chairperson of the ITA Committee
Ms Uma Muniandy has been with the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the WTO since September 2018. In her 
current position, she is responsible for Trade in Goods issues, including the ITA. Uma served as Chairperson of the 
ITA Committee from July 2020 to July 2021, and as Chairperson of the Committee on Rules of Origin from July 2019 
to July 2020. Prior to her time in Geneva, Uma had various roles in Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, which 
included participating in the WTO ITA Expansion negotiations, several FTA negotiations, and working on ASEAN’s 
regional economic integration efforts.
MODERATORS