Nan has over 25 years’ experience in strategic management roles both with the United Nations and the private sector across Asia, Africa, North America and Europe. She currently leads a global team in investment and sustainable finance research, policy, investment promotion and facilitation, enterprise development, and technical assistance to governments in over 160 countries. She chairs the Governing Board of the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative, leads the World Investment Forum and the inter-governmental Working Group on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting.

Before joining UNCTAD, she served as the Global Director of Sustainable Investments and Innovation at UNOPS, where she led a team to promote infrastructure investments in many developing countries and co-invest with DFIs and private investors. She served as UNOPS focal point in the UN Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development.

Previously, she served as the Head of UNDP SDG Innovative Finance and as Head of South-South Cooperation and Investment at UNDP's Asia Pacific Center in Bangkok. She led a team to engage public and private investors and developed national policy dialogues and networks on SDG investment, piloted SDG-aligned funds, bonds and projects in multiple countries. She helped to position UNDP as a pioneer in the UN on sustainable investment and innovative finance. She also held positions as Policy Specialist in Capacity Development and Public-Private Partnerships in New York and Johannesburg since 2009, overseeing a regional portfolio in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Before joining UNDP, she spent about 10 years in the private sector in China and the USA, covering market entry and investment strategy, merger and acquisition, business development and sustainability. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and participated in the Executive Leadership program at IESE, and Finance Executive program at Tsinghua University.

Hamed El Kady is currently heading UNCTAD’s work on Investment Agreements (IIAs) and Investor-State Disputes (ISDS). With over 20 years of experience, he provides policy advice on shaping investment frameworks that drive sustainable development. El Kady plays a pivotal role in forging global consensus on strategic aspects of investment policymaking and was instrumental in the creation of Guiding Principles on Investment Policymaking for several regional organizations. He has led the organization of 40+ international conferences on investment, fostering global dialogue and collaboration. He is a key contributor to both the World Investment Report (WIR) and the World Investment Forum (WIF); and is a frequent panelist at leading international conferences on investment policy and law.

Shane Spelliscy is currently the Director General and Senior General Counsel of the Trade Law Bureau of the Government of Canada. As the Director General and Senior General Counsel, he is the Government’s most senior international trade lawyer, responsible for all international trade related legal advice. He joined the Trade Law Bureau in 2008. He has provided advice on Canada's obligations under its trade and investment treaties and served as counsel in trade and investment treaty negotiations and disputes. He has acted as Canada’s delegate at UNCITRAL since 2008, including with respect to the revision of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, the development of the UNCITRAL Rules on Transparency, and the negotiation of the Mauritius Convention on Transparency in Treaty-Based ISDS. In November 2017, he was elected by the Member States of UNCITRAL as the Chair of Working Group III, which has been tasked with considering possible reforms in the field of ISDS.

Lorenzo Cotula is the Head of the Law, Economies and Justice Programme at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), a policy research institute based in the United Kingdom. Lorenzo’s research and policy work cuts across international economic law, natural resource law, environmental law, human rights law and sustainable development. Alongside his role at IIED, Lorenzo was a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde Law School in 2017-2023 and, prior to that, he held visiting affiliations with Warwick and Dundee universities. Before joining IIED in 2002, Lorenzo worked as a research consultant to the Legal Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Lorenzo holds a degree in law (Sapienza University of Rome), an MSc in Development Studies (London School of Economics), a PhD in law (University of Edinburgh) and a PgCert in Sustainable Business (University of Cambridge).

Head of International Affairs, at the International Finance and Affairs Division of the Ministry of Finance of Chile. Lawyer from the University of Chile and an LL.M. Heidelberg University, with more than 15 years of experience on international economic issues and international trade and investment law. He was Counsellor at the Permanent Delegation of Chile at the OECD and Head of the Services and Investment Division and the OECD Division of the Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile. Under this capacity he was Services and Investment Lead for the EU modernization process, CPTPP and other bilateral negotiations such as China, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, etc. Co-chair of the Investment Expert Group of APEC and lead for the services and investment group of the Pacific Alliance, National Contact Point of the RBC Guidelines of the OECD, Chair of the Working Party of the Trade Committee.

Jessica has been joined the OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration in 2015 to work on the development of the BEPS Multilateral Instrument (MLI). She has since been an advisor in the Unit and led, in particular, the Unit’s work on the BEPS Multilateral Instrument. More recently, she led the negotiation of the new multilateral instrument that facilitates the implementation of the Pillar Two subject to tax rule. A Canadian and Italian national, Jessica is a member of the Quebec Bar, and holds a law degree from the University of Montreal and master’s degrees in taxation from HEC Montréal and the Wirtschaftsuniversität.

Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret is the Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International
Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Director of the International Trade Law Division in the 
United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, which functions as the substantive secretariat for
UNCITRAL. She is the ninth Secretary the Commission since it was established by the 
General Assembly in 1966. 
Prior to her appointment on 24 November 2017, Ms. Joubin-Bret practiced law in Paris,
specializing in International Investment Law and Investment Dispute Resolution. She 
focused on serving as counsel, arbitrator, mediator and conciliator in international 
investment disputes. She served as arbitrator in several ICSID, UNCITRAL and ICC 
disputes. Prior to 2011 and for 15 years, Ms. Joubin-Bret was the Senior Legal Adviser for 
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She edited and 
authored seminal research and publications on international investment law, notably the 
Sequels to UNCTAD IIA Series and co-edited with Jean Kalicki a book on Reform of 
Investor-State Dispute Settlement in 2015. 
Ms. Joubin-Bret holds a post-graduate degree (DEA) in Private International Law from the
University of Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne, a Master’s Degree in International Economic 
Law from University Paris I and in Political Science from Institut d'Etudes Politiques. She 
was Legal Counsel in the legal department of the Schneider Group, General Counsel of the 
KIS Group and Director-Export of Pomagalski S.A. She was appointed judge at the 
Commercial Court in Grenoble (France) and was elected Regional Counsellor of the 
Rhône-Alpes Region in 1998.

William Roos is Assistant Secretary for Multilateral, Development and Trade Affairs at the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and the Recovery. He previously served as Director for France at the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as Economic Counsellor for Southern Africa at the Embassy of France in Pretoria and as Head of International and Domestic Macroeconomic Policy Department at the French Treasury. William Roos holds a Master of advanced studies in industrial economics, microeconomics and econometrics from the Sorbonne University and from the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE-Paris Tech).

Ana Novik leads the Investment Division. In her role, Ms. Novik establishes strategies for the OECD to secure a leadership role in the international investment debate and to advance a more structured economic analysis of investment flows and impact.

She also contributes to OECD-wide initiatives, including horizontal workstreams on mobilising investment to SDG and climate change, global value chains and OECD contributions to the G20.

Before joining the OECD in 2014, Ms. Novik was Ambassador Director of Multilateral Economic Affairs in the Economics Directorate of Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. During this period, she represented Chile in international organisations, such as WTO, OECD and as a Senior Official (SOM) in APEC, and acted as the country’s G20 Sherpa during the year 2012. She also headed and supervised negotiations on behalf of Chile in the investment and services areas, with China, Australia, TPP, Pacific Alliance and MERCOSUR, among others, and participated in Chile’s accession to OECD, particularly in the areas of investment and trade.

Ms. Novik, a Chilean national, holds a Major in Business and Administration from Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Chile and a Master’s in International Affairs, Economic and Political Development from Columbia University, United States.

Dr. Dahlia El-Hawary Vice President, General Authority for Investment (GAFI), Egypt Dr. Dahlia El-Hawary is an economist with over 30 years of experience in policy reform, focusing on sustainable finance, climate finance, financial sector development, access to finance, and Islamic finance. In her current role as Vice President of the General Authority for Investment (GAFI), she oversees key portfolios such as policy advocacy, institutional development, and economic performance, working to improve Egypt's investment climate and drive economic growth. Dr. El-Hawary has played a critical role in Egypt’s policy landscape, serving as an advisor to several Ministers of Investment between 2007 and 2018. She has collaborated extensively with international organizations, including the World Bank, IMF, UNDP, and UNEP, leading significant regional and national initiatives. These include authoring the 2021 report on sustainable finance in the Arab region and spearheading Egypt's first national report on financing sustainable development, launched in 2022. Earlier in her career, Dr. El-Hawary was a senior economist at the Public Enterprise Office, where she contributed to the restructuring and privatization of Egypt's public sector. Her work has consistently focused on promoting financial inclusion, sustainable economic practices, and regulatory reform. Dr. El-Hawary holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Economics from George Washington University, as well as an MA and BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

Head Brussels Office Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers VNO-NCW (Netherlands) and Permanent Delegate VNO-NCW at BUSINESSEUROPE Chair of BIAC Investment Committee Winand Quaedvlieg is Head of the Brussels Office of VNO-NCW and responsible for the overall EU lobby of VNO-NCW. Before he was Deputy Director International Economic Affairs in VNO-NCW and responsible for international trade and investment policy and international corporate social responsibility. He has been Chair of BIAC’s Investment Committee since 2012. He is also a former Vice Chair of the BUSINESSEUROPE International Relations Committee. He was a member of the Commission on European Integration (CEI) of the Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV) of the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs and lecturer on EU External Economic Policy, Master Programme European Union Studies of Leiden University. He studied Dutch and European law in Nijmegen (NL) and Nancy (FR). He was nominated Officer in the French Ordre National du Mérite in 2011.

Ms Patricia Holmes is the First Assistant Secretary and Chief Trade Law Officer of the Trade Law and Economic Security Division at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Until January 2022, Ms Holmes was the Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the WTO, UNCTAD and WIPO. Ms Holmes’ previous positions include Assistant Secretary, Trade and Investment Law Branch and Assistant Secretary, FTA Legal Counsel Branch. Ms Holmes was Australia’s Ambassador to Argentina from November 2011 to December 2014. Most recently, she served as chargé d'affaires of the Australian Embassy in Mexico March 2023-August 2023. Ms Holmes has previously served in Geneva WTO (Counsellor 2006-2009), PNG (First Secretary 1998-2000) and Vanuatu (Third, later Second, Secretary 1994-1996). Ms Holmes holds a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Law (Hons) degree from Macquarie University; a Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies from the University of Technology, Sydney; and a Masters of Laws in Environmental Law from the ANU. Ms Holmes was admitted to the Bar of NSW and the ACT in 1992 and holds an ACT government practicing certificate.

Professor Lauge N Skovgaard Poulsen, University College London, is chair of OECD’s work programme on climate change and investment treaties. Prof Poulsen has published widely on the investment treaty regime and is on editorial boards of the Journal of International Economic Law, World Trade Review, and Journal of International Dispute Settlement. Before joining UCL, Prof Poulsen was a postdoctoral fellow at University of Oxford and he has been a visiting scholar at the Brookings Institution, London School of Economics' Department of Law, and Melbourne Law School. Prof Poulsen was appointed OBE in the 2022 Queen’s New Year Honours List for his services to UK trade policy.

Juan Felipe Bernal is the Chief Negotiator of the Colombian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism. He is an economist from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana with a master’s and Ph.D. in Economics from the Toulouse School of Economics in France. His expertise spans economic policy, foreign investment and intellectual property. He held key advisory roles at Colombia’s National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN) before joining the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism. His academic career includes teaching positions at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Universidad del Pacífico (Peru), and Sciences Po Toulouse (France). From 2019 to 2022, he was the founding director of the Ph.D. in Economics program at Javeriana and led the Economic Policy research group. He has received multiple academic distinctions, including top honors during his studies and research scholarships from the French government and Université Toulouse I Capitole.

Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, LL.M, is IISD's Interim Co-President and Co-CEO, serving alongside Martha Casey in this role. Nathalie is also IISD’s Vice-President, Global Strategies and Managing Director, Europe.
Nathalie leads major new initiatives across IISD’s programs, is the institute’s senior leader in Europe, and heads IISD’s Economic Law and Policy program. She is based out of IISD’s office in Geneva, Switzerland, and is IISD Europe’s representative in the Think Sustainable Europe network of think tanks.

Nathalie has extensive legal, policy, and training experience in the areas of public and private international law, trade, investment, sustainable development, human rights, international environmental law, and international dispute settlement. She has authored and edited several peer-reviewed publications and collections covering various facets of international law.

Additionally, Nathalie is a visiting professor on international investment law at the Geneva Graduate Institute and is the Vice-Chair of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Team of Specialists on Environmental, Social and Governance Traceability of Sustainable Value Chains in the Circular Economy.

Before joining IISD in 2009, Nathalie served as Managing Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in Geneva, after previously being based out of CIEL’s Washington, D.C. office. Earlier, she was a fellow at the International Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University Law Center and worked in Hanoi, Vietnam, for a legal reform project of the United Nations Development Programme. She previously worked at an Australian law firm and at the Swiss Department of Justice in the Section for International Law. In Switzerland, Nathalie is admitted to the Bar of Basel.

She is based in Geneva and is fluent in English, German, and French.

Roslyn Ng’eno is the Senior Investment Expert at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, leading the efforts towards the development, negotiation and implementation of the Protocol on Investment, that has seen the delivery and adoption of the Protocol. Ms. Ng’eno provides technical assistance and strategic guidance to Member States on the formulation and execution of the continental investment protocol. Ms. Ng’eno has served in various capacities within both intergovernmental organizations and governmental bodies with particular focus on investment regulatory reforms and facilitation strategies. Her expertise lies in the development of National and Regional Investment policies, as well as the negotiation of Bilateral Investment treaties and formulation of regional Investment Treaty Models. Previously, she served as a technical advisor within the office of the Principal Secretary for Industrialization of Kenya. She has also held the position of Policy Manager at the Kenya Investment Authority, where she coordinated the work on policy advocacy and investor facilitation. She led the development of the Kenya Investment Policy, and her contributions extend to the negotiation of reform oriented regional and continental model Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), including those of the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the African Union’s Pan African Investment Code (PAIC). Roslyn Ng’eno has written and made presentations nationally, regionally and internationally on international investment agreements and investment policies.

Carmine Di Noia has been the Director for Financial and Enterprise Affairs at the OECD since 2022. Previously, he was Commissioner of the Italian Securities and Exchange Commission (CONSOB), beginning in 2016. He was also alternate member of the Board of IOSCO and the Board of Supervisor at the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), Chair of the Committee of Economic and Markets Analysis (CEMA) and of the Post-Trading Standing Committee at ESMA, and Vice Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee at OECD. He had been Deputy Director General at Assonime, member of the Board of the Italian Stock Exchange, Chairman of the Policy Committee of EuropeanIssuers and Head of the technical secretariat of the Italian Corporate Governance Committee. He was a member of various working groups at the European Commission: European Securities Market Expert Group (ESME), Clearing and Settlement Advisory Monitoring Expert Group (CESAME), Forum Group on Auditors Liability, Securities Expert Group on FSAP. He is Full Professor of Financial Markets and Banking at the Business School of Luiss University in Rome. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate in Economic Theory and Institutions at Tor Vergata University.

Mr. Schlegelmilch studied law and political science in Freiburg, in Breisgau and Berlin. He joined the German Foreign Service in 1987 and the European Commission Directorate General for External Relations in 1993. From 1998 to 2003, he worked on WTO matters in the European Commission Delegation in Geneva. From 2003 to 2010, Mr. Schlegelmilch was responsible in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Trade (DG TRADE), for the EU’s bilateral trade relations first with China, and later for the trade relations with the Americas and South Asia, Korea and ASEAN. In 2011, he became the Director in DG TRADE, for Trade in Services, Investment, Government Procurement and the protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). He has been the EU’s Chief negotiator for the EU-Singapore, the EU-Ukraine, and the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreements. From 2016 to 2019, Mr. Schlegelmilch served as the European Union’s Ambassador to the OECD and UNESCO in Paris. 2019 to 2023, he rejoined DG TRADE in Brussels as the Director for the United States, Canada, Latin America as well as Agriculture and food safety trade issues. In January 2024, he took over as the Chair of the OECD’s Investment Committee.

Sylvie Tabet is General Counsel at Canada’s Trade Law Bureau where she provides trade and investment law advice to the Government of Canada. She has litigated numerous WTO and investor-state cases on behalf of the Government of Canada and was instrumental in creating Canada's investor state dispute settlement team. In addition, she has extensive experience in negotiating international trade and investment agreements. Notably, she was closely involved in the negotiation of many of Canada’s international trade and investment agreements (including the Bilateral Investment Treaty with China, CPTPP and the Canada-EU Trade Agreement where Sylvie was lead counsel for the Government of Canada) and most recently in the negotiation of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Indonesia and a free trade agreement with ASEAN. She leads Canada’s delegation in the on-going UNCITRAL Working Group III on investor state dispute settlement reform and chairs the OECD track II discussions on the future of investment treaties. She teaches and guest lectures frequently on trade and investment law issues.

GABRIEL BOTTINI is a partner at the Madrid office of Uría Menéndez and co-head of the firm’s international arbitration and litigation group. He is the former National Director of International Affairs and Disputes of the Treasury Attorney-General’s Office of Argentina. Mr Bottini has extensive experience as counsel and arbitrator before ICSID, UNCITRAL, and ICC arbitral tribunals. Mr Bottini teaches public international law at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has lectured at many universities and international organizations around the world on issues of international law and has published extensively in the field. He has been awarded scholarships by the Fulbright Commission and other international institutions. Mr Bottini holds a law degree magna cum laude from the University of Buenos Aires, an LLM from New York University School of Law, and a PhD from Cambridge University.

Abdullah AlOmayr is an accomplished executive and strategic leader in the field of international agreements, currently holding the esteemed position of General Manager of International Agreements at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment since October 2020. With over 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors, AlOmayr has cultivated a profound expertise in the intricacies of international investment agreements, trade negotiations, and arbitration. He is recognized for his critical role in driving Saudi Arabia’s global investment strategy, leading high-stakes negotiations that shape bilateral and multilateral agreements in alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic goals. As the Head of the Saudi Negotiations Team for Trade in Services and International Investment Agreements, AlOmayr coordinates complex diplomatic negotiations that involve liaising with senior stakeholders worldwide, ensuring that Saudi Arabia’s interests are advocated and protected on the global stage. His leadership in these areas reflects his deep understanding of international economic law and his exceptional capability to navigate cross-border legal and regulatory frameworks. Prior to his current role, AlOmayr held prominent positions across pivotal organizations, including the General Authority of Civil Aviation, where he served as Manager of International Organizations Affairs, and the Saudi Exports Authority as Trade Facilitation Department Manager. His tenure at the Ministry of Commerce, where he was the Director General of the Negotiations Department, further cemented his expertise in trade policy and international agreements. These roles have given him invaluable experience in arbitration and dispute resolution, allowing him to address legal complexities with a strategic and solution-oriented approach. AlOmayr’s academic credentials are equally distinguished. He holds a Master’s degree in Commercial Law from Latrobe University, Australia, which provides a robust foundation in international business regulations and arbitration principles. Additionally, he completed advanced studies in international trade and WTO agreements in Geneva and is an alumnus of Stanford University’s Business Management Program, where he honed his leadership and strategic planning skills. He has also undertaken specialized training in dispute settlement and international investment law, adding to his multifaceted legal expertise. In addition to his leadership in negotiations, AlOmayr has served on numerous national and international committees, such as the Saudi Committee for International Air Services Agreements and the GCC Trade and Security Committees, where his insights have been instrumental in shaping policies that enhance Saudi Arabia’s competitive position in the global marketplace. His work has included significant contributions to workshops and seminars focused on enforcing intellectual property rights and improving trade facilitation. A highly respected figure in international diplomacy and investment, AlOmayr’s career is marked by his commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia’s economic interests through principled negotiation and strategic partnerships. His reputation for fostering cooperative relationships with international stakeholders, coupled with his expertise in arbitration and legal analysis, positions him as a key influencer in the realm of global investment and trade policy.

Dr. Vilawan Mangklatanakul, is a retired career diplomat who has been with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand since 1995. Her last position was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kingdom of Thailand to the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna. She has built her expertise in important areas of international law including diplomatic and State immunities, treaty law, intellectual property and international economic law. She also has a keen interest in investment law and dispute mechanisms. She has represented the Government of Thailand on many occasions as the lead legal negotiator and legal adviser in connection with the negotiations of free trade agreements and international investment agreements. Dr. Mangklatanakul has experience acting as an associate judge at the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court for five years, and has also served on the Thailand Arbitration Center Board of Directors, and is listed on the Thai Arbitration Institute's roster of arbitrators specialised in international trade law. She is a member of the International Law Commission for the term 2023-2027. Dr. Mangklatanakul received the degrees of Bachelor of Laws from Thammasat University; Master of Laws (International Business Law) from the Queen Mary College, University of London; and Doctor of Philosophy in Law from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London.

Jason File is Director of Legal Affairs and General Counsel at the US Council for International Business (USCIB) in New York, where, among other things, he leads USCIB’s delegation to international bodies addressing the international dispute resolution system, including UNCITRAL Working Group III, the UNIDROIT / ICC Working Group on International Investment Contracts, and the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR. Prior to USCIB, Jason worked as a trial attorney in public and private international law. He has worked in law firms in London and New York, appearing in international commercial and investor-state arbitrations, and has also served as a UN war crimes prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Jason has taught international law at the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP Europe) and is a graduate of Yale University (B.A.), the University of Oxford (M.Phil.) and Yale Law School (J.D.).

Mark Jacobs is currently director of the department International Trade Policy and Market Regulation (IMH) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands. IMH focuses on international trade and investment policies, export controls for strategic goods, and responsible business conduct. Mark has over 20 years of experience in governmental affairs, working at different ministries in the Dutch Government (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment). While spending most of his time working on international financial and economic regulatory matters in the framework of the EU and WTO, he also gained extensive knowledge of the Dutch labour market after several positions at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. His last position before being transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was Acting Director of the Department of Industrial Relations. Mark holds a masters degree in public international law, specializing on international trade, from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Part of his studies, he spent in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Ms Kruger is a lawyer by training and since January 2012 serving as the Chief Director: Trade Policy and Negotiations in the Trade Branch at Department of Trade, Industry and Competition in South Africa. She is responsible at a technical level for leading South Africa’s international trade and investment negotiations at bilateral, regional and multilateral level including the WTO and G20. She is currently South Africa’s Chief Negotiator for the African Continental Free Trade Area. She is also responsible for the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union and United Kingdom as well as the free trade agreement with the member states of the European Free Trade Association. Ms Kruger further manages South Africa’s international trade and investment disputes as well as the development of South Africa’s investment legislation, international trade legislation and Intellection Property policy, including the Protection of Investment Act, International Trade Administration Act and new patent legislation. Prior to her position as Chief Director at the dtic, Ms Kruger was the head of the legal division at the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) of South Africa for 8 years. While at ITAC, Ms Kruger managed the development of South Africa’s international trade legislation as well as the Commission’s litigation cases including the first international trade law case that was heard by the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Jae Sung LEE is a senior legal officer at the International Trade Law Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, which functions as the substantive secretariat for UNCITRAL. He is the secretary of Working Group III on Investor-State Dispute Settlement Reform and has served as secretary of working groups on dispute settlement, secured transactions and electronic commerce. Before joining the United Nations in 2007, Jae Sung served in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Jae Sung is a graduate of Seoul National University College of Law, holds LL.M. degrees from Seoul National University Graduate School of International Studies and NYU School of Law as well as a Ph.D. in Law from Seoul National University.

Ernesto is a seasoned diplomat and trade negotiator, currently serving as Coordinator for Trade and Investment Law and Treaties at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. With 18 years of experience, he has spearheaded negotiations for key FTAs, including RCEP, Indonesia-Australia CEPA, Indonesia-Canada CEPA, and Indonesia-EU CEPA, as well as numerous BITs. His expertise extends to managing treaty-based disputes, particularly Investor-State disputes. A two-time overseas diplomat, having served in Brussels and Berlin, he holds the rank of Counsellor.