Expertise and Network / Our experts
Most of our experts pursue a variety of interests. Many teach at academic institutions, some provide advice as board members, others are involved in pro-bona work on trade and development or trade and sustainability. Some of our experts work with Trade-Up on a regular basis, others join our team only for very specific projects. Our team of experts is constantly evolving, driven by client demand.
We invite you to meet some of our experts !
Alex de Mul
Dutch, ultimate expert on customs procedures for regulated products, knows everything about export and import trade mechanisms and license systems in agriculture and food, involved in EU negotiations on the modernization of the EU Custom Code, provides legal support to EU candidate countries on customs issues.
Andrew McKenzie
New Zealand, veterinarian, former Chief Executive of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, guru on global, regional and bilateral regulatory cooperation in the food safety area, lead figure in the OIE and SPS context, has negotiated access for New Zealand food exports to almost any country in the world.
Charles Finny
New Zealand, has worked on trade policy for close to 40 years, multiple positions in the New Zealand government including Prime Minister’s Department, Department of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including foreign postings in Singapore, Beijing and Taipei. He worked on WTO, bilateral and regional FTA, he was lead negotiator for the China-New Zealand FTA and the Taiwan-New Zealand FTAIs. Advising clients for 20 years on international trade issues.
Christian Häberli
Swiss, fellow at the World Trade Institute, former WTO Panel Chairman, WTO expert with a keen interest on trade and development, worked a lot on process and production methods (PPMs) under the TBT Agreement, pioneer with respect to WTO rules and climate change.
Christina Kaul
Austrian, former member of staff to European Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler, political crisis management on food-related trade issues, led an international NGO coalition on animal welfare standards, involved in WTO cases and negotiations on bilateral trade agreements. Long consultancy experience on trade issues with Africa, in Middle East and Latin America. Focus on sustainability and international trade and EU trade enforcement.
Conrad Jarzebowski
US, strategic communication counsel with focus on corporate positioning, reputation management and thought leadership, vast experience with media strategies around high profile events like the World Economic Forum and UN Summits, worked on profiling of CEOs and corporate positioning of big corporations in developing economies.
David Schwartz
US, scientific product defense expert in the pharmaceuticals, medical device and dietary supplements area, with a PhD in Neurosciences from Princeton.
Hugo Schally
Austrian, EU and international environmental negotiator and policy architect, former European Commission official, lead EU negotiator for the Convention on Biological Diversity and in the international plastics treaty process, contributor to EU biodiversity/forests/circular economy law and policy (including the EU Biodiversity Strategy and Single-Use Plastics Directive), experienced in linking environment with trade and sustainable development (UN, OECD, WTO), specialist on coherence and governance across multilateral environmental agreements.
Joe Huggard
Irish, chemical engineer with long consultancy experience in Europe, the US and Latin America, working at the interface of science and policy, politics and media. Organization and management of scientific conferences and scientific expert panels on difficult regulatory issues. Experience with transatlantic regulatory cooperation in the pharmaceutical and chemicals area.
Lars Hoelgaard
Danish, former European Commission Deputy Director-General in Agriculture, EU spokesman in the WTO SPS Committee and EU veterinary negotiator, Commission adviser on climate change and agriculture. Contributes to various European and International think-tanks on economic and trade issues.
Pushpanathan Sundram
Singapore, former Deputy Secretary General of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), one of the architects of the AEC and steering in the initial years its implementation, negotiated ASEAN free trade agreements with partners such as China, Japan, South Korea, India and Australia and New Zealand. In-depth connoisseur of ASEAN policies, agreements, regulations and processes with an extensive network within ASEAN.
Rachel Wells
British, expert in narrative creation, message positioning and corporate communications. Makes sure complex policy issues are understood by all audiences, experienced in investor relations, reputation management and stakeholder partnering across multiple industries and geographies including big Pharma, Telco and FMCG.
Simon Pettman
British, extensive experience across Europe and Asia and globally in building regulatory, political engagement and reputation management strategies, worked a lot on advising regional groups on approaches to harmonization of standards and regulation in the food and health sectors.