Roberto Azevedo

Roberto Azevêdo (born October 3, 1957, in Salvador, Brazil) is a distinguished Brazilian diplomat, engineer, and former Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). He earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Brasília and studied International Relations at the Instituto Rio Branco. Azevêdo began his diplomatic career in 1984 and held various positions, including Brazil's Permanent Representative to the WTO in Geneva. In May 2013, he was appointed as the WTO's Director-General, serving from September 1, 2013, to August 31, 2020 .

During his tenure at the WTO, Azevêdo was instrumental in advancing multilateral trade negotiations and resolving complex trade disputes. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and compromise among member nations to achieve consensus. Under his leadership, the WTO focused on addressing challenges such as regional trade agreements, trade liberalization, and the evolving dynamics of the global economy .

Among Roberto Azevêdo’s most insightful quotes are:

“Trade liberalization can be contagious, and the opening of markets regionally can spark progress multilaterally as well.”

“We cannot look backwards. What we have to do is raise our heads, look forward, roll up our sleeves and work.”

“At the WTO, it's never a general surgery. It's always a very specific, clinical, precise surgery - and you can't miss the target. If you miss the target, you kill the patient.”

These reflections underscore Azevêdo’s commitment to pragmatic diplomacy, forward-thinking solutions, and the critical role of precision in international trade negotiations.